The Meaning of Luke 13:7 Explained

Luke 13:7

KJV: Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

YLT: and he said unto the vine-dresser, Lo, three years I come seeking fruit in this fig-tree, and do not find, cut it off, why also the ground doth it render useless?

Darby: And he said to the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree and find none: cut it down; why does it also render the ground useless?

ASV: And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  said he  unto  the dresser of his vineyard,  Behold,  these three  years  I come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig tree,  and  find  none:  cut  it  down;  why  cumbereth  it  the ground? 

What does Luke 13:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 13:1-9 - Both Repentance And Fruitfulness Required
Our Lord did not hesitate to hang great lessons on passing events. It is a great art to lead men's thoughts from the outward and transient to the unseen and eternal. God often gives us texts in the happenings of His providence, and when men's hearts are awed and softened there is a conspicuous opportunity for striking home.
We have no right to suppose that sudden disasters prove the presence of special sin in those who are involved in them. Sin is avenged in this life, but rather in the natural sequences than by some sudden "act of God." Accidents are not necessarily punishments, and we who witness the sad fate of others have no right to congratulate ourselves on our moral or spiritual superiority. Instead of judging others, let us look to ourselves and repent.
The parable of the fig-tree, with its three years of effort to secure fruitfulness, was intended primarily for the Jewish nation favored with our Lord's three years of ministry. But it is of universal application. God is always seeking fruit; love is ever pleading, but sometimes may have to acquiesce in judgment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 13

1  Jesus preaches repentance upon the punishment of the Galilaeans and others
6  The fruitless fig tree may not stand
10  He heals the crooked woman;
18  shows the powerful working of the word, by the parable of the grain of mustard seed,
20  and of leaven;
22  exhorts to enter in at the strait gate;
31  and reproves Herod and Jerusalem

Greek Commentary for Luke 13:7

The vinedresser [τον αμπελουργον]
Old word, but here only in the N.T., from αμπελος — ampelos vine, and εργον — ergon work. [source]
These three years I come [τρια ετη απ ου ερχομαι]
Literally, “three years since (from which time) I come.” These three years, of course, have nothing to do with the three years of Christ‘s public ministry. The three years are counted from the time when the fig tree would normally be expected to bear, not from the time of planting. The Jewish nation is meant by this parable of the barren fig tree. In the withering of the barren fig tree later at Jerusalem we see parable changed to object lesson or fact (Mark 11:12-14; Matthew 21:18.).Cut it down (εκκοπσον — ekkopson). “Cut it out,” the Greek has it, out of the vineyard, perfective use of εκ — ek with the effective aorist active imperative of κοπτω — koptō where we prefer “down.”Why? Ellipsis here of γενηται — genētai of which τι — ti is subject (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 739, 916).Also (και — kai). Besides bearing no fruit.Doth cumber the ground Makes the ground completely idle, of no use Late verb, here only in the N.T. except in Paul‘s Epistles. [source]
Cut it down [εκκοπσον]
“Cut it out,” the Greek has it, out of the vineyard, perfective use of εκ — ek with the effective aorist active imperative of κοπτω — koptō where we prefer “down.” [source]
Why? [ινα τι]
Ellipsis here of γενηται — genētai of which τι — ti is subject (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 739, 916).Also (και — kai). Besides bearing no fruit.Doth cumber the ground Makes the ground completely idle, of no use Late verb, here only in the N.T. except in Paul‘s Epistles. [source]
Also [και]
Besides bearing no fruit. [source]
Doth cumber the ground [την γην καταργει]
Makes the ground completely idle, of no use Late verb, here only in the N.T. except in Paul‘s Epistles. [source]
These three years I come []
The best texts insert ἀφ ' οὗ , from which, or since. “It is three years from the time at which I came.” [source]
Cut it down [ἔκκοψον]
Rather, “cut it out ” ( ἐκ ) from among the other trees and the vines. [source]
Why cumbereth it []
The A. V. omits the very important καὶ , also (Rev.), which, as Trench observes, is the key-word of the sentence. Besides being barren in itself, it also injures the soil. “Not only is it unfruitful, but it draws away the juices which the vines would extract from the earth, intercepts the sun, and occupies room” (Bengel). The verb cumbereth ( καταργεῖ ) means to make of no effect. So Romans 3:3, Romans 3:31; Galatians 3:17. Cumbereth expresses the meaning in a very general and comprehensive way. The specific elements included in it are expressed by Bengel above. De Wette, makes the land unfruitful. See on barren and unfruitful, 2 Peter 1:8. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 13:7

