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| Chapter 13 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ There were present at that season some who told Him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, "Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, nay; but unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all other men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, nay; but unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." 6 ¶ He spoke also this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the keeper of his vineyard, ’Behold, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down. Why cumbereth it the ground?’ 8 And he answering said unto him, ’Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig around it and dung it. 9 And if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.’" 10 ¶ And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, and was bowed down and could in no way lift herself up. 12 And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said unto her, "Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity." 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, "There are six days in which men ought to work; in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Thou hypocrite! Doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead him away to watering? 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" 17 And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. 18 ¶ Then said He, "Unto what is the Kingdom of God like? And unto what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and cast into his garden; and it grew and waxed a great tree, and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it." 20 And again He said, "Unto what shall I liken the Kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened." 22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 ¶ Then said one unto Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said unto them, 24 "Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able. 25 When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ’Lord, Lord, open unto us,’ and He shall answer and say unto you, ’I know you not from whence ye are,’ 26 then shall ye begin to say, ’We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.’ 27 But He shall say, ’I tell you, I know you not from whence ye are. Depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.’ 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And they shall come from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God. 30 And behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last." 31 ¶ The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto Him, "Get thee out and depart hence, for Herod will kill thee." 32 And He said unto them, "Go ye and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out devils and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ 33 Nevertheless I must walk today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate; and verily I say unto you, ye shall not see Me until the time come when ye shall say, ‘Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.’" |
The first few verses of this chapter are asking the question "are disasters the result of sin." It was a common belief in the Jewish nation that it was, John 9:1,2. Even today when we have disasters like earthquakes or storms etc. we ask "where was God?" v1 We are not given details of what the people were referring to but it was probably a group of fanatical nationalists from Galilee who had made a demonstration in Jerusalem during a feast time. Pilate, has sent in soldiers which resulted in a battle in the temple area. v2 Jesus asks the people if they thought that these Galilean’s were more sinful than other Galilean’s because they suffered? Were they being punished because of their actions? v3 "No" Jesus replies, "unless all people repent they will all suffer the same punishment." v3,4 As a result of this question Jesus points out another disaster, the collapse of a tower in Siloam, eighteen people died. "Do you think these eighteen were more sinful than you from Jerusalem? v5 Jesus repeats His previous statement, "unless all people repent they will all suffer the same punishment." This event reminds us that suffering is not always as a direct result of sinful acts. John 9:1,2. All have sinned and will be punished, Rom 3:9-18; Rom 6:23. Sometimes God will judge a sinful action, Acts 5:1-11. We must also realize that God can act in a way which some may say was punishment but was all part of God’s plan, Acts 7:54-60. As a result of the death of Stephen the Christians who had stayed in Jerusalem were forced to leave for safety and take the message out into the world, which was as God had planned. Of course all suffering is the indirect result of sin, When Adam and Eve disobeyed God all Mankind and the world now suffered as a result of our sinful nature, but because of the death of Jesus on the cross there is now a way out, Rom 8:1ff. v6-9 What is God looking for? These verses shows that God is seeking. The master in the story comes to the tree to eat the fruit, but there is nothing. A useless tree is a waste so commands the tree be cut down, however, the gardener wants more time to feed and cultivate the tree. This passage is a warning to the Believer that God expects fruit. Consider Rom 1:9-13; Gal 5:22-23. |
Easy English Translation
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