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Luke 13:6-9
He spoke also
this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and
he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. And he said to the dresser
of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on
this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down therefore: why cumbereth it
the ground?
But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until
I dig about it, and dung it. And if happily it bear fruit: but if not,
then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Commentary
This parable
foreshadows Our Lord's cursing of the fig tree during His entry into
Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as a sign of the faithless of the Old Covenant:
Matthew 21:19:
And seeing a certain fig tree by the way side, he came to it, and found
nothing on it but leaves only, and he saith to it: May no fruit grow on
thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away.
The parable is a
statement to and about the faithless of the Old Covenant -- the
Covenant whose faithful became Christians. It is immediately followed
by this (verses 10-17):
And he was
teaching in their synagogue on their sabbath. And behold there was a
woman, who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years: and she was bowed
together, neither could she look upwards at all. Whom when Jesus saw,
he called her unto him, and said to her: Woman, thou art delivered from
thy infirmity. And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was
made straight, and glorified God.
And the ruler of the synagogue (being angry that Jesus had healed on
the sabbath) answering, said to the multitude: Six days there are
wherein you ought to work. In them therefore come, and be healed; and
not on the sabbath day.
And the Lord answering him, said: Ye hypocrites, doth not every one of
you, on the sabbath day, loose his ox or his ass from the manger, and
lead them to water? And ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan
hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the
sabbath day?
And when he said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and
all the people rejoiced for all the things that were gloriously done by
him.
See also the
Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (Matthew 21:33-46 ; Mark 12:1-12 ;
Luke 20:9-20).
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