The passage
      v1. Jesus alludes to a recent rebellion of Galileans which most likely occurred in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover feast. The Galileans were into rebellion and they faced the inevitable consequences of opposing Roman rule.
      v2. Jesus floats the question, as to whether these Galileans were worse sinners than other people?
      v3. Jesus' answer is "no", but by implication they are indeed sinners and died as we all die. Yet, their horrible death illustrates something of the horrific nature of God's judgment. For them, as with everyone, it is repent or perish.
      v4. Jesus goes on to prompt a similar question of those who died in the fall of the tower of Siloam. This tower was probably close to the pool of Siloam, near the south wall.
      v5. Jesus makes the same point: the horrible death of the eighteen wasn't the direct result of some horrible sin, but at least it does remind us of the horror we face if we fail to repent, if we fail to turn toward the living God in Christ and put our trust in him for his eternal mercy.
      v6-8. The fig tree may represent Israel and judgment which she faces, but it is more likely that the parable simple illustrates the truth of the preceding verses, namely, repent or perish. The parable makes the point that judgement is well and truly overdue, but God in his mercy has delayed his hand, for a short moment, to give us the opportunity to repent. It is very interesting how God demands but one thing of us - repentance; a "broken and contrite heart", humility, is what God seeks from us. Repentance is not a morbid feeling of sorrow, nor is it a cringing in the sight of God. Repentance involves a recognition that our self-righteousness cannot gain God's acceptance and love, but rather that such is given to us as a free gift of his grace when we turn to him and seek his acceptance, when we ask for it. Repentance is primarily a turning to Christ for mercy, forgiveness and love.

Repent or perish
      Jesus' illustration of the death of the Galilean rebels and those who died in the collapse of the tower of Siloam, along with the parable of the fig tree, is used to make a simple point. We are all rebels and we all face judgement. Unless we repent we will perish.

      There are three points that come out of this passage:

1. The universality of sin
      Jesus does not deal with the issue of original sin, or the more complex issue of the origin of sin. The point that Jesus does make is that we are all sinners. Paul the apostle underlines this very point - "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", and therefore all stand under the judgement of God. It matters little whether it is an accident, or an execution, death reminds us that the "bell tolls for thee."
      A funeral service always has this element in it. We gather to mourn the one we loved, but in that moment the hand of death touches us. We are reminded that we too will come to the same end and people will gather to weep for us.

2. Evil circumstances are not the consequence of personal sinfulness
      Jesus touches on an issue which constantly bothers people. Was the fall of the tower upon the Galileans a Divine punishment for their sin? People often think that terrible circumstances are prompted by extraordinary sinfulness. People constantly ask why God sends (or at least permits) terrible things to happen; they will often blame God for the tragedy.
      Jesus denies any link between tragedy and individual sin. Sin is universal and we all face its consequence, namely death.

3. The need for repentance
      Repentance is a turning to God, it is a radical change in direction from a life lived for self, to a life lived under the mercy of God, of God's free and gracious acceptance of us. Although repentance does not necessarily involve a deep sorrow for personal sinfulness, sorrow is often part of the experience. Sorrow is certainly often present with repentance at the point of conversion, but during the Christian life it is not central to the act of repentance.
      Repentance is the necessary element in salvation; it is the act of constantly turning to Christ and resting on him for salvation, Acts 17:30. 20:21.

v2
      Jesus, instead of making a political comment about the abuse of power etc., raises a theological question as to the relationship between suffering and sin. So, was the tragic suffering of the Galileans an evidence of their greater evil? Jesus answers with a simple "no", v3. Jesus does not dispute the fact that we are all sinners and for this we will all perish, but rather he disputes the notion that there is a relationship between the degree of suffering and the degree of a person's sin.
      dokeite (dokew) pres. "do you think" - suppose, seem, think. "Do you suppose", NJB.
      oJti "that" - Introducing indirect discourse, what they think.
      para + acc. "worse [sinners]" - Here an uncommon (Semitism?) comparative taking the sense, "more than, to a greater degree than, beyond." Jesus disputes the comparison. "Greater sinners than all other Galileans", Rieu.
      pantaV adj. "all [the] other [Galileans]" - all, every. Here obviously "all other", as NIV.
      oJti "because [they suffered]" - Here expressing cause or reason.
      peponqasin (pascw) perf. "they suffered" - they have suffered. The perfect tense expressing "the state of affairs which led to the verdict of 'sinners'. "Because this happened to them", Barclay.

