Luke 13:7 BSB — MannaFest

Luke 13:7

So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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?

KJV

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?

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Commentary

3 voices

Ambrose of Milan

Catena Aurea by Aquinas (397)

But our Lord sought, not because He was ignorant that the fig tree had no fruit, but that He might show in a figure that the synagogue ought by this time to have fruit. Lastly, from what follows, He teaches that He Himself came not before the time who came after three years. For so it is said, Then said he to the dresser of the vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Three years - Christ was then in the third year of his ministry. But it may mean only several years; a certain number being put for an uncertain. Why doth it also cumber the ground? - That is, not only bear no fruit itself, but take up the ground of another tree that would.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

The dresser of his vineyard - The man whose duty it was to trim the vines and take care of his vineyard. These three years - These words are not to be referred to the time which Christ had been preaching the gospel, as if he meant to specify the exact period. They mean, as applicable to the vineyard, that the owner had been “a long time” expecting fruit on the tree. For three successive years he had been disappointed.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

28 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
εἶπεν	eipen	He said	G2036 →
δὲ	de	then	G1161 →
πρὸς	pros	to	G4314 →
τὸν	ton	the	G3588 →
ἀμπελουργόν·	ampelourgon	vinedresser;	G289 →
ἰδοὺ	idou	Behold	G2400 →
τρία	tria	three	G5140 →
ἔτη	etē	years	G2094 →
ἀφ᾽	aph᾽	throughout	G575 →
οὗ	hou	these	G3739 →
ἔρχομαι	erchomai	I come	G2064 →
ζητῶν	zētōn	seeking	G2212 →
καρπὸν	karpon	fruit	G2590 →
ἐν	en	on	G1722 →
τῇ	tēa	<the>	G3588 →
συκῇ	sukēa	fig tree	G4808 →
ταύτῃ	tautē	this	G3778 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
οὐχ	ouch	not	G3756 →
εὑρίσκω·	heuriskō	do find [any];	G2147 →
ἔκκοψον	ekkopson	do cut down	G1581 →
οὖν	oun	therefore	G3767 →
αὐτήν·	autēn	it;	G846 →
ἱνατί	hinati	so why	G2443 →G5101 →
καὶ	kai	even	G2532 →
τὴν	tēn	the	G3588 →
γῆν	gēn	ground	G1093 →
καταργεῖ;¶	katargei	should it use up?	G2673 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
leads to
- Matthew 3:10
  The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
  Reached by 4 independent paths from here.
- Hebrews 12:10–11
  Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
- Matthew 15:13
  But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.
- Revelation 3:19
  Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
- John 15:8
  This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
Through
John 15:6
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
leads to
- Matthew 7:19
  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Hebrews 6:7–8
  For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
- Matthew 13:41
  The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.

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About Luke

The Return of the Prodigal Son — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Luke: the study guide →Read chapter 13 →The featured study →

Continue: Luke 13 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Luke

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Luke