LUKE 13

    Luke 13:1 "There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with
their sacrifices."
     This is telling of a terrible time when the Romans would swoop down on a large crowd and kill a large number of the people.
Pilate represented the dreaded Roman government.  These Galilaens were not the strict Hebrews. 
     Luke 13:2 "And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans,
because they suffered such things?" 
     Luke 13:3 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
     Jesus knows what they are thinking.  He knows these disciples, and these Hebrew followers have no respect for these
Galilaeans.  Jesus is quick to tell them that not only are the Galilaeans guilty of sin, but they are, too.  They, as well as the
Galilaeans, need to repent and be saved by grace.  Just because a person has the outward appearance of being a Christian, does not
free them from the obligation of repenting from their sins.
     Luke 13:4 "Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above
all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?" 
     Luke 13:5 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
     Jesus is telling them to stop pointing fingers at others' sins and start looking at home at their own sins.  When this tower fell,
the Hebrews were quick to say these were people who had fallen away to Rome.  We must be very careful to make sure all of the sin
is out of our life, before we point fingers at someone else.  In less than 40 years from the time Jesus made this statement, Jerusalem
fell and literally thousands perished.
     Luke 13:6  "He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought
fruit thereon, and found none." 
     Luke 13:7 "Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree,
and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?"
     Jesus is speaking here of Israel (fig tree).  The man is symbolic of God, because the Israelites are His chosen people.  This fig
tree produced no fruit.  The terrible thing is for 3 years Jesus brought them the salvation message.  For 3 years He went away
sorrowful because very little fruit was produced.  In fact, God's beloved Israelites rejected Jesus.  At the very last of Jesus' ministry,
He turned away from the Jews and offered the gospel to the Gentiles. He had given up on them producing fruit (cut it down).  In St.
John 11:54 we can read about this, "Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to
the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples".
     Luke 13:8 "And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:" 
     Luke 13:9 "And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."
     These privileged Hebrews had forgotten that duties go along with privileges. This prophetic parable that Jesus gives comes true,
because Jerusalem is devastated shortly after this.  Jesus gave them a chance, they just didn't take it.
     Luke 13:10 "And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath." 
     Luke 13:11  "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together,
and could in no wise lift up herself." 
     Luke 13:12 "And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine
infirmity." 
     Luke 13:13 "And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God."
     Luke, more than any of the others, goes into detail about illnesses as he was a medical man. The disease mentioned here sounds
like a very serious curvature of the spine.  Sometimes this illness comes in a person's youth and gets worse and worse as they grow
older. This woman seems to have a lot of faith to receive this healing. She knew exactly what to do and whom to glorify when she
received her healing. Take note that this was done on the sabbath and these self-righteous, religious people were more concerned
with the law than they were with helping this poor soul.  She immediately stood straight. This was not a prolonged healing, but a
miracle.
     Luke 13:14 "And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath
day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not
on the sabbath day."
     This ruler is most likely jealous of the miraculous ability of Jesus and looks for any little technicality he can trap Jesus with.
     Luke 13:15 "The Lord then answered him, and said,  Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his
ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?" 
     Luke 13:16 "And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years,
be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"
     Jesus always has an answer for them.  He says to them you loose your animal on the sabbath, are you telling me that animals are
more valuable to God than people are?  Of course, they had no answer for Him. Like many churches today, their doctrine is more
important to them than the truth taught in the Bible.
     Luke 13:17 "And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the
glorious things that were done by him."
     He left these rulers of the church without anything to say. They knew what He said was right. The people believed Him even
more, and they could see right through the shallowness of these rulers. The people rejoiced with this woman who had been stooped
over for 18 years. 
     Luke 13:18  "Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?"
     Jesus is saying, how can I tell you in a way that you can understand what the kingdom of God is like?  I will show you something
you do understand, and you can compare it with that.
     Luke 13:19 "It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great
tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it."
     We see, here, a tiny mustard seed growing into a tree big enough for birds to build a nest in.  Jesus is the Tree of Life.  His
beginning in the earth was small.  Very few people ever dreamed that He and a handful of disciples could grow into a mighty
movement which would affect the whole world.  Small beginnings do not mean small endings.  The tree which Jesus started here has
spread over the entire world.
     Luke 13:20 "And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?"
