Jesus used a parable to elaborate on what He just taught. He spoke of a fig tree that produced no fruit. Such a tree would be cut down by the landowner for it had not become what he expected it to become. He would not save a tree that was barren. A person who had repented and turned their life toward God would bear fruit. In a sense such a person would stop living a life that was barren in God's eye and their repentance would cause their life to exhibit Godly principles and action. To say one has repented and turned their life toward God would mean little if such a change was not reflected in the way they lived their life. We might see the gardener as either Jesus or the Holy Spirit, pleading with the lan owner (Father) on behalf of the tree (person) and asking to have another year to turn the tree (person) around and thus not be cut down and discarded.
Again one of the big issues with the religious leaders popped up, healing on the Sabbath. Jesus continued to heal on the Sabbath and attempted to teach the religious leaders that their view of the Sabbath was twisted. Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath to which the leaders again complained. Jesus called them hypocrites for they also "worked" on the Sabbath by untying their oxen and leading their donkeys from their stalls for water. He continued by saying the woman He healed had been bent over for 18 years by the hand of Satan and asked if she was at least as important as a donkey or ox? Of course she was even more important and valuable. Realizing that, how could helping such a person on the Sabbath be wrong.
Jesus then offered two parables regarding the Kingdom of God and what it is like. He leads us to understand that understanding and accepting the Gospel is a small tiny thing physically, such as a mustard seed. When the truth of the Gospel is planted in our hearts, it is similar to the mustard seed which is the tiniest of seeds. They both work quietly and grow greatly. When the mustard seed is planted, it grows to 15 feet tall in just one season and is strong enough for other creatures to make their nest in it. Likewise when the Gospel is accepted and planted in our hearts, it will grow quickly and quietly making us so strong that we can be there to help those around us find safety in what we have found.
He also compared the Kingdom of God to yeast. When just a little yeast is mixed in with flour, it works quietly and quickly and changes every part of the flour into something new. Again, like yeast, the Gospel mixes into every part of our lives turning us into something new that has value and can even be thought of as something that can feed others.
Someone asked Jesus if only a few would be saved. Jesus first helped them understand a time would come when the opportunity to be saved would be gone such as the closing of a door. He taught the door to the Kingdom of God would one day be closed by the Master of the house and those left outside would not gain entrance. Those on the outside would knock and plead to be let in but the Master will reply He didn't know them. They would continue to plead saying they had eaten with Him and seen Him teach in their streets. The Master would again tell them to go away and call them evildoers. It is not enough to know of the Christ for many do but they will forever be lost. You must not only know of Him, you must know Him and have a relationship with Him. Many people in His time thought that because they were descendants of Abraham, they would automatically enter the Kingdom but that is not enough, it is a relationship with Christ that is required. Many people today think that because they belong to this religion or that one they will be saved but that will not be enough.
There will be gnashing of teeth and great weeping by all those who will not be allowed to enter. People will come from the four corners of the earth to take their place in the Kingdom. Some who the world thought of as nobodies may very well be extremely important persons in the Kingdom while some who the world saw as great may be among the least important in the Kingdom.