<p>13:7<i> And he said to the vinedresser- </i>Again the unreality is emphasized; a <i>vine</i>dresser is asked to pay special attention to a solitary<i> fig</i> tree. See on :6.</p><p><i>Behold, these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?</i>- The allusion is to the Mosaic principle that such fruit was only clean after three years. After the three years of His ministry, during the Lord's final six months, God suggested to Him that the nation of Israel be cut down (this is but one example of the private intercourses between Father and Son). The Lord knew when He must die soon; He had already steadfastly set His face to go to die at Jerusalem (Lk. 9:51). It seems to me that He knew He would be killed by the Jews in a few months&rsquo; time. But He asks the Father to spare Israel for at least another year- as if to show that He knew they wouldn't accept Him even after His death, but He's saying to God: 'Give them a chance even after they kill me'. Those who think further along the lines suggested by the parable will see that in reality, Israel were not cut down by God for another 37 years. The implication is that this was due to Christ's pleading with God during those&nbsp;years for patience to be shown to the nation who rejected and&nbsp;crucified Him. The element of unreality in the story reflects the grace of Jesus- for it was unthinkable for a servant to argue back with his master, asking not to do what he had been ordered to do. &nbsp;</p>