     Luke 13:21 "It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."
     This second short parable speaks of the secret move that takes place inside a person.  When they received Jesus inside of them,
even though they at first didn't show it outside, their faith began to grow until one day they were a very strong Christian.  They
became a complete Christian when Jesus became the central point of their life.
    Luke 13:22 "And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem."
     This last few months of Jesus' ministry was all leading up to the climax of the Passover in Jerusalem where He would be the
Passover Lamb.  He taught right up till the time of the crucifixion.
     Luke 13:23 "Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,"
     This is a valid question for then and now.  The answer both times is "yes.
     Luke 13:24  "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
     Jesus explains that a person needs to have determination to live the life that Jesus has set before us.  Those who seek and cannot
get in have too broad a view.  They are full of compromise and will not walk the disciplined, self-sacrificing life that it takes to enter
in.  The door is Jesus.  If we walk on the narrow path that leads to righteousness, we will find the door (Jesus) and enter in.
      Luke 13:25 "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and
to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye
are:"
     This is a sad scene which indicates that somehow they found the door; but by the time they had wandered everywhere but the
narrow path, they had spent too much time of their life in the world. They have lost their chance to enter in. The doors of this
symbolic city were closed at nightfall or at the end of a person's life. What this means is there is no salvation after death, only
judgement.
     Luke 13:26 "Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets."
     Luke 13:27 "But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."
     These people feel that because they are Hebrews (God's chosen people), that He will make exceptions for them. Race, color,
creed, or status in life will have nothing to do with any of us making it to heaven. There is only one way to heaven and that is
through Jesus. In John, Jesus told them, "I am the way".  He also said, "No man cometh to the Father but by me".  Being Abraham's
physical descendents won't get you there.
     Luke 13:28 "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the
prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."
     Salvation is an individual thing. Each person has to activate their own will to follow Jesus. The offer is to whosoever will. These
prophets (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) are all accepted because of their faith. The ones thrust out will be because they rejected Jesus
and His teachings. The sorrow will be unexplainably horrible when they discover they have not made it.
     Luke 13:29 "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit
down in the kingdom of God."
     No one will be rejected because of nationality. There will be individuals from all nations who will be saved. Those who follow
Jesus' plan of salvation will be saved. Jesus lets them know by this that salvation is not reserved to just the Israelites, but is open to
all who will receive it.
     Luke 13:30 "And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."
     Those who the world classify as last sometimes receive the message of Jesus more freely and so might be the first to believe.
His is a religion of the common people. Educated people of the law rejected Jesus. Israel had been first; but if they reject Jesus, they
shall be last.
     Luke 13:31  "The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for
Herod will kill thee."
     Herod and Herodias wanted to get rid of Jesus, because He was so popular with the common people. Herod was so superstitious
about John the Baptist that he was afraid to do anything himself. These Pharisees, whether working for Herod or for themselves,
would like for Jesus to be gone, as well. They warned Jesus of Herod, because Jesus knew Herod had John the Baptist beheaded.
     Luke 13:32 "And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to
morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."
     Jesus calls Herod a fox.  He sends him word not to bother Him because He is going on with His work 3 more days here.  He sees
right through these Pharisees and will not be stopped.
     Luke 13:33 "Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet
perish out of Jerusalem."
     Jesus tells the Pharisees, "Neither you nor Herod are driving me away.  I must go to Jerusalem because that is where a prophet
must die."
     Luke 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often
would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!"
     God's great love for Jerusalem had been long standing.  God always wanted Jerusalem to come to Him and let His covering
protect them.  God had dwelt here in this city with His people.  He had led His people out of Egypt, and He led them with His fire
and smoke for forty years to the promised land.  Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem where God dwelt with His people, but His
people activated their free will and rejected God's only Son.  Jesus is mourning for the beloved city Jerusalem when He says, "O
Jerusalem".  They rejected the prophets God sent and then rejected God's Son. 
     Luke 13:35 "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time
come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."
     Jesus now speaks to them that this is their house.  They have taken it away from God with their evil will.  They will not receive
the Lord at this time.  They are blinded with the very law that God had given them to set them free.  Jesus is speaking prophetically
here that there will come a day when they will see Him coming in the clouds and then they will mourn for what they had done.
Then everyone will bow to Him and confess that He really was Messiah.