Luke 13:9

And if it indeed produces fruit. But if not, in the future you will cut it down. When He said, "And if it indeed produces fruit," He did not add anything, but suspended the judgment. However, when He added, "But if not," He immediately attached …

(De Pœnit.) For it is the part of God's mercy not silently to inflict punishment, but to send forth threatenings to recall the sinner to repentance, as He did to the men of Nineveh, and now to the dresser of the vineyard, saying, Cut it down, exciting him indeed to the care of it, and stirring up the barren soil to bring forth the proper fruits.

Finally, since, despite all this, the Jews did not repent, Christ cut them off from the love of God. For they are no longer called the people of the Lord and a holy nation, but in their place the Gentiles have been brought in, who …

But each one of us also is a fig tree planted in the vineyard of God, that is, in the Church, or in the world. Our nature yields no fruit though three times sought for; once indeed when we transgressed the commandment in paradise; the second time, when they made the molten calf under the law; thirdly, when they rejected the Saviour. But that three years' time must be understood to mean also the three ages of life, boyhood, manhood, and old age. Or the master of the household is God the Father, the dresser is Christ, who will not have the fig tree cut down as barren, as if saying to the Father, Although through the Law and the Prophets they gave no fruit of repentance, I will water them with My sufferings and teaching, and perhaps they will yield us fruits of obedience.

Therefore he adds: And if indeed it bears fruit, supply: you will let it alone; and it is a figurative expression in which a necessary word is lacking, but nevertheless it is a common manner of speaking. But if not, in the future you shall …

Their best friends will acquiesce in, nay, they will approve and applaud, the righteous judgment of God, in the day of the manifestation of it, Rev. xv. 10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:38w-of-65

And if it bear fruit, well,....

Joh 15:1-8, &c.). vineyard--a spot selected for its fertility, separated from the surrounding fields, and cultivated with special care, with a view solely to fruit. came and sought fruit--a heart turned to God; the fruits of righteousness; compare Mt 21:33, 34, and Isa 5:2, "He looked that it should bring forth fruit";

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

if . . . fruit, well--Genuine repentance, however late, avails to save (Lu 23:42, 43). after that, &c.--The final perdition of such as, after the utmost limits of reasonable forbearance, are found fruitless, will be pre-eminently and confessedly just (Pr 1:24-31;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens

The parable we have now read is particularly humbling and heart-searching. The Christian who can hear it and not feel sorrow and shame as he looks at the state of Christendom — must be in a very unhealthy state of soul. We learn first from this passage — that where God gives spiritual privileges, He expects proportionate returns. Our Lord teaches this lesson, by comparing the Jewish Church of His day to a "fig tree planted in a vineyard." This was exactly the position of Israel in the world.

The parable we have now read is particularly humbling and heart-searching. The Christian who can hear it and not feel sorrow and shame as he looks at the state of Christendom — must be in a very unhealthy state of soul. We learn first from this passage — that where God gives spiritual privileges, He expects proportionate returns. Our Lord teaches this lesson, by comparing the Jewish Church of His day to a "fig tree planted in a vineyard." This was exactly the position of Israel in the world. They were separated from other nations by the Mosaic laws and ordinances, no less than by the situation of their land. They were favored with revelations of God, which were granted to no other people. Things were done for them, which were never done for Egypt, or Nineveh, or Babylon, or Greece, or Rome. It was only just and right, that they should bear fruit to God's praise. It might reasonably be expected, that there would be more faith, and penitence, and holiness, and godliness in Israel — than among the heathen. This is what God looked for. The owner of the fig tree "came seeking fruit." But if we mean to get the full benefit of the parable before us — then we must look beyond the Jewish Church. We must look to the Christian churches. They have light, and truth, and doctrines, and precepts — of which the heathen never hear. How great is their responsibility! Is it not just and right, that God should expect fruit from them? We must look to our own hearts. We live in a land of Bibles, and liberty, and Gospel preaching. How vast are the advantages we enjoy — compared to the Chinese and Hindu! Never let us forget that God expects fruit from us! These are solemn truths. Few things are so much forgotten by men — as the close connection between privilege and responsibility .