Luke 13

Lu 13:1-9.

THE

LESSON,

"REPENT OR

PERISH,"

SUGGESTED BY

TWO

RECENT

INCIDENTS, AND

ILLUSTRATED BY THE

PARABLE OF THE

BARREN

FIG

TREE.

1-3. Galileans--possibly the followers of Judas of Galilee, who, some

twenty years before this, taught that Jews should not pay tribute to the

Romans, and of whom we learn, from

Ac 5:37,

that he drew after him a multitude of followers, who on his being slain

were all dispersed. About this time that party would be at its height,

and if Pilate caused this detachment of them to be waylaid and put to

death as they were offering their sacrifices at one of the festivals,

that would be "mingling their blood with their sacrifices" [GROTIUS, WEBSTER and WILKINSON, but doubted by DE WETTE, MEYER, ALFORD, &c.]. News of this being brought to our Lord, to

draw out His views of such, and whether it was not a judgment of

Heaven, He simply points them to the practical view of the matter:

"These men are not signal examples of divine vengeance, as ye suppose;

but every impenitent sinner--ye yourselves, except ye

repent--shall be like monuments of the judgment of Heaven, and in a

more awful sense." The reference here to the impending destruction of

Jerusalem is far from exhausting our Lord's weighty words; they

manifestly point to a "perdition" of a more awful kind--future,

personal, remediless.

4, 5. tower in Siloam--probably one of the towers of the city wall,

near the pool of Siloam. Of its fall nothing is known.

6-9. fig tree--Israel, as the visible witness of God in the world,

but generally all within the pale of the visible Church of God; a

familiar figure (compare

Isa 5:1-7;

Joh 15:1-8,

&c.).

vineyard--a spot selected for its fertility, separated from the

surrounding fields, and cultivated with special care, with a view solely

to fruit.

came and sought fruit--a heart turned to God; the fruits of

righteousness; compare

Mt 21:33, 34,

and Isa 5:2,

"He looked that it should bring forth fruit"; He has a

right to it, and will require it.

7. three years--a long enough trial for a fig tree, and so denoting

probably just a sufficient period of culture for spiritual fruit.

The supposed allusion to the duration of our Lord's ministry is

precarious.

cut it down--indignant language.

cumbereth--not only doing no good, but wasting ground.

8. he answering, &c.--Christ, as Intercessor, loath to see it cut

down so long as there was any hope (see

Lu 13:34).

dig, &c.--loosen the earth about it and enrich it with manure;

pointing to changes of method in the divine treatment of the impenitent,

in order to freshen spiritual culture.

9. if . . . fruit, well--Genuine repentance,

however late, avails to save

(Lu 23:42, 43).

after that, &c.--The final perdition of such as, after the utmost

limits of reasonable forbearance, are found fruitless, will be

pre-eminently and confessedly just

(Pr 1:24-31;

Eze 24:13).

Lu 13:10-17.

WOMAN OF

EIGHTEEN

YEAR'S

INFIRMITY

HEALED ON THE

SABBATH.

11. spirit of infirmity--Compare

Lu 13:17,

"whom Satan hath bound." From this it is probable, though not

certain, that her protracted infirmity was the effect of some milder

form of possession; yet she was "a daughter of Abraham," in the

same gracious sense, no doubt, as Zaccheus, after his conversion, was

"a son of Abraham"

(Lu 19:9).

12, 13. said . . . Woman . . . and laid--both at once.

14. with indignation--not so much at the sabbath violation as at the

glorification of Christ. (Compare

Mt 21:15)

[TRENCH].

said to the people--"Not daring directly to find fault with the Lord,

he seeks circuitously to reach Him through the people, who were more

under his influence, and whom he feared less" [TRENCH].

15. the Lord--(See on

Lu 10:1).

hypocrite!--How "the faithful and true Witness" tears off the masks

which men wear!

his ox, &c.--(See on

Mt 12:9-13;

and

Lu 6:9).

16. ought not, &c.--How gloriously the Lord vindicates the superior

claims of this woman, in consideration of the sadness and long duration

of her suffering, and of her dignity notwithstanding, as an heir of the

promise!

Lu 13:18-30.

MISCELLANEOUS

TEACHINGS.

18-21. mustard seed . . . leaven--(See on

Mr 4:30-32).