Luke 13:25 When once [ἀφ ' ou)]
Lit.,from the time that. Compare Luke 13:7. Some editors connect this with the previous sentence: “Shall not be able when once, ” etc. [source]
John 15:1 Husbandman [γεωργός]
From γῆ , the earth, and ἔργω , to work. The vine-dresser is ἀμπελουργός , occurring only at Luke 13:7; but the office of the vine-dresser is a subordinate one, while γεωργός may indicate the proprietor. See 2 Chronicles 26:10(Sept.), where the word is applied to King Uzziah. So of Noah, Genesis 9:20. In Matthew 21:33-41, the γεωργοὶ represent the chiefs and leaders of the Jews. Wyc., an earth-tiller. [source]
Romans 3:3 Make without effect [καταργήσει]
See on Luke 13:7. The word occurs twenty-five times in Paul, and is variously rendered in A.V. make void, destroy, loose, bring to nought, fail, vanish away, put away, put down, abolish, cease. The radical meaning is to make inert or idle. Dr. Morison acutely observes that it negatives the idea of agency or operation, rather than of result or effect. It is rather to make inefficient than to make without effect. So in Luke 13:7, why should the tree be allowed to make the ground idle? 1 Corinthians 13:8, prophecies shall fail, or have no more work to do. 2 Timothy 1:10Christ abolished death. There is no more work for it. Romans 6:6, the body of sin is rendered inactive. Romans 3:31, Do we deprive the law of its work - render it a dead letter? [source]
Romans 11:22 Thou shalt be cut off [ἐκκοπήσῃ]
Lit., cut out. See on Luke 13:7. [source]
2 Corinthians 3:7 Passing away [καταργουμένην]
Lit., being done away or brought to nought. See on Luke 13:7; see on Romans 3:3. [source]
2 Corinthians 11:12 Cut off [ἐκκόψω]
Lit., cut out. See on Luke 13:7, and compare Romans 11:24. [source]
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in His flesh the enmity [τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ καταργήσας]
The enmity immediately follows the middle wall of partition, and should be rendered in apposition with and as defining it, and as dependent on brake down, not on abolished: the middle wall which was the enmity. It is used abstractly, as peace in Ephesians 2:14. The enmity was the result and working of the law regarded as a separative system; as it separated Jew from Gentile, and both from God. See Romans 3:20; Romans 4:15; Romans 5:20; Romans 7:7-11. For abolished, see on cumbereth, Luke 13:7, and make without effect, see on Romans 3:3. [source]
2 Thessalonians 2:8 Shall destroy [καταργήσει]
See on cumbereth, Luke 13:7and see on make without effect, Romans 3:3. [source]
Hebrews 2:14 Are sharers in flesh and blood [κεκοινωνηκεν αιματος και σαρκος]
The best MSS. read “blood and flesh.” The verb is perfect active indicative of κοινωνεω — koinōneō old verb with the regular genitive, elsewhere in the N.T. with the locative (Romans 12:13) or with εν — en or εις — eis “The children have become partners Second aorist active indicative of μετεχω — metechō to have with, a practical synonym for κοινωνεω — koinōneō and with the genitive also That he might bring to naught Purpose of the incarnation clearly stated with ινα — hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of καταργεω — katargeō old word to render idle or ineffective (from κατα αργος — kata class="normal greek">κρατος — argos), causative verb (25 times in Paul), once in Luke (Luke 13:7), once in Hebrews (here). “By means of death” (his own death) Christ broke the power (τουτ εστιν — kratos) of the devil over death (paradoxical as it seems), certainly in men‘s fear of death and in some unexplained way Satan had sway over the realm of death (Zechariah 3:5.). Note the explanatory tout' estin (that is) with the accusative after it as before it. In Revelation 12:7 Satan is identified with the serpent in Eden, though it is not done in the Old Testament. See Romans 5:12; John 8:44; John 14:30; John 16:11; 1 John 3:12. Death is the devil‘s realm, for he is the author of sin. “Death as death is no part of the divine order” (Westcott). [source]
Hebrews 2:14 Partook [μετεσχε]
Second aorist active indicative of μετεχω — metechō to have with, a practical synonym for κοινωνεω — koinōneō and with the genitive also That he might bring to naught Purpose of the incarnation clearly stated with ινα — hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of καταργεω — katargeō old word to render idle or ineffective (from κατα αργος — kata class="normal greek">κρατος — argos), causative verb (25 times in Paul), once in Luke (Luke 13:7), once in Hebrews (here). “By means of death” (his own death) Christ broke the power (τουτ εστιν — kratos) of the devil over death (paradoxical as it seems), certainly in men‘s fear of death and in some unexplained way Satan had sway over the realm of death (Zechariah 3:5.). Note the explanatory tout' estin (that is) with the accusative after it as before it. In Revelation 12:7 Satan is identified with the serpent in Eden, though it is not done in the Old Testament. See Romans 5:12; John 8:44; John 14:30; John 16:11; 1 John 3:12. Death is the devil‘s realm, for he is the author of sin. “Death as death is no part of the divine order” (Westcott). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 13:7 mean?

He said then to the vinedresser Behold three years throughout these I come seeking fruit on the fig tree this and not do find [any] Cut down therefore it that why even the ground should it use up
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀμπελουργόν Ἰδοὺ τρία ἔτη ἀφ’ οὗ ἔρχομαι ζητῶν καρπὸν ἐν τῇ συκῇ ταύτῃ καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκω ἔκκοψον [οὖν] αὐτήν ἵνα‿ τί καὶ τὴν γῆν καταργεῖ

εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
ἀμπελουργόν  vinedresser 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀμπελουργός  
Sense: a vinedresser.
Ἰδοὺ  Behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
τρία  three 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
ἔτη  years 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔτος  
Sense: year.
ἀφ’  throughout 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἀπό 
Sense: of separation.
οὗ  these 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἔρχομαι  I  come 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
ζητῶν  seeking 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ζητέω  
Sense: to seek in order to find.
καρπὸν  fruit 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: καρπός  
Sense: fruit.
συκῇ  fig  tree 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: συκῆ  
Sense: a fig tree.
ταύτῃ  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
εὑρίσκω  do  find  [any] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εὑρίσκω  
Sense: to come upon, hit upon, to meet with.
ἔκκοψον  Cut  down 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἐκκόπτω  
Sense: to cut out, cut off.
ἵνα‿  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
τί  why 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
καὶ  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
γῆν  ground 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
καταργεῖ  should  it  use  up 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: καταργέω  
Sense: to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative.