The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
April 9
Luke 13:1-21
Commentary by Nick Boork
April 9
Luke 13:1-21
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April 9 - Luke 13:1-21
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” 6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your 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; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” 20 And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Let’s look at Jesus teaching on repentance. It appears that there had been a couple of major tragedies that people were talking about. Two groups of people had died. Some speculated that it had to be the judgment of God that had caused their fellow Galilean countrymen to be sacrificed by Pilate in cruel torture even mixing their blood with pagan sacrifices to idols. There was another group of eighteen that was killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. Surely this to was the divine judgment of God because of their sinfulness. This is what the multitude thought was the reason for such deaths.
Jesus discerned this among the people and corrected this false premise that just because these Jews died horrific deaths did not mean it was because of their sins. Many times this is the first thought that we think when something tragic happens. We question, why did it happen? Why did these people die? If we are not careful we can falsely conclude it was due to the judgment of God because of their sins.
The Lord said it wasn't the case at all and then he brought home the point to all of his hearers saying that unless they repented they would all likewise perish. In other words, the most important thing is not trying to figure out why bad things happen to people and assume that it's the judgment of God. Rather the most important thing is that we make sure that we ourselves are right with God and Jesus said we needed to repent or we would perish.
What is repentance and why is it so important? If we look up the word repentance and the blue letter Bible we find the definition.
Word Study: REPENTANCE Strong's G3340 - metanoeō
1) to change one's mind, i.e. to repent
2) to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins
"Repentance (metanoia, 'change of mind') involves a turning with contrition from sin to God; the repentant sinner is in the proper condition to accept the divine forgiveness." (F. F. Bruce. The Acts of the Apostles [Greek Text Commentary], London: Tyndale, 1952, p. 97.)
So when we repent it means that we change our mind about sin and our relationship to God. The Holy Spirit brings conviction to us concerning our sins and our need to be forgiven and saved. This is what Jesus taught in John chapter 16 when he said when the Spirit of God comes he will convict the world of sin. But what does it mean in practical terms?
As a master story teller, Jesus painted a picture of the minds of his hearers of what true repentance is. He said a landowner planted a tree in his garden and came looking for fruit on it but didn't find any. So he told the gardener to chop it down because it's taking up space in his garden and not producing any fruit. The gardener told him to give it another year, to allow him to prune it and fertilize it. If the tree brought forth good fruit then it would remain in the garden but if it didn't produce fruit it would be cut down and removed.
I believe Jesus was teaching us that God the Father expects His people to produce good fruit because He made us in His image and His likeness. Jesus said people are like trees and in order to produce good fruit in our lives we need to yield to the gardener representing Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit Who leads us to turn away from sin and produces through us the fruit of the Spirit. The gardener requesting another year to work on the tree represents the patience of God.
True salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. However, true salvation will always produce the fruits of repentance which are a change of mind concerning sin and a new relationship seeking now to please God in righteousness. This is what John the Baptist said to the religious hypocrites that came out to criticize him. John said bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. In other words, show the sincerity of your repentance by a changed life now lived for God to please Him.
What fruit should we produce that shows true repentance? A hunger and thirst for righteousness and a yielding to the Holy Spirit to produce through us the fruit of the Spirit which the Bible says in Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...
What's the bottom line?
1. Don’t judge people when a tragedy strikes resulting in death.
2. According to Jesus everyone needs to repent or they will perish and be lost in Hell.
3. God comes looking for fruit in our lives that is a reflection of Him.
4. The Father is merciful, patient and gives us time to repent but will hold us accountable.
5. Make a decision to yield to the work of the gardener representing the Holy Spirit.
6. People are like trees, they either produce good or bad fruit.
7. When you bring forth good fruit you glorify God.
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” 6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your 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; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.” 20 And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Let’s look at Jesus teaching on repentance. It appears that there had been a couple of major tragedies that people were talking about. Two groups of people had died. Some speculated that it had to be the judgment of God that had caused their fellow Galilean countrymen to be sacrificed by Pilate in cruel torture even mixing their blood with pagan sacrifices to idols. There was another group of eighteen that was killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them. Surely this to was the divine judgment of God because of their sinfulness. This is what the multitude thought was the reason for such deaths.
Jesus discerned this among the people and corrected this false premise that just because these Jews died horrific deaths did not mean it was because of their sins. Many times this is the first thought that we think when something tragic happens. We question, why did it happen? Why did these people die? If we are not careful we can falsely conclude it was due to the judgment of God because of their sins.
The Lord said it wasn't the case at all and then he brought home the point to all of his hearers saying that unless they repented they would all likewise perish. In other words, the most important thing is not trying to figure out why bad things happen to people and assume that it's the judgment of God. Rather the most important thing is that we make sure that we ourselves are right with God and Jesus said we needed to repent or we would perish.
What is repentance and why is it so important? If we look up the word repentance and the blue letter Bible we find the definition.
Word Study: REPENTANCE Strong's G3340 - metanoeō
1) to change one's mind, i.e. to repent
2) to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins
"Repentance (metanoia, 'change of mind') involves a turning with contrition from sin to God; the repentant sinner is in the proper condition to accept the divine forgiveness." (F. F. Bruce. The Acts of the Apostles [Greek Text Commentary], London: Tyndale, 1952, p. 97.)
So when we repent it means that we change our mind about sin and our relationship to God. The Holy Spirit brings conviction to us concerning our sins and our need to be forgiven and saved. This is what Jesus taught in John chapter 16 when he said when the Spirit of God comes he will convict the world of sin. But what does it mean in practical terms?
As a master story teller, Jesus painted a picture of the minds of his hearers of what true repentance is. He said a landowner planted a tree in his garden and came looking for fruit on it but didn't find any. So he told the gardener to chop it down because it's taking up space in his garden and not producing any fruit. The gardener told him to give it another year, to allow him to prune it and fertilize it. If the tree brought forth good fruit then it would remain in the garden but if it didn't produce fruit it would be cut down and removed.
I believe Jesus was teaching us that God the Father expects His people to produce good fruit because He made us in His image and His likeness. Jesus said people are like trees and in order to produce good fruit in our lives we need to yield to the gardener representing Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit Who leads us to turn away from sin and produces through us the fruit of the Spirit. The gardener requesting another year to work on the tree represents the patience of God.
True salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. However, true salvation will always produce the fruits of repentance which are a change of mind concerning sin and a new relationship seeking now to please God in righteousness. This is what John the Baptist said to the religious hypocrites that came out to criticize him. John said bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. In other words, show the sincerity of your repentance by a changed life now lived for God to please Him.
What fruit should we produce that shows true repentance? A hunger and thirst for righteousness and a yielding to the Holy Spirit to produce through us the fruit of the Spirit which the Bible says in Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...
What's the bottom line?
1. Don’t judge people when a tragedy strikes resulting in death.
2. According to Jesus everyone needs to repent or they will perish and be lost in Hell.
3. God comes looking for fruit in our lives that is a reflection of Him.
4. The Father is merciful, patient and gives us time to repent but will hold us accountable.
5. Make a decision to yield to the work of the gardener representing the Holy Spirit.
6. People are like trees, they either produce good or bad fruit.
7. When you bring forth good fruit you glorify God.
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll