Luke 13

Repent or Perish

1 Now at the same time some had come to tell him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 And he answered [and] said to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were sinners worse than all the Galileans, because they suffered these [things]?

3 No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as well!

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them--do you think that they were sinners worse than all the people who live in Jerusalem?

5 No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!"

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6 And he told this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find [any].

7 So he said to the gardener, 'Behold, {for three years} I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and did not find [any]. Cut it down! Why should it even exhaust the soil?'

8 But he answered [and] said to him, 'Sir, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put manure on [it].

9 And if indeed it produces fruit in the coming [year], [so much the better], but if not, you can cut it down.'"

A Woman with a Disabling Spirit Healed

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

11 And behold, a woman [was there] who had a spirit {that had disabled her} [for] eighteen years, and she was bent over and not able to straighten herself up completely.

12 And [when he] saw her, Jesus summoned [her] and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability!"

13 And he placed [his] hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and glorified God.

14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, answered [and] said to the crowd, "There are six days on which it is necessary to work. Therefore come [and] be healed on them, and not on the day of the Sabbath!"

15 But the Lord answered and said to him, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you untie his ox or [his] donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead [it] away to water [it]?

16 And this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound {eighteen} long years--is it not necessary that she be released from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?"

17 And [when] he said these [things], all those who opposed him were humiliated, and the whole crowd was rejoicing at all the splendid things that were being done by him.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

18 Therefore he said, "What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it?

19 It is like a mustard seed that a man took [and] sowed in his own garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches."

The Parable of the Yeast

20 And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

21 It is like yeast that a woman took [and] hid in three measures of wheat flour until the whole [batch] was leavened."

The Narrow Door

22 And he was going throughout towns and villages, teaching and making [his] journey toward Jerusalem.

23 And someone said to him, "Lord, {are there only} a few who are saved?" And he said to them,

24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to,

25 when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock [on] the door, saying, 'Lord, open [the door] for us!' And he will answer [and] say to you, 'I do not know where you are from!'

26 Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets!'

27 And he will reply, saying to you, 'I do not know where you are from! Go away from me, all [you] {evildoers}!'

28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside!

29 And they will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.

30 And behold, [some] are last who will be first, and [some] are first who will be last."

The Lament over Jerusalem

31 At [that] same hour some Pharisees came up [and] said to him, "Go out and depart from here, because Herod wants to kill you!"

32 And he said to them, "Go [and] tell that fox, 'Behold, I am expelling demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third [day] I will complete [my work].'

33 Nevertheless, it is necessary [for] me to be on the way today and tomorrow and on the next [day], because it is not possible [for] a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem.

34 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together {the way} a hen [gathers] her own brood under [her] wings, and you were not willing!

35 Behold, your house has been left to you! And I tell you, you will never see me until [the time] will come when you say, 'Blessed [is] the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

Luke 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

Christ exhorts to repentance from the case of the Galileans and others. (1-5) Parable of the barren fig-tree. (6-9) The infirm woman strengthened. (10-17) The parables of the mustard seed, and leaven. (18-22) Exhortation to enter at the strait gate. (23-30) Christ's reproof to Herod, and to the people of Jerusalem. (31-35)

Verses 1-5 Mention was made to Christ of the death of some Galileans. This tragical story is briefly related here, and is not met with in any historians. In Christ's reply he spoke of another event, which, like it, gave an instance of people taken away by sudden death. Towers, that are built for safety, often prove to be men's destruction. He cautioned his hearers not to blame great sufferers, as if they were therefore to be accounted great sinners. As no place or employment can secure from the stroke of death, we should consider the sudden removals of others as warnings to ourselves. On these accounts Christ founded a call to repentance. The same Jesus that bids us repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, bids us repent, for otherwise we shall perish.

Verses 6-9 This parable of the barren fig-tree is intended to enforce the warning given just before: the barren tree, except it brings forth fruit, will be cut down. This parable in the first place refers to the nation and people of the Jews. Yet it is, without doubt, for awakening all that enjoy the means of grace, and the privileges of the visible church. When God has borne long, we may hope that he will bear with us yet a little longer, but we cannot expect that he will bear always.

Verses 10-17 Our Lord Jesus attended upon public worship on the sabbaths. Even bodily infirmities, unless very grievous, should not keep us from public worship on sabbath days. This woman came to Christ to be taught, and to get good to her soul, and then he relieved her bodily infirmity. This cure represents the work of Christ's grace upon the soul. And when crooked souls are made straight, they will show it by glorifying God. Christ knew that this ruler had a real enmity to him and to his gospel, and that he did but cloak it with a pretended zeal for the sabbath day; he really would not have them be healed any day; but if Jesus speaks the word, and puts forth his healing power, sinners are set free. This deliverance is often wrought on the Lord's day; and whatever labour tends to put men in the way of receiving the blessing, agrees with the design of that day.

Verses 18-22 Here is the progress of the gospel foretold in two parables, as in ( Matthew 13 ) . The kingdom of the Messiah is the kingdom of God. May grace grow in our hearts; may our faith and love grow exceedingly, so as to give undoubted evidence of their reality. May the example of God's saints be blessed to those among whom they live; and may his grace flow from heart to heart, until the little one becomes a thousand.

Verses 23-30 Our Saviour came to guide men's consciences, not to gratify their curiosity. Ask not, How many shall be saved? But, Shall I be one of them? Not, What shall become of such and such? But, What shall I do, and what will become of me? Strive to enter in at the strait gate. This is directed to each of us; it is, Strive ye. All that will be saved, must enter in at the strait gate, must undergo a change of the whole man. Those that would enter in, must strive to enter. Here are awakening considerations, to enforce this exhortation. Oh that we may be all awakened by them! They answer the question, Are there few that shall be saved? But let none despond either as to themselves or others, for there are last who shall be first, and first who shall be last. If we reach heaven, we shall meet many there whom we little thought to meet, and miss many whom we expected to find.

Verses 31-35 Christ, in calling Herod a fox, gave him his true character. The greatest of men were accountable to God, therefore it became him to call this proud king by his own name; but it is not an example for us. I know, said our Lord, that I must die very shortly; when I die, I shall be perfected, I shall have completed my undertaking. It is good for us to look upon the time we have before us as but little, that we may thereby be quickened to do the work of the day in its day. The wickedness of persons and places which more than others profess religion and relation to God, especially displeases and grieves the Lord Jesus. The judgment of the great day will convince unbelievers; but let us learn thankfully to welcome, and to profit by all who come in the name of the Lord, to call us to partake of his great salvation.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. Literally "three years from which"
• [d]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [e]. Some manuscripts have "Therefore cut it down!"
• [f]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [g]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [h]. *The phrase "[so much the better]" is not in the Greek text but is implied
• [i]. *The phrase "[was there]" is not in the Greek text but is supplied in keeping with English style
• [j]. Literally "of weakness"
• [k]. Or "at all"
• [l]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [m]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [n]. Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [o]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
• [p]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("come") has been translated as a finite verb
• [q]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [r]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [s]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [t]. Literally "ten and eight"
• [u]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("said")
• [v]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("took") has been translated as a finite verb
• [w]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("took") has been translated as a finite verb
• [x]. Some manuscripts have "put into"
• [y]. Literally "if"
• [z]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [aa]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answer") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ab]. Literally "workers of unrighteousness"
• [ac]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("came up") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ad]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("go") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ae]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [af]. Literally "in the manner in which"
• [ag]. *Here the term "[gathers]" is not in the Greek text but is implied
• [ah]. Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [ai]. *The words "[the time]" are not in the Greek text but are implied
• [aj]. A quotation from Ps 118:26