Luke 13 Bible Commentary

13:1 There ¹ were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood ^a Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

(1) We must not rejoice at the just punishment of others, but rather we should be instructed by it to repent.
(a) Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea almost ten years, and about the fourth year of his government, which might be about the fifteenth year of Tiberius' reign, Christ finished the work of our redemption by his death.

13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in ^b Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

(b) That is, in the place, or river: for Siloam was a small river from which the conduits of the city came; see (John 9:7; Isaiah 8:6); and therefore it was a tower or a castle, built upon the conduit side, which fell down suddenly and killed some.

13:6 ² 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.

(2) Great and long suffering is the patience of God, but yet he eventually executes judgment.

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 ^c cumbereth it the ground?

(c) Make the ground barren in that part which is otherwise good for vines.

13:10 ³ And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

(3) Christ came to deliver us from the hand of Satan.

13:11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a ^d spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up [herself].

(d) Troubled with a disease which Satan caused.

13:12 And when Jesus saw her, he called [her to him], and said unto her, Woman, thou art ^e loosed from thine infirmity.

(e) For Satan had the woman bound, as if she had been in chains, to the extent that for eighteen years time she could not hold up her head.

13:14 ⁴ And the ^f 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.

(4) A graphic image of hypocrisy, and the reward of it.
(f) One of the rulers of the synagogue, for it appears that there were many rulers of the synagogue, see (Mark 5:22) (Acts 13:15).

13:19 ⁵ 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.

(5) God begins his kingdom with small beginnings so that its growth, which is not looked for, may better set forth his power.

13:22 ⁶ And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

(6) Against those who had rather err with many than go right with a few, and because of this through their own indifference they are shut out of the kingdom of God.

13:26 ⁷ Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

(7) It is vain to be in the Church if one is not of the Church; and whether or not one is in the Church is shown by the purity of life.

13:28 ⁸ 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.

(8) The casting off of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles is foretold.

13:29 And they shall come from the ^g east, and [from] the west, and from the north, and [from] the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

(g) From all the corners of the world, and the places mentioned here are four of the main ones.

13:31 ⁹ The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

(9) We must go forward in regards to our calling, through the midst of terrors, whether they be real or imagined.

13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that ^h fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures ⁱ to day and to morrow, and the third [day] I shall be ^k perfected.

(h) That deceitful and treacherous man.
(i) That is, a small time, and Theophylact says it is a proverb: or else by "to day" we may understand the present time, and by tomorrow the time to come, meaning by this the entire time of his ministry and office.
(k) That is, when the sacrifice for sin is finished.

13:33 ¹⁰ Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the [day] following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

(10) Nowhere else are there more cruel enemies of the godly than within the sanctuary and Church itself: but God sees it and will in his time have an account for it from them.

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 ^l brood under [her] wings, and ye would not!

(l) Literally, "the nest": now the brood of chickens is the nest.