Luke 13

1 And there were present certain at that time, telling him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate did mingle with their sacrifices;

2 and Jesus answering said to them, `Think ye that these Galileans became sinners beyond all the Galileans, because they have suffered such things?

3 No -- I say to you, but, if ye may not reform, all ye even so shall perish.

4 `Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; think ye that these became debtors beyond all men who are dwelling in Jerusalem?

5 No -- I say to you, but, if ye may not reform, all ye in like manner shall perish.'

6 And he spake this simile: `A certain one had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit in it, and he did not find;

7 and he said unto the vine-dresser, Lo, three years I come seeking fruit in this fig-tree, and do not find, cut it off, why also the ground doth it render useless?

8 `And he answering saith to him, Sir, suffer it also this year, till that I may dig about it, and cast in dung;

9 and if indeed it may bear fruit --; and if not so, thereafter thou shalt cut it off.'

10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath,

11 and lo, there was a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and not able to bend back at all,

12 and Jesus having seen her, did call [her] near, and said to her, `Woman, thou hast been loosed from thy infirmity;'

13 and he laid on her [his] hands, and presently she was set upright, and was glorifying God.

14 And the chief of the synagogue answering -- much displeased that on the sabbath Jesus healed -- said to the multitude, `Six days there are in which it behoveth [us] to be working; in these, then, coming, be healed, and not on the sabbath-day.'

15 Then the Lord answered him and said, `Hypocrite, doth not each of you on the sabbath loose his ox or ass from the stall, and having led away, doth water [it]?

16 and this one, being a daughter of Abraham, whom the Adversary bound, lo, eighteen years, did it not behove to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?'

17 And he saying these things, all who were opposed to him were being ashamed, and all the multitude were rejoicing over all the glorious things that are being done by him.

18 And he said, `To what is the reign of God like? and to what shall I liken it?

19 It is like to a grain of mustard, which a man having taken, did cast into his garden, and it increased, and came to a great tree, and the fowls of the heavens did rest in its branches.'

20 And again he said, `To what shall I liken the reign of God?

21 It is like leaven, which a woman, having taken, did hide in three measures of meal, till that all was leavened.'

22 And he was going through cities and villages, teaching, and making progress toward Jerusalem;

23 and a certain one said to him, `Sir, are those saved few?' and he said unto them,

24 `Be striving to go in through the straight gate, because many, I say to you, will seek to go in, and shall not be able;

25 from the time the master of the house may have risen up, and may have shut the door, and ye may begin without to stand, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, lord, open to us, and he answering shall say to you, I have not known you whence ye are,

26 then ye may begin to say, We did eat before thee, and did drink, and in our broad places thou didst teach;

27 and he shall say, I say to you, I have not known you whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of the unrighteousness.

28 `There shall be there the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth, when ye may see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the reign of God, and yourselves being cast out without;

29 and they shall come from east and west, and from north and south, and shall recline in the reign of God,

30 and lo, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.'

31 On that day there came near certain Pharisees, saying to him, `Go forth, and be going on hence, for Herod doth wish to kill thee;'

32 and he said to them, `Having gone, say to this fox, Lo, I cast forth demons, and perfect cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third [day] I am being perfected;

33 but it behoveth me to-day, and to-morrow, and the [day] following, to go on, because it is not possible for a prophet to perish out of Jerusalem.

34 `Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that is killing the prophets, and stoning those sent unto her, how often did I will to gather together thy children, as a hen her brood under the wings, and ye did not will.

35 `Lo, your house is being left to you desolate, and verily I say to you -- ye may not see me, till it may come, when ye may say, Blessed [is] he who is coming 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.