"A certain man had
a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and
found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three
years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why
cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone
this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit,
well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down" (Lk. 13:6-9).
God the Father, like the owner of the fig tree,
was expecting repentance and faith from the Jewish people over the three years
of His Son's public ministry. The Son of God, like a kind and caring dresser,
asked the Lord to wait while he would try to make the fig tree, the Jews,
fruitful again. But His efforts were not crowned with success and the dreadful
prophecy was fulfilled in that God did cast off the people who steadfastly
resisted Him. The Lord Jesus Christ depicted the fulfillment of this fearful
moment when, on His way to Jerusalem, several days prior to His sufferings on
the cross, He withered the fruitless fig tree growing at the side of the road
(See Matthew 21:19).
The bestowal of the Kingdom
of God from the Jews to other peoples is described in the parable
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