One Jot or One Tittle

The King James Version says, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt 5:18). Since then, it has become a famous phrase for God’s Word fulfilling without any failure. In Greek, the “jot” is an iota, the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet (ι), and the “tittle” is keraia (in Greek) and serif (in English) – a small stroke of a letter, such as an accent marker (e.g., ελπίς, elpis, “hope”).

In studying any literature, paying attention to connectors, as small as they may be, is important. One such small connector in Greek is δε (de). Translations and commentaries tend to omit them. In the process, connected pericopes (or stories) become disjoined.

A case in point is Luke 13:6–9, a parable about a vineyard master and gardener that is sandwiched between some wondering if those who died under Pilate’s evil or from a tower in Siloam were more guilty than the rest of the people (13:1–5) and a woman who was under the control of an evil spirit for eighteen years whom Jesus healed on a Sabbath (13:10–14). These three pericopes are connected by that simple de, which instructs the readers that the parable relates to the events before and after.

In the events before, people were quick to judge those who died innocently as guilty, “more sinful than them.” In the following event, they were more concerned about keeping the Sabbath than rejoicing over the healing of one of their afflicted persons. The parable addressed a similar situation and showed how the Lord’s disciples were to be.

“A certain person had a fig tree planted in the vineyard.” (Luke 13:6a)

Hebrews often planted fig trees in their vineyards because they acted as windbreakers, provided shade, and stopped soil erosion, and birds preferred fig fruit more than grapes. But they didn’t precisely expect fig fruit from these fig trees but from the fig farms. But this master was different.

“He came, seeking fruit in that fig tree, and didn’t find any. So, he said to the vineyard worker: ‘See, for three years, I have been coming, seeing fruit in this fig tree, and I do not find any. Cut it. Why should it suck the soil of its nutrients?’” (13:6b–7)

This master was like those who tried to blame the victims for the evil that befell them. Fig trees weren’t in the wrong places; they were purposefully planted there to break the wind, give shade, stop soil erosion, and prevent birds from pecking on grapes. Those were their tasks, not to yield fig fruit.

The vineyard worker pleaded on behalf of the victim.

“Master, let it be for one more year. I will dig around it and give fertilizer. If it doesn’t give fruit in the coming season, you can cut it down.” (13:8–9)

The vineyard worker knew the real issue – he hadn’t been cultivating that fig tree to be a fruit-bearing tree. If the master were adamant about having fruit, he would have to treat it as a fruit-bearing tree: dig a water trout around it, water it, and give fertilizer. He was confident that that fig tree would bear fruit when he did.

Poor or afflicted people are often in situations beyond their control. They didn’t have the needed education, or they were in unhealthy situations. Instead of blaming them, the Lord’s disciples will interfere in their lives and help them attain their potential.