Luke 13 Repentance continues the theme of urgency to repent in chapter 13. Verses 1-9 Don’t Wait, Repent Now • Jesus continues His urgent call to repentance in chapter thirteen when he recalls two horrible incidents in history. • First; according to William Barclay, Pilate needed money for an aqueduct project from the Pools of Solomon to . He took money from the temple treasury to do it. When the priest went to Pilate to beg for their money back; they were slaughtered by soldiers Pilate had dressed as common people to kill people who asked for money. • Guzik notes; this may not be the exact incident Jesus is talking about. But it speaks of how Pilate would treat Galilean Jews on their way to Jerusalem to sacrifice to God. • Jesus also talks of the eighteen people who were killed when the fell. • Jesus was seeking to correct the assumption people made that it is easy to separate good and bad people and that God should cause blessings to happen to good people and disaster to bad people. • Charles Spurgeon points out; “wicked men do fall dead in the street, but pastors have fallen dead in the pulpit as well. People out seeking their own pleasure on Sunday have died, just as those bound to preach the of Jesus at a revival.” • The point here is; unless one repents, they will perish just like these perished. • Jesus is saying, don’t wait, one could die at any time and faith in Jesus, should be the immediate priority. • We cannot lose site of verse 5, “unless you repent.” • Jesus continues with a story of God’s judgement. • Jesus was looking for fruit, just as God looks for fruit. • God looks for fruit in us, just as He looks for fruit from our church. The thought here is simple; people/churches who have truly been touched by Jesus Christ in their life will produce fruit

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• What does fruit look like? Galatians 5:22-23 states that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is; Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. • The farmer asked for patience, one more year, to give the tree a second chance. Jesus is patient, the farmer (God), gives us His Word and Holy Spirit to nourish us, but He also expect fruit. • If fruit does not come; the tree will be cut. God is very patient, but the day of judgment will come. Verses 10-17 Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath • Jesus was teaching in the synagogue and noticed a woman had been crippled 18 years. • The phrase, “crippled by a spirit” suggests that even though she was faithful, at one time 18 years ago Satan had fallen on here and bound her, but not possessed her. • Charles Spurgeon reminds; Jesus never laid His hand on someone possessed with a devil. • Jesus then through His word, clears her of her condition and then laid His hands on her. No one would have touched her in a long time and Jesus wanted to make clear to her that she was healed. • This woman went to the synagogue seeking God and she found Him. Do we go to worship on Sunday expecting to be impacted in a great way? • Once again, the synagogue ruler rains on the party. We might ask, how could someone be so concerned about the rules to see this great gift from God and be angry? • Adam Clarke’s comment on this, drips with irony; “It would seem as if the demon who had left the woman’s body had gotten into his heart.” • Barclay notes that he didn’t even have the courage to go directly to Jesus, but instead makes his comment to the people gathered there. • Jesus responds bluntly; you lead your ox to water on the Sabbath, so why should this woman, of the Jewish faith, crippled long ago by a demon, be healed on the Sabbath? Basically, Jesus is saying, you’ll help an ox, but not one of your own on the Sabbath?

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• The leaders were humiliated because they were caught in their own hypocrisy. • Everyone else responded appropriately, with rejoicing. • Marvin Pate provides a great connection here to the healing; “The word ‘loose,’ as referring to the untying of the livestock, anticipates a play on words; the woman ‘was loosed’ from her sickness.” • How many times had she prayed for healing and didn’t get mad at God, but continued to come and worship? Verses 18-21 Parables of Mustard Seed and Yeast • There is a question here, is the first parable linked to the second or contrasted? Is the mustard seed parable to be taken in the traditionally positive light or combined with the yeast parable and refer to corruption and how quickly it can get out of control? • Most commentators view this in a positive light and a great picture of the church growing beyond imagination and providing a home for many in the world. • Some however, view the plant as unnaturally large and harbored “birds” which takes on a negative view as in parables from Matthew (:4 and 13:19). • Some also cite Revelation 18:2 stating that the tree grows and harbors, “every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” • The parable of the yeast follows and refers to the kingdom of God like yeast, which the women mixed into sixty pounds of flour until it was hidden and worked through the dough. • This was a huge amount of flour (bread for 100), again implying a massive, unusual size, just like mustard that rarely grows beyond the size of a bush. • Many view this as Jesus painting a beautiful picture of the kingdom of God being mixed through the world; others say the yeast is worked through and hidden. • Yeast typically does not have a have a positive connotation; remember that Jesus just finished warning the disciples about the yeast of the Pharisee’s in :1. With that in mind, I tend to view this as a negative; sin (yeast) hiding itself in the kingdom.

