1Právě v tu dobu byli přítomni někteří, kteří mu vyprávěli o Galilejcích, jejichž krev Pilát smísil s jejich oběťmi. 2On jim na to řekl: „Myslíte, že tito Galilejci byli větší hříšníci než všichni ostatní Galilejci, když toto vytrpěli? 3Ne, pravím vám, ale nebudete-li činit pokání, všichni podobně zahynete. 4Nebo oněch osmnáct, na které spadla věž v Siloe a zabila je; myslíte, že oni byli větší viníci než všichni ostatní lidé, kteří bydlí v Jeruzalémě? 5Ne, pravím vám, ale nebudete-li činit pokání, všichni právě tak zahynete.“ 6Říkal toto podobenství: „Kdosi měl na své vinici zasazený fíkovník. I přišel na něm hledat ovoce, ale nenalezl. 7Řekl vinaři: Hle, po tři léta přicházím a hledám ovoce v tomto fíkovníku, a nenalézám. Vytni jej tedy! Proč kazí i tu zem? 8On mu odpověděl: ‚Pane, ponech ho i tento rok, až jej okopám a pohnojím, 9neponese-li snad ovoce příště; jestliže ne, vytneš jej. ‘“ 10V sobotu učil v jedné synagoze. 11A hle, byla tam žena, která měla ducha nemoci osmnáct let; byla sehnutá a vůbec se nemohla napřímit. 12Když ji Ježíš uviděl, zavolal ji a řekl: „Ženo, jsi zproštěna své nemoci “ 13a vložil na ni ruce. Ona se ihned narovnala a oslavovala Boha. 14Avšak představený synagogy, rozhněván, že Ježíš uzdravuje v sobotu, říkal zástupu: „Je šest dní, v nichž se má pracovat; v nich tedy přicházejte a buďte uzdravováni, a ne v den sobotní.“ 15Na to mu Pán řekl: „Pokrytci! Neodvazuje každý z vás v sobotu svého vola nebo osla od žlabu a nevede ho napájet? 16Tato však, dcera Abrahamova, kterou spoutal Satan, hle, na osmnáct let, neměla být rozvázána z toho pouta v den sobotní?“ 17A když to říkal, všichni jeho protivníci byli zahanbeni, ale celý zástup se radoval nad všemi těmi slavnými činy, které se od něho dály. 18Říkal tedy: „Čemu se podobá Boží království a k čemu je připodobním? 19Je podobné zrnu hořčice, které člověk vzal a hodil do své zahrady; vyrostlo, stalo se velikým stromem a v jeho větvích se uhnízdili nebeští ptáci.“ 20A opět řekl: „K čemu připodobním Boží království? 21Je podobné kvasu, který žena vzala a skryla do tří měřic mouky, dokud to všecko nezkvasilo.“ 22A procházel městy a vesnicemi, učil a pokračoval v cestě do Jeruzaléma. 23Kdosi mu řekl: „Pane, je jen málo těch, kteří jsou zachraňováni? “ On jim řekl: 24„Usilujte vejít úzkými dveřmi, neboť mnozí, pravím vám, se budou snažit vejít, ale nebudou schopni. 25V tu chvíli, když by hospodář vstal a zavřel dveře, a vy byste zůstali stát venku, začali tlouci na dveře a říkat: ‚Pane, otevři nám‘, on vám odpoví: ‚Neznám vás a nevím, odkud jste.‘ 26Tehdy začnete říkat: ‚Jedli jsme před tebou i pili a na našich ulicích jsi učil.‘ 27A on vám řekne: ‚ Neznám vás a nevím, odkud jste. Odstupte ode mne všichni činitelé nepravosti! ‘ 28Tam bude pláč a skřípění zubů, až spatříte Abrahama, Izáka a Jákoba a všechny proroky v Božím království, ale vás vyženou ven. 29A přijdou mnozí od východu i západu, od severu i jihu a budou stolovat v Božím království. 30A hle, jsou poslední, kteří budou první, a jsou první, kteří budou poslední.“ 31Právě v tu hodinu přišli někteří farizeové a řekli mu: „Vyjdi a jdi odtud, protože Herodes tě chce zabít.“ 32On jim řekl: „Jděte a řekněte té lišce: Hle, vyháním démony a uzdravuji dnes i zítra, a třetího dne dokonám. 33Avšak dnes, zítra i pozítří musím pokračovat v cestě, neboť není možné, aby prorok zahynul mimo Jeruzalém. 34Jeruzaléme, Jeruzaléme, který zabíjíš proroky a kamenuješ ty, kteří jsou k tobě posláni, kolikrát jsem chtěl shromáždit tvé děti jako slepice svá kuřata pod křídla, ale nechtěli jste. 35Hle, váš dům se vám zanechává pustý. Pravím vám, že mne zajisté nespatříte, dokud nepřijde ten den, kdy řeknete: ‚ Požehnaný, který přichází ve jménu Pána.‘ “
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE LESSON, "REPENT OR PERISH," SUGGESTED BY TWO RECENT INCIDENTS, AND ILLUSTRATED BY THE PARABLE OF THE BARREN FIG TREE. (
Luke 13:1-
Luke 13:9)
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
Acts 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 tower in Siloam--probably one of the towers of the city wall, near the pool of Siloam. Of its fall nothing is known.
6 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-
Isa 5:7;
John 15:1-
John 15:8, &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
Matt 21:33-
Matt 21:34, 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
Luke 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 (
Luke 23:42-
Luke 23:43).
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 (
Pro 1:24-
Pro 1:31;
Ezek 24:13).
11 WOMAN OF EIGHTEEN YEAR'S INFIRMITY HEALED ON THE SABBATH. (
Luke 13:10-
Luke 13:17)
spirit of infirmity--Compare
Luke 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" (
Luke 19:9).
12 said . . . Woman . . . and laid--both at once.
14 with indignation--not so much at the sabbath violation as at the glorification of Christ. (Compare
Matt 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
Luke 10:1).
hypocrite!--How "the faithful and true Witness" tears off the masks which men wear!
his ox, &c.--(See on
Matt 12:9-
Matt 12:13; and
Luke 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!
18 MISCELLANEOUS TEACHINGS. (
Luke 13:18-
Luke 13:30)
mustard seed . . . leaven--(See on
Mark 4:30-
Mark 4:32). 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
1Thess 5:23) or of the threefold partition of the world among the three sons of Noah (
Gen 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
Rev 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
Matt 7:13-
Matt 7:14).
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
Matt 7:21-
Matt 7:22).
26 See on the similar passage (
Matt 7:22-
Matt 7:23).
eaten and drunk, &c.--We have sat with Thee at the same table. (See on
Matt 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
Matt 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 (See
Matt 8:11-
Matt 8:12). Also see on
Matt 13:42.
31 MESSAGE TO HEROD. (
Luke 13:31-
Luke 13:35)
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" (
Luke 13:22). Haunted by guilty fears, probably, Herod wanted to get rid of Him (see on
Mark 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
Luke 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 O Jerusalem, &c.--(See on
Matt 23:37;
Matt 23:39).
