13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Question

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So 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. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

answer the following questions:
1. list the characters and objects that appear in the parable. what do you think each of these represent?
2. what is the overall comparison being made?
3. what is the main message of the story
4. what is the crisis of surprise in the story
5. which of the four catigories does the parable belong to
- descriptions of the king
- kingdom responses
- relationship with neighbours
- the fulfilment of the kingdom
answer all the question with short 2 to 3 scentence grade 9 answers

Answer 1

1. Characters and Objects: The characters in the parable include the man who owns the vineyard, the caretaker of the vineyard, and the fig tree. The vineyard represents God's kingdom, the fig tree symbolizes the people who are expected to bear good fruit (good deeds or repentance), and the caretaker signifies God's patience and mercy.

2. Overall Comparison: The comparison being made is between the fig tree that does not produce fruit despite being given time and care and people who do not repent or bear good deeds despite having the opportunity to do so.

3. Main Message: The main message of the story is about the importance of repentance and bearing spiritual fruit. It emphasizes that everyone has a chance to change and that God's patience is extended to allow for transformation, but there is also a warning about the consequences of failing to do so.

4. Crisis of Surprise: The crisis of surprise in the story occurs when the owner of the vineyard considers cutting down the fig tree due to its lack of fruit. However, the caretaker's plea for more time introduces an unexpected twist, highlighting mercy and the potential for change.

5. Parable Category: This parable belongs to the category of "kingdom responses." It illustrates how individuals should respond to God's call for repentance and the expectation of producing good fruit in response to His mercy.