The vineyard owner represents God, the one who rightly expects to see fruit on His tree. His decision and desire to cut down the unproductive tree is reasonable. The gardener, or vineyard keeper who cares for the trees, represents Jesus, who feeds His people and gives them living water. The tree represents all of us from whom God expects to see fruit. We read different kinds of fruit in the Bible .Fruit of repentance (Mat.3:8), Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5), Fruit of the lips (Heb.13; 15) and Fruit of righteousness (Philipp.1:10)

When we repent and begin to lead a life that is pleasing to God we need to bear the fruit of repentance. Certain changes in a person’s attitudes and life style are obvious in the early years of one’s repented life. Once a person is rooted in a strong relationship with God, he begins to bear the fruit of the spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit acts within him and helps him to bear the fruit of the spirit. His position is fenced and secure like the fig tree which is taken good care of in the vineyard. Such a person who lives in close intimacy with God is filled with gratitude and consequently fruit of the lips is seen in his life. That is nothing but praises raised to the generous and compassionate God who makes the living waters flow from him who loves Him. We begin to sing praises for Him who bestows on us abundant life. In the life of such a person we can see the fruit of righteousness.

The gardener takes great care to promote yielding of fruit. If we just take some efforts to produce fruit, God in His infinite mercy will help us to bear more fruit. He lifts the trailing branches, prunes the unnecessary growth, and supports the branches that need such props so that there can be more fruit. If we do what we can, He will do what we can not.

We read that the gardener was pleading here for a little more time. The compassionate gardener intercedes for more time to water and fertilize the fruitless tree, and the gracious Lord of the vineyard responds in patience. The borrowed time is not permanent. God's patience has a limit. In the parable, the vineyard owner grants another year of life to the tree. In the same way, God in His mercy grants us another day, another hour, another breath. Christ is ready to lead us to repentance from sin. But if there is no fruit, no repentance, His patience will come to an end, and the fruitless, unrepentant individual will be cut down. Here, cutting down means alienation from God. If we do not build the right relationship with God within the time that is granted to us, we will be cut off from intimacy with God.

We all live on borrowed time; judgment is near. That is why the prophet Isaiah wrote, "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7).

Dr. (Mrs.) Edriana Jeyasingh