Unfruitful Fig Tree; Luke 13:6-9 –part 1

Church History: 6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 8" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

This parable primarily refers to the nation and people of the Jews. God chose them for his own, made them a people near to him, gave them advantages for knowing and serving him above any other people, and expected answerable returns of duty and obedience from them, which, turning to his praise and honor, he would have accounted fruit; but they did not fulfill his expectations: they did not do their duty; they were a disgrace instead of being a credit to their profession. Upon this, he justly determined to abandon them, and cut them off, to deprive them of their privileges as a Church and to scatter them; but, upon Christ's intercession, as of old like that of Moses, he graciously gave them further time and further mercy; tried them, as it were, another year, by sending his apostles among them, to call them to repentance, and in Christ's name to offer them pardon, upon repentance. Some of them were brought to repentance, and brought forth fruit, and with them all was well; but the body of the nation continued unrepentant and unfruitful, and ruin without remedy came upon them; about forty years after they were cut down, and cast into the fire, as John Baptist had told them (Matthew 3:10). Which this parable expands upon.
This parable has a further reference, and is designed for the awakening of all that enjoy the means of grace, and the privileges of the visible church, to see to it that the temper of their minds and the tenor of their lives are answerable to their professions and opportunities, for that is the fruit required.