SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:9
Y si hiciere fruto, bien ; y si no, la cortars despus.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. And if it bear fruit, well , etc.] If hereby barren professors, as the Jews, become fruitful, it is well, a good thing is done; it is well for themselves, they shall eat the fruit of their doings; it is well for the churches where they are, for good works are profitable to men; and it is well for the owner of the vineyard, and the dresser of it too, for when Christ has his fruit from his churches, his ministers have theirs also: and if not , then after that ; for the time to come, as the Vulgate Latin; or year following, as the Persic version renders it: thou shall cut it down ; do with it as thou pleasest, nothing more will be said or pleaded in its behalf; full consent shall be given, and no more intercession used: any trees might not be cut down, only barren ones; there is a law in ( Deuteronomy 20:19,20) about cutting down trees, and which the Jews explain thus f420 ; they may not cut down trees for meat without the city, nor withhold from them the course of water, that so they may become dry; as it is said, thou shall not destroy the trees; and whoever cuts any down is to be beaten, and not in a siege only, but in any place: whoever cuts down a tree for meat, by way of destroying it, is to be beaten; but they may cut it down if it hurts other trees, or because it hurts in the field others, or because its price is dear; the law does not forbid, but by way of destroying. Every barren tree it is lawful to cut down, even though a man hath no need of it; and so a tree for meat, which does hurt, and does not produce but little fruit, and it is not worth while to labour about it, it is lawful to cut it down: and how much may an olive tree produce, and it may not be cut down? the fourth part of a Kab of olives; and a palm tree which yields a Kab of dates, may not be cut down. Much such a parable as this is formed by the Jews, upon Moses's intercession for the people of Israel f421 Says R. Abin, in the name of R. Simeon ben Josedech, a parable, to what is it like? to a king that hath an uncultivated field; he says to his gardener, go and manure it, and make it a vineyard: the gardener went and manured that field, and planted it a vineyard; the vineyard grew, and produced wine, and it turned to vinegar; when the king saw that the wine turned to vinegar, he said to the gardener, go, htwa Uwqw , and cut it down, why should I seek after a vineyard that brings forth that which is sour? the gardener replied, my lord, the king, what expense hast thou been at with this vineyard before it was raised? and now thou seekest to cut it down; and shouldst thou say because its wine turns sour; the reason is, because it is young, therefore its wine turns sour, and it does not produce good wine: so when Israel did that work (of the golden calf), the holy blessed God sought to consume them; said Moses, Lord of the world, hast thou not brought them out of Egypt from a place of idolatry, and now they are young, or children, as it is said, ( Hosea 11:1) wait a little for them, and go with them, and they will do good works in thy presence.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-9 - This parable of the barren fig-tree is intended to enforce the warnin given just before: the barren tree, except it brings forth fruit, wil be cut down. This parable in the first place refers to the nation an people of the Jews. Yet it is, without doubt, for awakening all tha enjoy the means of grace, and the privileges of the visible church When God has borne long, we may hope that he will bear with us yet little longer, but we cannot expect that he will bear always.
Greek Textus Receptus
καν 2579 COND-C μεν 3303 PRT ποιηση 4160 5661 V-AAS-3S καρπον 2590 N-ASM ει 1487 COND δε 1161 CONJ μηγε 3361 PRT-N εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN μελλον 3195 5723 V-PAP-ASN εκκοψεις 1581 5692 V-FAI-2S αυτην 846 P-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
9. And if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that. Join after that with bear fruit. "If it bear fruit for the future (eijv to mellon, Rev., thenceforth), well; but if not, thou shalt cut it down." Trench ("Parables") cites an Arabian writer's receipt for curing a palm-tree of barrenness. "Thou must take a hatchet, and go to the tree with a friend, unto whom thou sayest, 'I will cut down this tree, for it is unfruitful.' He answers, 'Do not so, this year it will certainly bear fruit.' But the other says, 'It must needs be - it must be hewn down;' and gives the stem of the tree three blows with the back of the hatchet. But the other restrains him, crying, 'Nay, do it not, thou wilt certainly have fruit from it this year, only have patience with it, and be not overhasty in cutting it down; if it still refuses to bear fruit, then cut it down.' Then will the tree that year be certainly fruitful and bear abundantly." Trench adds that this story appears to be widely spread in the East.Thou shalt cut it down. The vine-dresser does not say, "I will cut," but refers that to the master.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
13:9 {And if it bear fruit thenceforth} (k'an men poiesei karpon eis to mellon). Aposiopesis, sudden breaking off for effect (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1203). See it also in #Mr 11:32; Ac 23:9. Trench (_Parables_) tells a story like this of intercession for the fig tree for one year more which is widely current among the Arabs today who say that it will certainly bear fruit this time.