v3
      Jesus goes on to make the point that along with sin comes judgment. If we fail to repent, then we too will face destruction just like those Galileans. It is possible that the horrific nature of their death, as with the eighteen, illustrates the horrific nature of divine judgment. The horrible death faced by these people is not due to some heinous sin on their part, but it does serve to illustrate something of the horror that awaits us, in the face of divine judgment, if we fail to repent. "All sinners face the judgment of God unless they repent", Marshall.
      ean mh + subj. "unless" - if not. Introducing a conditional sentence, 3rd class, where the stated condition has the possibility of becoming a reality, depending on whether there is repentance or not.
      apoleisqe (apollumi) fut. "you [too] will [all] perish" - you will be destroyed.
      oJmoiwV adj. "too" - likewise, like, similar, such as. Expressing a comparison, not between different forms of physical death, but between the violent nature of the Galilean's death and eternal death; the Galilean's death well illustrates the violent nature of divine judgment. The Galileans' death was vicious and horrible, eternal punishment has that about it, so "repent". Some commentators, eg. Creed, argue for a comparison between the punishment meted out to the Galileans' for their minor disturbance and that due future national rebellion, but this is unlikely. "If you are not penitent, you will lose your lives just as (in like manner as) they lost theirs", Weymouth.

v4
      Jesus gives another example of a nasty death to again make the point that all sin and so all die, but the degree of horror in a person's death is not related to the extent of their sin.
      h "or" - or. Expressing comparison. "What about those eighteen", CEV.
      ekeinoi oiJ dekaoktw - "those eighteen" - those the eighteen. The pronoun + the article indicating it is a certain 18 that all would know about.
      oJ purgoV "the tower" - tower, farm building. "Tower" seems more likely.
      en tw/ Silwam "in Siloam" - "In the neighborhood of Siloam, the reservoir near the southeast corner of the Jerusalem wall fed by the water supply from Gihon."
      ofeiletai (hV ou) "guilty" - [do you think they were] debtors [above all]. "Debtors" taking the Aramaic sense of a debtor toward God = sinner. "Worse sinners", Barclay.

v5
      Again making the point that we face a similar nasty future, in the terms of divine judgment, if we don't repent.
      mh metanohte (metanoew) pres. subj. "unless you repent" - lest you repent. A variant aorist exists which would make better sense in defining the action as punctiliar, but it is not well attested. Repentance in the NT. takes the sense of turning around, of turning toward God and resting on him.
      wJsautwV "too" - in the same way, in a similar manner [all you will perish]. A variant exists with the same adverb "likewise" as v3.

v6
      Jeremias titles the parable "It may be too late", although Bock opts for "It is almost too late." It depends where we put the stress. Is the fruitless fig tree (representing the unrepentant crowd, or possibly Israel) getting its second chance, or is it about to be chopped down? What is the picture, divine patience, or imminent destruction? Given that this teaching parable serves to illustrate the preceding sayings on repentance, the point is most likely that "there is a strict limit to the time available for the required repentance", Nolland, after that it is "eternal perdition", Marshall. So, the message is still "repent or perish."
      tiV "a man" - a certain person.
      eicen (ecw) imperf. "had" - was having. The action is durative.
      pefuteumenhn (feteuw) perf. pas. part. "planted" - having been planted. The participle is attributive, modifying the object "fig tree", possibly best expressed as a relative clause, "had a fig tree which had been planted." "Had a fig tree growing in his garden", Goodspeed.
      tw/ ampelwni (wn wnoV) "vineyard" - [in] the vineyard [of his]. Although usually a vineyard, it is actually a garden in which there are grape vines and other fruit-bearing trees and plants. "Fruit garden", Marshall.
      zhtwn (zhtew) pres. part. "to look" - [he came] seeking, inquiring [fruit]. The participle is adverbial, probably expressing purpose, "he came in order to find fruit." Obviously, the tree was mature, but unproductive. It is often regarded that the "fig tree" is a symbol for Israel, but the parable simply illustrates the danger of ignoring the call to repent.
      kai "but" - and [he did not find]. Additive, introducing a clause which provides more information. "And found none", Barclay.

v7
      tria eth af ouJ "for three years now" - three years since. Meaning it has been three years since the fig tree has reached fruit-bearing maturity, not three years since planting. Depending on the variety, a fig tree could take four years before bearing fruit.
      ercomai pres. "I have come" - I am come. A perfective present tense, so "I have come."
      zhtwn (zhtew) pres. part. "[I've been coming] to look for" - seeking. The participle may express purpose, he had been coming in order to seek, or modal, expressing manner, how he came, he had come seeking, possibly a complementary participle, completing the action of the main verb "came", he had been coming to seek, so NIV.
      oun "-" - therefore. A doubtful variant. "[So] cut it down", NAB.
      inati "why [should it use up the soil?]" - why [also the soil is it using up?] Rhetorical question. It is fruitless and using up a space in the garden that could be used for a productive tree. Some argue that this refers to Israel's replacement by the Gentiles, but it is unwise to interpret parables allegorically. "For what reason", Marshall.

v8
      oJ apokriqeiV (apokrinomai) aor. part. "the man [replied]" - the one answering [he says]. Participle of attendant circumstance, pleonastic so untranslated.
      legei (legw) pres. "replied" - he says. Historic present, so "he said."
      afeV (afihmi) aor. imp. "leave" - allow, permit. "Master, don't touch it this year", Phillips.
      eJwV + subj. "-" - until [I may dig .... may throw]. Forming an indefinite temporal clause; "give me time to dig around it and manure it", NJB.