An Atheistic Bible Study Of The Gospels The Parable Of The Barren Fig Tree

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While Mark & Matthew record the claim that Jesus destroyed a fig tree for failing to have any figs on it when he desired some, Luke’s Gospel provides a parable told by Jesus in which a seemingly barren fig tree receives a stay of execution. It shows a lesson in patience Jesus never showed to the fig trees he actually used. Luke 13:6–9 has Jesus relate a story about vineyard keeper who comes to inspect a fig tree that has stood on his land for three years. It has not yet produced any fruit so the owner considers chopping the tree down to get rid of it. His chief assistant, the Vineyard Dresser, promises to tend to the tree, giving it fresh fertilizer dung, and keep its surrounds clear, to give the tree another year before finally deciding whether or not to keep the tree. The vineyard owner is sometimes interpreted as God, with the dresser being Jesus talking his dad into having more patience with those potential or actual converts who are slow in attaining the right level of Christian devotion and faith expected of them. The indication is that God would smite them down right away while Jesus is prepared to offer some slack, but even his time, commitment and patience have their limits. He is only offering one last chance. The problem with this is that Jesus and God are one and the same being, making their stance here rather schizoid. Why don’t God / Jesus make the tree better able to produce fruit? Why hasn’t the all-knowing God seen his tree in three years? One commentary I read reasons that the Old Testament, especially Leviticus, forbids consumption of fruit from a fig tree younger than three years in age. This means any fruit grown before this season has been left to rot on the vine or picked and destroyed. It is new that the tree is ready to produce fruit that can be sold or consumed right away, that the tree has let the vineyard owner down. In some Biblical interpretations the fruit of the fourth year is all to be set aside for sacrifice to God. This tree will be five before anyone eats from it. The parable suggests that our early life achievements have no value while our later faith can save us, unless like me the fruit decides its own fate. Arthur Chappell