Luke 13:7

“Then said he unto the dresser of the vineyard, etc.] If by the owner of the vineyard is meant God the Father, then by the dresser of the vineyard Jesus Christ is intended; but as he seems rather designed by the owner, the vinedresser, or “the gardeners”, as the Persic version reads, in the plural number, may signify the ministers of the word, to whom Christ, who is Solomon's antitype, lets out his vineyard to dress and cultivate it, and to keep the fruit of it; (see <220811>Song of Solomon 8:11,12), behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none; or “behold, there are three years since I came”; so read the Vulgate Latin and Persic versions, and Beza's most…”

“three years--a long enough trial for a fig tree, and so denoting probably just a sufficient period of culture for spiritual fruit. The supposed allusion to the duration of our Lord's ministry is precarious. cut it down--indignant language. cumbereth--not only doing no good, but wasting ground.”

“The dresser of his vineyard - The man whose duty it was to trim the vines and take care of his vineyard. These three years - These words are not to be referred to the time which Christ had been preaching the gospel, as if he meant to specify the exact period. They mean, as applicable to the vineyard, that the owner had been “a long time” expecting fruit on the tree. For three successive years he had been disappointed. In his view it was long enough to show that the tree was barren and would yield no fruit, and that therefore it should be cut down. Why cumbereth it the ground? - The word “cumber” here means to render “barren” or “sterile.” By taking up the juices of the earth, this useless…”

“Three years - Christ was then in the third year of his ministry. But it may mean only several years; a certain number being put for an uncertain. Why doth it also cumber the ground? - That is, not only bear no fruit itself, but take up the ground of another tree that would. Luke 13:11”

“three: Lev 19:23, Lev 25:21; Rom 2:4, Rom 2:5 cut: Luk 3:9; Exo 32:10; Dan 4:14; Mat 3:10, Mat 7:19; Joh 15:2, Joh 15:6 why: Exo 32:10; Mat 3:9 Luke 13:8”