1V tu dobu mu někteří z přítomných vyprávěli o Galilejcích, jejichž krev Pilát smísil s jejich oběťmi. 2Ježíš jim odpověděl: „Myslíte si, že se jim to stalo, protože byli větší hříšníci než všichni ostatní Galilejci? 3Říkám vám, že nikoli. Nebudete-li činit pokání, zahynete podobně všichni. 4Myslíte si, že těch osmnáct, na které spadla věž v Siloe a zabila je, byli větší viníci než všichni ostatní obyvatelé Jeruzaléma? 5Říkám vám, že nikoli. Nebudete-li činit pokání, zahynete podobně všichni.“ 6Potom jim vyprávěl toto podobenství: „Jeden člověk vysadil na své vinici fíkovník. Přišel a hledal na něm ovoce, ale marně. 7Řekl tedy vinaři: ‚Podívej se, už tři roky přicházím a hledám na tom fíkovníku ovoce, ale marně. Poraz ho. Proč tu má zabírat místo?‘ 8Vinař mu odpověděl: ‚Nech ho tu ještě rok, pane. Okopám ho a pohnojím, 9snad začne nést ovoce. Pokud ne, porazíš ho pak.‘“ 10V sobotu pak učil v jedné synagoze. 11A hle, byla tam žena postižená už osmnáct let duchem nemoci; byla sehnutá tak, že se vůbec nemohla narovnat. 12Když ji Ježíš uviděl, zavolal ji k sobě. „Ženo, tvá nemoc je pryč,“ řekl jí. 13Vložil na ni ruce, a ona se hned narovnala a oslavovala Boha. 14Představeného synagogy však rozhořčilo, že Ježíš uzdravoval v sobotní den, a tak řekl zástupu: „Je šest dní, kdy se má pracovat. Během nich přicházejte a nechte se uzdravovat, ale ne v sobotu!“ 15„Pokrytče!“ odpověděl mu Pán. „Neodvazuje snad každý z vás v sobotu svého vola nebo osla od žlabu a nevodí ho napájet? 16A tato dcera Abrahamova, kterou satan držel svázanou už osmnáct let, nesměla být v sobotu rozvázána ze svého pouta?“ 17Když to řekl, všichni jeho protivníci se zastyděli, ale všechen zástup se radoval ze všech slavných skutků, které dělal. 18Tehdy řekl: „Čemu se podobá Boží království? K čemu ho přirovnám? 19Je podobné zrnku hořčice, které člověk vzal, hodil je do své zahrady a vyrostl z něj strom, v jehož větvích se uhnízdili ptáci.“ 20„K čemu přirovnám Boží království?“ opakoval. 21„Je podobné kvasu, který žena vzala a zadělala do tří měřic mouky, až nakonec všechno zkvasilo.“ 22Na své pouti do Jeruzaléma procházel města i vesnice a učil. 23Někdo se ho zeptal: „Pane, bude spasen jen málokdo?“ Tehdy jim řekl: 24„Snažte se vejít úzkými dveřmi. Říkám vám, že mnozí se budou pokoušet vejít, ale nebudou moci. 25Když hospodář vstane a zavře dveře, zůstanete venku. Budete tlouci na dveře: ‚Pane, otevři nám,‘ ale on vám odpoví: ‚Neznám vás. Nevím, odkud jste.‘ 26Budete říkat: ‚Jedli jsme a pili s tebou. Učil jsi na našich ulicích!‘ 27On však odpoví: ‚Říkám vám, že vás neznám. Nevím, odkud jste. Odejděte ode mě, všichni, kdo pácháte zlo!‘ 28Bude tam pláč a skřípění zubů, až uvidíte Abrahama, Izáka a Jákoba se všemi proroky v Božím království, ale sami budete vyhnáni ven. 29Mnozí přijdou od východu i od západu, od severu i od jihu a budou stolovat v Božím království. 30A hle, někteří poslední budou první a někteří první budou poslední.“ 31V tu chvíli za ním přišli nějací farizeové. „Odejdi odsud,“ říkali mu. „Jdi pryč, Herodes tě chce zabít!“ 32Odpověděl jim: „Jděte a vyřiďte té lišce: Dnes i zítra budu vymítat démony a uzdravovat; třetího dne skončím. 33Dnes, zítra i pozítří musím pokračovat v cestě. Kde jinde by měl prorok zemřít než v Jeruzalémě? 34Jeruzaléme, Jeruzaléme, který zabíjíš proroky a kamenuješ ty, kteří jsou k tobě posíláni! Kolikrát jsem chtěl shromáždit tvé děti, jako slepice shromažďuje svá kuřata pod křídla, ale nechtěli jste. 35Hle, váš dům se vám zanechává pustý. Říkám vám, že mě už neuvidíte, dokud nepřijde čas, kdy řeknete: ‚Požehnaný, jenž přichází v Hospodinově jménu!‘“
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).