The parable of "the Leaven" sets forth, perhaps, rather the

inward growth of the kingdom, while "the Mustard Seed" seems to

point chiefly to the outward. It being a woman's work to knead,

it seems a refinement to say that "the woman" here represents the

Church, as the instrument of depositing the leaven. Nor does it

yield much satisfaction to understand the "three measures of meal" of

that threefold division of our nature into "spirit, soul, and body,"

(alluded to in

1Th 5:23)

or of the threefold partition of the world among the three sons of Noah

(Ge 10:32),

as some do. It yields more real satisfaction to see in this brief

parable just the all-penetrating and assimilating quality

of the Gospel, by virtue of which it will yet mould all institutions

and tribes of men, and exhibit over the whole earth one "Kingdom of our

Lord and of His Christ." (See on

Re 11:15).

23. Lord, &c.--one of those curious questions by talking of which

some flatter themselves they are religious.

said unto them--the multitude; taking no notice of the man or his

question, save as furnishing the occasion of a solemn warning not to

trifle with so momentous a matter as "salvation."

24. Strive--The word signifies to "contend" as for the mastery, to

"struggle," expressive of the difficulty of being saved, as if one

would have to force his way in.

strait gate--another figure of the same. (See on

Mt 7:13, 14).

for many . . . will seek--"desire," that is, with a mere wish or

slothful endeavor.

and shall not be able--because it must be made a

life-and-death struggle.

25. master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door--awfully

sublime and vivid picture! At present he is represented as in a

sitting posture, as if calmly looking on to see who will "strive,"

while entrance is practicable, and who will merely "seek" to enter in.

But this is to have an end, by the great Master of the house Himself

rising and shutting the door, after which there will be no admittance.

Lord, Lord--emphatic reduplication, expressive of the

earnestness now felt, but too late. (See on

Mt 7:21, 22).

26, 27. See on the similar passage

(Mt 7:22, 23).

eaten and drunk, &c.--We have sat with Thee at the same table.

(See on

Mt 7:22).

taught in our streets--Do we not remember listening in our own streets

to Thy teaching? Surely we are not to be denied admittance?

27. But he shall say, &c.--(See on

Mt 7:23).

No nearness of external communion with Christ will avail at the

great day, in place of that holiness without which no man shall see the

Lord. Observe the style which Christ intimates that He will

then assume, that of absolute Disposer of men's eternal destinies, and

contrast it with His "despised and rejected" condition at that

time.

28, 29. (See

Mt 8:11, 12).

Also see on

Mt 13:42.

Lu 13:31-35.

MESSAGE TO

HEROD.

31. and depart hence--and "go forward," push on. He was on His

way out of Perea, east of Jordan, and in Herod's dominions, "journeying

towards Jerusalem"

(Lu 13:22).

Haunted by guilty fears, probably, Herod wanted to get rid of Him (see

on

Mr 6:14),

and seems, from our Lord's answer, to have sent these Pharisees, under

pretense of a friendly hint, to persuade Him that the sooner He got

beyond Herod's jurisdiction the better it would be for His own safety.

Our Lord saw through both of them, and sends the cunning ruler a

message couched in dignified and befitting irony.

32. that fox--that crafty, cruel enemy of God's innocent servants.

Behold, I cast out devils and I do cures--that is, "Plot on and ply

thy wiles; I also have My plans; My works of mercy are nearing

completion, but some yet remain; I have work for to-day and to-morrow

too, and the third day; by that time I shall be where his jurisdiction

reaches not; the guilt of My blood shall not lie at his door; that dark

deed is reserved for others." He does not say, I preach the Gospel--that

would have made little impression upon Herod--in the light of the

merciful character of Christ's actions the malice of Herod's

snares is laid bare [BENGEL].

to-day, to-morrow, the third day--remarkable language expressive of

successive steps of His work yet remaining, the calm

deliberateness with which He meant to go through with them,

one after another, to the

last, unmoved by Herod's threat, yet the rapid march with which they

were now hastening to completion. (Compare

Lu 22:37).

I shall be perfected--I finish my course, I attain completion.

33. it cannot be that a prophet, &c.--"It would never do that,"

&c.--awful severity of satire this upon "the bloody city!" "He seeks to

kill me, does he? Ah! I must be out of Herod's jurisdiction for that.

Go tell him I neither fly from him nor fear him, but Jerusalem is the

prophets' slaughter-house."

34, 35. O Jerusalem, &c.--(See on

Mt 23:37;

Mt 23:39).