seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Luke 13:1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”
20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[b]”
a. Luke 13:21 Or about 27 kilograms
b. Luke 13:35 Psalm 118:26
Oh... there are three stories in this chapter that I never noticed before. There's the story of the mixed blood, the story of the fallen building and then there's the story of the crippled woman. I'm surprised after all these years that there are three stories all in one chapter that none of the preachers, teachers or leaders ever hit on.... and on top of that I didn't notice them the first two times through. As a matter of fact... I've posted studies before in this chapter and missed it then too. Interesting.
This is from enduringword.com.
The Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices: We don’t have a record in secular history about the specific incident mentioned here. According to Barclay, there is a similar incident before the ministry of Jesus. Pilate wanted to build an aqueduct from the Pools of Solomon to the city of Jerusalem. To pay for it, he demanded money from the temple treasury, money that had been dedicated to God – and this outraged the priests and the people. When the Jews sent a delegation to beg for their money back, Pilate sent into the crowd soldiers dressed as common people, and at a certain signal they took out daggers and attacked the people asking for the money.
This doesn’t seem to be the same incident mentioned here, but it shows how completely consistent it was with the character of Pilate to slaughter a group of Galilean Jews on their way to sacrifice to the Lord in Jerusalem.
Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans: Jesus mentioned two disasters that were well known in His day. One was an evil done by the hand of man, and the other was seemingly a natural disaster (eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them).
Unless you repent… unless you repent: By noting the ancient Greek grammar, we see that Jesus here mentioned two kinds of repentance, and both are essential. Luke 13:5 (unless you repent) described a once and for all repentance. The verb tense in Luke 13:3 (unless you repent) described a continuing repentance.
The ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation: It may surprise that the ruler of the synagogue was so upset at such a wonderful miracle, but it is important to remember how strongly many of the Jewish people held to their Sabbath laws and customs. He was angry because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath.
It would seem as if the demon who had left the woman’s body had got into his heart.” (Clarke)
There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day: The ruler of the synagogue did not have the ability or the authority to heal on any day of the week; yet he objected that Jesus did this on the Sabbath day.
He said to the crowd: “He had not even the courage to speak directly to Jesus. He addressed his protest to the waiting people, although it was meant for Jesus.” (Barclay)
Getting up out of the weeds.... I can see how I would have read the story about the blood.... it was really eloquent but really hard to understand. I probably figured they were talking about when Saul killed a bunch of priests for helping David. But that was then and this paragraph really must be about Pilate... right?
I found this explanation of the tower of Siloam at the gotquestions.org site.
The fall of the tower of Siloam is not mentioned in other historical records, and, since the Bible gives no more detail of the structure’s collapse, we cannot be sure what the tower was for or why it fell. The tragedy was obviously well-known to Jesus’ hearers. Siloam was an area just outside the walls of Jerusalem on the southeast side of the city. A spring-fed pool was there, which was the scene of one of Christ’s miracles (John 9). The tower of Siloam may have been part of an aqueduct system or a construction project that Pilate had begun. In any case, the tower fell, and eighteen people were killed in the catastrophe.
I should, however, remember the healing of the old woman. I mean the last time I went through the gospels I was no spring chicken.... but I guess I got caught up by the working on Sunday weed. I cannot imagine how my heart didn't leap out when I saw a woman bent over by arthritis or worry. Funny... the one thing I remember about everything closing on Sundays... is the drug store... that had to be open so they could fill prescriptions [like pain meds for a victim of arthritis]. They use to rope off the store so that only the necessary items... like prescriptions or food.... could be purchased. The commentary says that the ruler of the synagogue couldn't heal anyone on any day of the week but he was upset with Jesus for doing it. Can you imagine... the preacher of a small one room church outside of a big city... handling the crowds if Jesus were to be walking past there with His thousands of hangers oners stopped by? I think that might have had something to do with the anguish that little ruler of the synagogue might have been wrestling with. That's a huge crowd to have to attend to.... and that's a lot of work.... on the Sabbath.
The part I noticed before but understand better in this chapter is the part about the two types of repentance. The commentary says there is a once and for all repentance and there there is the continuing repentance. Over the years.... I see that this has given a lot of people a problem... is repentance a one time thing that lasts for ever..... or is repentance something that has to be worked on and maintained in order to keep it.
The commentary seems to say that Jesus was talking about both types being essential. On one particular day I was moved by the Spirit. I asked Jesus to take over my life. That was my one time thing. Then stuff happened.... I found myself asking God to step in, forgive me and straighten me back up....... that's the continuing repentance. Yes... some people do have a one time repentance.... and no continuing repentance.... and generally... those who only have a one time repentance are on their death beds. Once I accomplished the one time repentance.... I found myself working on the continuing part quite instinctively.
So I wonder.... what will I see the next time I go through Luke. This morning I met a crippled woman. Jesus touched her and she could stand up straight.
