The parables of the Vine and the Branches, the Barren Fig Tree, and the Sower, are collected together in this lesson because they picture garden plants bearing fruit. Fruitfulness is one of the many characteristics of true obedience to God.

The three parables in this lesson teach us about the importance of obedience to God. This is theme 3 of the seven themes of the parables that Jesus told.
 
We also observe, in the parable of the Barren Fig Tree, theme 1 of the parables, namely the mercy and longsuffering of God. The parable of the Vine and the Branches includes theme 2, the severity of God.

Jhn 15:1-6, Lke 8:5-15, Lke 13:6-9

The Vine and the Branches

Jhn 15:1-6

This parable describes a vine with branches. When branches fail to bear fruit, the vivedresser cuts them from the vine and burns them. When branches do bear fruit, the vinedresser allows them to abide in the vine, but he prunes them back so that they will bear even more fruit.

Verse 1 partly interprets the parable before it is told. The vine in the parable represents Christ, and the one tending the vine represents God the Father.

Verses 2-5 show clearly what is represented by the branches. "You are the branches". The "you" refers to the disciples of Christ, not only those to whom Jesus was speaking, but "he who abides in Me" whoever that may be.

Verses 2 and 6 show a ruthless and severe side of God's nature, but not in any sense nasty or sinful. A good husbandman takes away the unfruitful part of the vine and burns it. What is left he prunes back to make it more fruitful. This illustrates that being a disciple involves discipline, and that discipline is strict.

Verses 3-5 are summed up in the words, "Abide in Me" by which Jesus means to continue in obedience to "the word which I have spoken to you". We cannot bear fruit of ourselves. Only by Christ and his word can we bear fruit acceptable to God.

The Barren Fig Tree

Lke 13:6-9

This parable is about a fig tree in a vineyard. The fig tree failed to bear fruit for three seasons, so the vineyard owner told the vineyard keeper to cut it down and put the ground to better use. But the vineyard keeper interceded for the fig tree and asked that it be given another season and some encouragement, to see whether it might bear fruit the next year. If it still failed, then it would be cut down.

Verses 6-7 relate what the vineyard owner (who represents God the Father) said to the vineyard keeper (who represents God the Son). The vineyard owner's words illustrate the severity of God toward those who are disobedient and fail to bear fruit.

Verses 8-9 relate what the vineyard keeper (who represents God the Son) replied to the vineyard owner (who represents God the Father). The vineyard keeper's words illustrate the goodness and longsuffering of God in giving opportunity and encouragement for the unfruitful and disobedient to repent. The vineyard keeper's plea on behalf of the condemned fig tree represents the intercession of Jesus Christ for us (Rom 8:34, Heb 7:25).

Verse 9 uses that little but important word "if" to show that our remaining in God's grace and in the body of Christ is conditional upon us being obedient and fruitful. It is interesting to compare this parable with the fruitless figtree that Jesus made to wither (Mtt 21:18-19).

The Sower and the Seed

Lke 8:5-15

This parable is about a sower who distributed seed which fell upon different kinds of ground, some fell on the trodden path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil. The seed on good soil grew and bore fruit abundantly. The Lord explains the meaning of the parable after telling it.

Verses 5 and 11 show that the seed represents the word of God which Jesus Christ and his preachers spread all over the world.

Verses 5 and 12 describe the soil on the trodden path. The seed was trampled underfoot and eaten by birds. This soil represents the hearts of those who allow the devil to trample upon the word of God and snatch it from them so that they do not believe. These bear no fruit.

Verses 6 and 13 describe the rocky ground. This soil represents the hearts of those who allow temptations to harden their hearts so that they do not remain faithful but fall away. These also bear no fruit

Verses 7 and 14 describe the soil riddled with thorny weeds. This soil represents the hearts of those who allow the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life to choke their faith. These also bear no fruit.

Verses 8 and 15 describe the good soil. This soil represents the "honest and good" hearts of those who do not allow anything to take away the word from their hearts or to stop it from growing within them. Rather, they hold fast to the word and will not let it go or die. These bear fruit one hundred fold.

Footnotes

1. We might have an intelligent student who asks, "What does the one hundred fold relate to? A hundred fold compared to what?" I think it is probably the other soils that Jesus had in mind. The student might quibble that the other soils produced zero fruit, and when you multiply zero by 100 you can only get zero, not "one hundred fold". However common sense rather than strict mathematics is required here. If my garden yields no pumpkins, and yours yields a hundred pumpkins, then you have a hundred times more pumpkins than I do, the power of zero notwithstanding. That's all Jesus meant when he used the term "one hundred fold" in the parable.

2. The parable of the Sower and the Seed is also recorded in Mtt 13:1-23 and Mrk 4:3-20. where there is an enhancement: the fruitfulness is measured as 30, 60, and 100 fold. This carries much the same idea as the parable of the talents. Everyone is expected to bear fruit commensurate with the advantages, blessings, and gifts they are given.

3. After studying this lesson we are naturally led to ask the question, "What is the fruit that we must bear?" Another lesson in another series answers that question. You might like to read that lesson, entitled "The Fruit We Must Bear"

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