In εἶπε δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀμπελουργόν· ἰδοὺ τρία ἔτη ἔρχομαι ζητῶν καρπὸν ἐν τῇ συκῇ ταύτῃ, καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκω· ἔκκοψον αὐτήν· ἱνατί καὶ τὴν γῆν καταργεῖ; (Luke 13:7), Jesus tells a parable packed with urgency, disappointment, and judgment. But it is the final clause — ἱνατί καὶ τὴν γῆν καταργεῖ; — that brings a unique syntactic sting. This rhetorical question is not a request for information, but a judgment dressed as inquiry. Greek has a powerful way of embedding rebuke into grammar, and here, it wields the interrogative adverb ἱνατί like a blade. The syntax critiques the tree not just for its barrenness but for its burden — “Why should it even exhaust the soil?”
Morphological Breakdown
- εἶπε –
Root: λέγω
Form: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
Lexical Meaning: “he said”
Contextual Notes: Introduces direct speech; common narrative verb. - δὲ –
Root: δέ
Form: postpositive conjunction
Lexical Meaning: “and,” “but”
Contextual Notes: Transitional particle; contrasts with previous action. - πρὸς τὸν ἀμπελουργόν –
Root: ἀμπελουργός
Form: prepositional phrase (accusative masculine singular)
Lexical Meaning: “to the vinedresser”
Contextual Notes: Indirect object of the speech; recipient of the owner’s frustration. - ἰδοὺ –
Root: ἰδέ
Form: interjection (2nd person singular aorist imperative)
Lexical Meaning: “behold!”
Contextual Notes: Expresses urgency and draws attention — a rhetorical “look!” - τρία ἔτη –
Root: τρεῖς, ἔτος
Form: accusative neuter plural adjective + noun
Lexical Meaning: “three years”
Contextual Notes: Duration of action — how long the speaker has been disappointed. - ἔρχομαι ζητῶν –
Root: ἔρχομαι, ζητέω
Form: present middle indicative, 1st person singular + present active participle
Lexical Meaning: “I come seeking”
Contextual Notes: Ongoing expectation; repeated action without result. - καρπὸν ἐν τῇ συκῇ ταύτῃ –
Root: καρπός, συκῆ
Form: accusative masculine singular + prepositional phrase
Lexical Meaning: “fruit on this fig tree”
Contextual Notes: Specific and emphatic location — a particular tree that continues to disappoint. - καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκω –
Root: εὑρίσκω
Form: coordinating conjunction + present active indicative, 1st person singular with negation
Lexical Meaning: “and I do not find”
Contextual Notes: Ongoing failure — repeated visits, no results. - ἔκκοψον αὐτήν –
Root: ἐκκόπτω
Form: aorist active imperative, 2nd person singular + accusative feminine singular pronoun
Lexical Meaning: “cut it down!”
Contextual Notes: Harsh command; reflects judgment after prolonged patience. - ἱνατί –
Root: ἱνατί
Form: interrogative adverb
Lexical Meaning: “why?”
Contextual Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question — not genuine inquiry, but condemnation. - καὶ τὴν γῆν καταργεῖ –
Root: γῆ, καταργέω
Form: coordinating conjunction + accusative feminine singular noun + present active indicative 3rd person singular
Lexical Meaning: “and even exhausts the ground”
Contextual Notes: The tree not only fails to bear fruit but harms the soil — a secondary offense.
ἱνατί as a Grammar of Judgment
The interrogative adverb ἱνατί means “why?” — but not always in the innocent voice of curiosity. In Greek, especially in rhetorical contexts, it becomes the grammar of rebuke. The speaker isn’t asking the vinedresser for a reason — he’s stating there isn’t one. The fig tree is not just useless; it’s burdensome. ἱνατί here is the vocabulary of frustration and condemnation masked in question form.
This usage of ἱνατί is common in Scripture — think of Jesus on the cross, crying ἱνατί με ἐγκατέλιπες (Matt 27:46). It expresses not merely inquiry but pain, accusation, and finality. In Luke 13:7, ἱνατί transforms a statement into an unanswerable ethical challenge.
καταργεῖ: The Grammar of Waste
The verb καταργέω often means “to nullify,” “render inactive,” or “make useless.” In agricultural imagery, it signals that the fig tree is not passive in its failure — it is actively depleting resources. The present tense καταργεῖ shows continuous harm. It’s not just unproductive; it’s damaging. This escalates the offense from absence to interference. A Greek present indicative here drives home that the tree’s guilt is ongoing and visible.
Fruitless and Harmful: When Grammar Accuses
Luke 13:7 is more than a vineyard tale — it’s a courtroom scene. The fig tree stands trial. Greek grammar prosecutes with precision: repeated action (ἔρχομαι ζητῶν), decisive imperative (ἔκκοψον), and rhetorical interrogation (ἱνατί…). The parable doesn’t just tell a story — it delivers a verdict. And the language itself, with all its aspect and force, becomes the judge’s gavel.
