Repentance Enjoined. Parable of the Barren Fig-Tree.

  5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

  6 And he spake this parable [this parable is closely connected with verses 3 and 5 of this chapter, and verses 58 and 59 of the preceding chapter]; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none.

  7 And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

[It cumbered the ground by occupying ground which the vines should have had, and by interfering with their light by its shade, which is very dense.]

  7 And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

  8 And he answering saith unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it [a common method of treating the fig-tree to induce fruitfulness]:

  9 and if it bear fruit henceforth, well: and if not, thou shalt cut it down. [In this parable Jesus likened his hearers to a fig-tree planted in a the odd corners of which are still used as advantageous spots for fig-trees. There is no emphasis on the number three, and no allusion to the national history of the Jews, as some suppose. It simply means that a fig-tree's failure to bear fruit for three years would justify its being cut down. Those to whom Jesus spoke had been called to repentance by the preaching both of John and of Jesus, and had had ample time and opportunity to bring forth the fruits of repentance, and deserved to be destroyed; but they would still be allowed further opportunity.]