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Note: The states that the woman hid the yeast in the dough, which definitely is not a positive picture for this parable. G. Campbell Morgan writes; “The parable of the tree, teaches the growth of the kingdom into a great power; and the second, the , its corruption.” This would tell us that the first parable is meant to be thought of in a positive light (like :20 and having faith like a mustard weed, which allows one to move mountains). The second parable then warns of the corruption that can enter and spread, like it did in the Jewish Community. Verses 22-30 Narrow door of salvation • Jesus (while on His way to Jerusalem teaching) is asked about salvation and how many will be saved? • Jesus reply is that one should strive to enter through the narrow gate. • Narrow suggests that one has to really focus and want to enter. • F.F. Bruce states that the Greek word for strive suggest, struggle or fighting something. • Too many find the gate too difficult, too simple, or requires giving up too much. Note: This is not a suggestion that we save ourselves by good words. Jesus alone is the narrow gate; “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” He is the only one way to the Father. Guzik points out that narrow gates suggest obstacles like Satan, the world, and our own desires. • Many will seek to enter and will not be able to once the Master of the house has risen and shut the door. • Jesus is again suggesting, as in the previous chapters; there is an urgency to come to faith in Jesus. One must enter now, don’t wait until it is too late. • We have to really strive, fight for the kingdom, now, not tomorrow. • Many will wish to enter, but will not be able; when the Father closes the door, it is closed. • Jesus then refers to the fact that they will say, hey – we were there with you, we ate and drank with you, and you taught in the synagogues (on our streets).

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• Jesus then basically says he will not know who those people are. In other words; it is not enough to have been around/associated with Jesus; one has to have relationship, belief in Him. • Even Satan knows Jesus and his power; but has no relationship with Him. • Those excluded will face weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see the faithful enter, but not you. This will be a horrible scene for the excluded. • People will come from all over; Gentiles included and will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. • Guzik notes that Jesus is not afraid to speak of hell and no preacher should as well. • Jesus then states; the last will be first, and there are first who will be last. • Jesus in not saying the first won’t make it at all; instead, Jesus is saying that there will be people who are very powerful and prominent who will be the very last and there will be quiet humble people that no one notices or thinks about that will be the first to enter. This is truly a lesson on grace. Verses 31-31 Jesus Sorrow for Jerusalem • Not all the were in opposition of Jesus; some as illustrate here, even tried to protect Jesus from Herod. • Jesus was not afraid of Herod and even referred to him as a fox; suggesting that Herod was cunning, but not a strong ruler. • Barclay states that the fox symbolized three things to the Jew; one – the slyest of animals, two – very destructive, and three – they very symbol of a worthless and insignificant man. • Jesus stated then that He would cast out demons and cure people until everything was accomplished (the third day – the resurrection). It is easy for us to see this now. • Jesus was speaking with some irony here according to Guzik when he states that a prophet should perish outside Jerusalem. Many did die outside Jerusalem, but there was some great irony in the thought that Jesus/The Messiah to the Jewish people, would die in Jerusalem. • Jesus final words of chapter 13 reflect true lament (deep sadness) over Jerusalem.

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• Jesus has great love for this city and great sadness because of the sins of the city. • All Jesus wanted to do was gather, protect, raise these people in the Father’s way. He just wanted to save them from their sins. • “How often, I wanted” tells us Jesus was in Jerusalem many times; but they were not willing, they ignored his teaching. • Jesus then says; “Your house is left to you desolate.” Jerusalem would be destroyed in 70AD by the Roman army. • Jesus then refers to His second coming; “You shall see me no more till you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” • Jesus is saying, when He comes again; then will He be welcomed as the Messiah. • Adam Clark writes on all this; “Till after the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in, when the Word of Life shall again be sent unto you; then will you rejoice, and bless, and praise him Who comes in the name of the Lord, with full and final salvation for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” • This is in line with Romans 11:26; “and in this way, all Israel will be saved as it is written; ‘The deliverer will come from Zion, He will turn godlessness away from Jacob.”

Sources: Guzik, ; Luke Study Guide, blueletterbible.org Bock, Darrell L.; The Luke NIV Application Commentary Matthew Henry Commentary Spurgeon, Charles; Commentary on Luke Barclay, William; Commentaries on the Pate, Marvin; Moody Gospel Commentary: Luke Bruce, F.F.; Commentary on the Clarke, Adam; Commentaries; studylight.org G. Campbell Morgan; The Gospel According to Luke

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