Sin and Suffering:  Parable of Fig Tree

Background:

Have you ever thought:

1. A person was rewarded in proportion to his righteousness.

2. Consequently person punished in proportion to sinfulness.

3.Therefore based on the external observable circumstances we can judge a person’s righteousness or sinfulness.

Sometimes above statement true and sometimes false.

Luke 13:1-9 two events highlighted.

First Read vs. 1-31.

1. Josephus, Jewish Historian (1^st Century) – doesn’t record incident, though he records other similar incidents.

Here Pilate killed some troublesome Jews in the temple.

Why tell Jesus

--------- get him involved politically. Make a political statement. Maybe start a revolution.

--------- May be to see whether he will say “Galileans got what they deserved”.

--------- Sacrifices to cleanse guilt, instead we see people murdered.

2.        He didn’t denounce Roman brutality but rather warned people to repent.

Were these Galileans worse sinners --- No.

Application / Conclusion:

1] It was true that Galileans suffered because of sin, for all sufferings is result of sin.

2] Quantity of sin can’t be inferred from the misfortune suffered.

3] Their tragedy was not for any unusual sinfulness.

4] When seeing tragedy in other people's life, it is also a call for us to repent.

Basically there isn't always one to one correspondence between one’s sin and one’s suffering.

Read vs.4, 5: Here we see an accident – Tower falls and kills 18 people.

 Interestingly he uses in Greek the word for debtor; not sinner as in verse 2.

ASK:  what is difference between debt and sin; is there a difference?

          In Matthew the Lord's prayer says: forgive us our debts ---

          In Luke the Lord's prayer says: forgive us our sins---

          Debt – unfulfilled duties – to do something and we don’t.

          Sin – purposeful acts of rebellion.

 
Were these Galileans more deserving to die ---No --- Instead Jesus focused on repentance otherwise they would also perish.

Before entering parable of fig tree --- Diversion into sin and consequences.

 1] Henry Blackaby says, when tragedy comes we need to first go through a sin checklist of our lives. Is God revealing areas of sins/debts in our lives that need to be confessed.

Jonah 1: 1-10  We see a calamity occurs due to Jonah’s sins.  The sailors take stock and act on Jonah advice to throw him overboard.

2] Ezekiel 24:15-18, vs 24  God to kill prophet’s wife – not due to his sin, but the sin of the people of Israel.  It was to be a sign to Israel in exile in Babylon that when there is total destruction of their city, everyone in the land will die and that they will not be able to cry.

            Also another story we see in John 9:1-3

 
3] 1 kings 16:32 ---17:7

                 The ruler Ahab did great sin – Baal worship.  Baal was worshipped for rains and harvest.

                 God judges and sends famine.

                 Elijah suffers as a consequence – has to hide, eat food from ravens (unclean animal).

                 Suffer consequences of sin of ruler.

        Another Story in 2 Samuel 24, where David's sin of counting Israel results in 70,000 dead.

 
4] Job 21:7-15

Wicked at times prosper and don’t suffer or don't seem to get punished by God in this       life time.

                Other verses Psalm 73: 1-12

Now into parable which expands on repentance

Read vs.6-9: Some Background

     Fig tree – Neil lightfoot writes: was very important tree in Palestine.

                It was fruitful most of the year

Not a large tree, but had lots of foliage so it was good for shade. Symbol for peace and prosperity.  In this parable, it is referred to Jews as individuals and nation.

Notice:  It is planted in vineyard and not say in a roadside, therefore it gets better treatment and soil.  So higher chance of producing fruit.

OT Background

Read Levi 19: 23-25; here third year of looking is seventh year after planting and owner

                  says to cut down tree as it has not borne any fruit.

ASK ??  Why Fruit?  What does it symbolize?  Remember the context of the parable.   

                We read in Luke 3: 8 to 11 John the Baptist says:
8. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance… 9. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." 10. "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. 11. John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."

Good fruit is symbolized by good works that indicate that a person has repented.

 
Jesus observed the leadership of Jews three years while he was alive and observed no fruit [no repentance].   In Math 23 and 24 he warns them about the coming destruction of Jerusalem which happened eventually in AD 70.

 
The vineyard keeper asks for one more year for bearing fruit of repentance.  If it doesn't bear fruit, cut the tree.  Jesus gave Jews another forty years to repent and bear fruit before they were destroyed.

 
How does it apply to us?

Conclusion or Application:

1] God has right to expect fruit from believer as we have repented.

2] We need to examine our lives if we are bearing fruits worthy of our repentance.

3] In John 15:5  "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

We read that it is not possible to bear fruit apart from the vine [Jesus]. So we need to be plugged into Jesus.

4] God is long suffering, but one day, if there is no fruit, there will be judgement (John 15:6).

5] Gal 5:22-24 and 2Peter 1: 5-8 describe additional qualities of fruit a Christian should produces.