Two Tragedies and a Fig Tree
TRANSLATION
(1) There were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. (2) He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered in this way? (3) No, but I tell you, unless you repent, you too will all perish. (4) Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think that they were greater sinners than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? (5) No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
(6) He then told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. (7) So he said to the caretaker of the vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have found nothing. Cut it down. Why should it take up space?’ (8) And he answered, ‘Master, leave it alone for one more year. I will dig about it and fertilize it, and if it bears fruit after that, well and good, but if not, you can cut it down.’”
OBSERVATIONS
Jesus linked two contemporary disasters, well known to his listeners, by word repetitions. In each case, he drew a spiritual lesson out of these tragedies with the same challenging phrases: “Do you think…they were greater sinners…than all the others?” (vss. 2 & 4). His audience had clearly assumed that the untimely death of the victims in each case had shown them to be “greater sinners,” punished by God for their misdeeds. Jesus corrected this assumption with the repeated admonition, “No, but I tell you, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (vss. 3 & 5). His message: “You are no better than they were.”
He followed up this unexpected conclusion with the parable of the fruitless fig tree to show his listeners what really was at stake. The repetition of the phrase, “seeking fruit” (vss. 6 & 7), shows that God’s concern is our present fruitfulness rather than the sins we may have committed in the past.
OUTLINE
I. Regarding two tragedies Jesus warned, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (1-5)
II. Jesus gave a parable to show the importance of fruitfulness. (6-9)
IDEA STATEMENT
We should focus not on past failures but rather on present productivity.
APPLICATION
The longstanding motto of the New York Times is, “All the news that’s fit to print.” In today’s world, that could be changed to “Anything that might grab attention,” and the gorier the better. In this passage, Jesus chose to comment on two gripping news stories that had seized the imaginations of almost everyone in Palestine. The first involved the sacrilege Pilate had committed by mingling the Galileans’ blood with their sacrifices. The second involved eighteen deaths caused by the collapse of a tower in Siloam. Inquiring minds wanted to know how Jesus viewed these two tragedies.
Instead of focusing on the sensational, Jesus drew attention to what was spiritually essential. He rejected any attempt to determine whose sins had brought about those tragedies and rather dealt with the far more important issue of spiritual productivity. With the parable of the fruitless fig tree, Jesus challenged his hearers to consider their own lives in view of God’s desire to see us living now for his glory. The reality is that all of us are sinful. All of us deserve the same kind of fate that befell the Galileans and those on whom the tower of Siloam fell. The amazing thing is that we remain alive in spite of our sinful ways. Rather than focusing on our failures and getting stuck in worthless speculation, we should determine to live each day in ways that glorify God. In other words, we should daily examine our lives to make sure we are honoring the one who designed us to bear fruit in all that we do.