The Parable of the Fig Tree - (3)

First, we must understand what the fig tree represents. As it is written,

Luke 13:6-7 『Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'"』

What does Jesus’ looking for fruit on a fig tree planted in a vineyard, for three years, mean? It means that Jesus preached the gospel to the Israelites for three years, searching for the fruit of the gospel. Therefore, the fig tree stands for Israel. Through many other Bible verses, let’s confirm that the fig tree in the vineyard represents Israel.

Isa. 5:7, KJV 『For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant.』

In the above verse also, the vineyard represents the country Israel, and the plant [the tree] stands for the people of Israel. Let’s look at another verse concerning this.

Jer. 24:5 『"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.’"』

Since it is written that God regards the exiles from Judah as the good figs, it is clear that the fig tree stands for Israel.

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