Luke 13:1-9 Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

When Jesus told the parable of the fig tree, He was trying to get our attention because He is the master gardener. He always nourishes and protects. He prunes off the dead parts of our lives that won’t serve us. He’s tender to our new vines and branches.

He shows up with sturdy gloves and an eye for detail. He shows up wearing old blue jeans, an old white shirt, and a hat; ready to get to work as we lay ourselves before Him as He tells us, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain on the vine” (John 15:4). The vine He created was for the purpose of staying rooted and bearing fruit through Him. He reminds us, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples”(John 15:8). When He talks about each of us, His eyes shine as He takes pride in the work of our lives even when the work He is doing feels more like loss of life than actual living.

This is the meaning of the fig tree in Luke 13:6-9.

Jesus wants us to live our lives for God. He wants us to ensure we stay deeply rooted in His Word, in His Presence in all that we do. As He tends to our branches, He expects a fruitful return of His investment because He willingly paid dearly through the death on the cross. It covered our sins and in return, He wants to see each of us adding to the Kingdom of God with our hearts, our speech, and in all that we do.