There are some truths to be learned from the incident with the fig tree.  If the fig tree represents Judaism, then it is full of leaves, but has no fruit.  The fig tree withered quickly.  Judaism came quickly to an end.  They were given a chance to accept Jesus as the Messiah and bear much fruit for the kingdom.  They rejected Him and so figuratively speaking, Judaism withered quickly.

Ponder this concerning the parable of the two sons.  The first son represents sinners who repent and accept Jesus as Savior, then go to work for the kingdom..  The second son represents "cradle Christians", those who grew up in the faith who practice "churchianity", but never do any real work for the kingdom. What if the man had three sons and the third son, said yes and then followed through with doing work for the kingdom?  Isn't this the one all of us as believers want to be?

In the parable of the murderous tenants Jesus used this comparison to illustrate some important truths. God planted a "vineyard".  This can be compared to God planting His people in the land of Israel when they came out of bondage in Egypt. God watched over them and expected them to bear fruit. He sent them prophets and teachers and they not only rejected them, they persecuted and killed many of them. This "vineyard" was given to others.  Jews rejected Jesus, illustrated by the son in the parable.  The good news of the kingdom was taken from the Jews and offered to the Gentiles.  We as Believers can be compared to the "vineyard" being planted in the world.  God put a wall of protection and built a watchtower to protect this "vineyard".  God planned for fruit to be the result of this "vineyard".  That is the reason for the illustration of the wine press.  God expects His people to bear fruit.  He spiritually protects us and watches over  us.

The following verse leaped off the pages of the Bible for us when we read it. This is what could be referred to as a "rhema" word from the Lord.  That is when the Holy Spirit "quickens" a word or phrase or verse and gives new understanding.

Matthew 22:2
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

So much to say about this parable.  We will highlight one important truth. God is the King who is preparing a wedding banquet for His Son, Jesus and Jesus’ bride (that would be us!) This gives us a foretaste of the banquet that is to come, the heavenly banquet as we prepare to take up residence in our eternal home.  Our temporary life here should be lived in anticipation of our eternal life to come. In light of the uncertainties and uneasiness of the political climate of today, the most important thing is to keep our eyes on eternity.  See the book These Last Days Second Edition for other details on the heavenly banquet to come. See also the book Parables to Ponder available on Amazon. 

The religious leaders continue to prod Jesus with questions, hoping to trap Him into making a seditious statement against the Roman authorities.  Jesus continued to astound them with His answers.

When Jesus was asked by one of the teachers of the law about the commandments, He, in effect condensed all Ten Commandments into two.  

The first four commandments concern our relationship with God.  Jesus condensed those four into "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

The last six commandments concern our relationships with others.  Jesus condensed those six into "Love your neighbor as yourself."  

Keep in mind that Jesus has only a few more days before the crucifixion.  He's wrapping up the law. Judaism has only a few final days. Isn't it interesting that this particular teacher of the law answered by acknowledging that all the law really boils down to these two.  Jesus responded to that revelation by saying, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  The teacher of the law is almost there but not quite.  He needed to believe in Jesus.

Jesus had no problem condemning self-righteousness, false religion, legalism, injustice, hypocrisy, and persecution.  All those words sound sinful in nature, descriptions of non-believers...right???  Not so!   Jesus was speaking of the religious leaders of the day. Jesus said the religious leaders were like white-washed tombs.  They looked good on the outside but were full of dead men's bones.  The religious establishment was full of spiritually dead people. Any connections to today???
For additional information, see the book Seeds of Apostasy by Phil and Patti Moore.