Fig Tree

LUKE — LESSON 13

Scriptures from this lesson are taken from: Luke 13 and Matthew 7.

[Luke 13:1-5] (1) Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. (2) Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? (3) I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. (4) Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? (5) I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

About this time Pontius Pilate had some Galileans killed while they were worshiping God, offering sacrifices according to the Law of Moses. This would account for the report that their blood had been mixed with the sacrifices. The men telling this wanted Jesus to explain why this terrible thing happened to the good people who were worshiping God. Why would God allow good people to suffer and die like that? A question often asked by people today. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Jesus did not directly answer their question, but turned it around on those who were asking. He made it clear that the most important question for them to focus on was the conditions of their own souls.

Unless they repented of their sins, they too would die. Jesus then called their attention to a tragedy that had happened in Jerusalem where the Tower of Siloam fell and killed eighteen people. Were those eighteen more sinful than others who were there and did not die? It was a common thought among the people in that time to believe that tragedy was the result of sin. That is why Jesus asked them if those who died were guiltier than the ones who lived. Jesus answered that question with an emphatic, no! He stated again that unless they repented of their sins, they too would perish.

[Luke 13:6-9] (6) Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. (7) So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ (8) “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. (9) If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

The Nation of Israel is God’s chosen people that he created from the descendants of Abraham. God established this people to be His witness on earth to all peoples, to teach them about God and His laws that they should live by. Israel, however, chose to follow after those who worshiped other gods and failed in their mission. God gave them time and sent His prophets to witness to them and call them to repentance. But, after so long, when they did not repent, God allowed them to be cut down through His divine judgment. I believe that this is the meaning of this parable.

[Luke 13:10-17] (10) On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, (11) and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. (12) When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” (13) Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. (14) Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” (15) The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? (16) Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” (17) When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Jesus was teaching on a Sabbath day in one of the synagogues and there was a crippled woman in the crowd who was bent over and could not straighten up. When Jesus saw her, He had compassion and called her to Him. He put His hands on her and she was immediately healed. The Jewish Law forbade work on the Sabbath day so the leader of the synagogue told the crowd that any who wished to be healed should leave and come back on a day, not the Sabbath. Jesus rebuked the leader by saying that they were willing to take care of the needs of their livestock, to feed and water them on the Sabbath and this woman who was a descendant of Abraham had the right to have her needs met. Jesus stated here that this woman was afflicted with a demon of Satan and this had caused her crippled condition. It does not say that Jesus drove the demon out like in other situations. The leader of the synagogue was upset and humiliated by how Jesus contradicted him, but those who were there to listen to Jesus and be healed were delighted.

[Luke 13:18-21] (18) Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? (19) It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” (20) Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? (21) It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

We again have two parables with a similar meaning. The question was, “What is the Kingdom of God like?” Jesus asked what was there on earth that He could compare it to so that they would understand. When Jesus came to earth, He was God with man. The Kingdom of God had come to earth. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the New Covenant between God and man was established. The New Covenant being the way that sinful man would be justified so that he could live eternally with his Holy God. By these two parables, Jesus is saying that the Kingdom of God started small but it would grow and grow through time until it encompassed all the earth and all men.

[Luke 13:22-28] (22) Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. (23) Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, (24) “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. (25) Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ (26) “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ (27) “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ (28) There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. (29) People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. (30) Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

[Matthew 7:13-14] (13) “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (14) But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Jesus was still working His way south to Jerusalem with crowds following Him. Someone in the crowd asked Jesus if only a few people would be saved. In His answer, Jesus warned them to do all they could do in order to enter through the narrow door because many would not make it. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus said that the road and the gate were wide leading to damnation, but the road and the gate were narrow leading to eternal life with God. At some point the door would be closed and they could not enter.

People today believe that they have plenty of time to prepare for eternal life, but the truth is, we have no guarantee of even tomorrow and accepting Jesus as Savior is something each person has to do for themselves. I think in verse 26 where it says that the people will say that they ate and drank with Jesus and listened to Him teach but they would be rejected because they did not believe. For me that should be a big lesson for us today. Our churches are full of people who attend regularly, going through the motions but never truly giving their heart to the Lord. For those people, the door to heaven will be closed.

[Luke 13:31-35] (31) At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” (32) He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ (33) In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day — for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! (34) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. (35) Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’

Jesus was traveling through Perea on the east side of the Jordan River as He made His way to Jerusalem. This was the territory ruled over by Herod Antipas and it is shown on the map in gray color. It is likely that Jesus was close to the town of Machaerus which is where Herod killed John the Baptist. The scribes and Pharisees were never friends of Jesus and followed after Him always looking for something He said or did that could be used as a reason to have Him killed. Since Jesus called Herod a “fox” it is most likely that Herod sent the Pharisees with the message that Herod wanted to kill him so Jesus would move on out of Herod’s territory. Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of God, calling people to repent and become a part of this kingdom. Herod would not understand that the Kingdom of God was a spiritual kingdom, but consider this a threat to his rule.

Since Jesus was healing people all the time, He was too popular to ignore. Jesus sent a message back to Herod, calling him a fox, saying that He would continue to heal the sick and would leave in three days, or that may have been another way to say that He would leave when He was ready. Jesus knew that Herod Antipas could not kill Him. In verse 33, Jesus states that no prophet would die outside Jerusalem. Jerusalem the city was a killer of prophets of God. Very shortly Jesus would be killed in Jerusalem. Then Jesus showed His love for the city by referring to a mother hen protecting her chicks. He wanted to shelter and protect them because He knew that the city would be destroyed in 35 years by the Roman General, Titus in 70 AD. The long awaited Messiah had come to the Holy city and they had rejected Him. Jesus then said that they would not see Him again until as a nation they accepted Him as the Messiah and there would be great suffering ahead until that time came.

Lessons for us from Luke 13:

1. The most important thing we should focus on is the condition of our own soul.

2. The growth of the Kingdom of God on earth is now the responsibility of Christians.

3. We should continue to teach and preach the gospel in our churches because we can never know who has given their heart to the Lord.

4. Jesus loves us and wants to protect and guide us if we trust in Him.

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