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He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
Verse 6. A certain man, and so forth Each one, inasmuch as he holds a place in life, if he produce not the fruit of good works, like a barren tree encumbers the ground; because the place he holds, were it occupied by others, might be a place of fertility. Saint Gregory.
He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down! Why does it waste the soil?’
He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.’”
Verse 9. And if happily it bear fruit. It is a way of speaking, when a sentence is left imperfect; yet what is not expressed, may be easily understood; as here we may understand, well and good, or the like. Witham.