1 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.’ ”
Commentary
Vs. 1-3 1 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.
The Lord Jesus having rebuked the multitudes for their not discerning the time is now told of an atrocity committed by Pilate the Roman Governor Galilee, where Jesus and the disciples were from. Jesus though is unmoved in that He does not see these Galileans as worse sinners who were in more need of repentance than the very people who were telling them these things. For likely there telling Him these things was for them a justification that they were alright with God because they and their own did not suffer such things. Therefore Jesus upon hearing this tells them all not to think they those Galileans were worse sinners than all men because they suffered such thing, because that is what people always do to avoid facing their own sinfulness and need for repentance look at someone seemingly worse than themselves, or in this case someone whom they thought God allowed to suffer such things because they were wicked or evil. (In this consider the story of Job and how his “friends” likewise so wrongly and wickedly judged him for the all evils he suffered though he was a righteous and just man). And so here the Lord Jesus Christ quickly refutes their wrong assumption and confidence about themselves by saying to them all, “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.” The Lord Jesus Christ’s Words and Warning then is not just for them, but for us all!
Vs. 4-5 “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.”
To emphasize His point, the Lord Jesus now recalls a tragic event that would’ve been fresh in His listeners minds, and that was the tower of Siloam which fell and killed eighteen people. Now Jesus recalling this was again to reiterate to them all that simply because such things happened to them does not mean that they were any worse sinners than anyone else, for again people always try to excuse themselves for their own need for repentance by looking at someone they can point to as seemingly being worse than themselves; and in this nothing is more convenient than to point to people who suffer ill fates, and then presume that it was the judgment of God upon them. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ again says that unless they (and thus we also) repent we will all likewise perish. Not in the exactly same manner, but perish and suffer eternally for our sins and transgressions! That is Jesus’ warning here to us all, that everyone one of us sees the danger and repents and believes before it is to late! Do not then look then on atrocities, accidents, and tragedies as the judgment of God on individuals, rather look at yourselves and be sure that you are reconciled to God! Because as the Lord Jesus Christ will reveal in His upcoming parable though God is longsuffering towards us all, wanting us all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), if we fail to respond to Him, our lives end may come at a time, and in a way, that we too did not expect it.
Vs. 6-9 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.’ ”
Having then warned us all to repent, the Lord Jesus now tells a parable, about a man who planted a fig tree in his vineyard and came seeking fruit on it but found none. And so, finding none he tells the keeper of the vineyard to cut it down, saying, ‘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?’ vs. 7
However, the keeper of the vineyard intercedes for it and asks for more time saying 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.’ ” vs. 8-9
Obviously if one wants to draw parallels from this parable both the nation of Israel as a whole, and or our individual persons and lives are the fig tree planted in the garden, and God is the owner of the vineyard, who comes seeking fruit, (in this case the fruit of repentance in our persons and lives). While His Son the Lord Jesus Christ is the keeper of the vineyard (regarding Israel see Isaiah 27:3), who again intercedes so that the fig tree is not immediately cut down (thus its life ended) before He first digs around it and fertilizes it. Thus, the vineyard keeper does what He can so that the fig tree has every opportunity to bear fruit, (which for us is the good fruit of repentance which only comes out of a Holy Spirit regenerated person and life, something which only happens when one repents and believes in Him). And so, both the nation of Israel collectively, and all people everywhere individually, are given full opportunity to bear the fruits of repentance (see Luke 3:8-9). But as the Lord Jesus Christ reveals in this parable, though God is longsuffering towards us all, not wanting any to perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), if we do not respond to Him then our end like the fig tree in the parable will come. From which there will be no recourse or chance ever again to be repent and believe and thus be saved.
Commentary
Vs. 1-3 1 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.
The Lord Jesus having rebuked the multitudes for their not discerning the time is now told of an atrocity committed by Pilate the Roman Governor Galilee, where Jesus and the disciples were from. Jesus though is unmoved in that He does not see these Galileans as worse sinners who were in more need of repentance than the very people who were telling them these things. For likely there telling Him these things was for them a justification that they were alright with God because they and their own did not suffer such things. Therefore Jesus upon hearing this tells them all not to think they those Galileans were worse sinners than all men because they suffered such thing, because that is what people always do to avoid facing their own sinfulness and need for repentance look at someone seemingly worse than themselves, or in this case someone whom they thought God allowed to suffer such things because they were wicked or evil. (In this consider the story of Job and how his “friends” likewise so wrongly and wickedly judged him for the all evils he suffered though he was a righteous and just man). And so here the Lord Jesus Christ quickly refutes their wrong assumption and confidence about themselves by saying to them all, “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.” The Lord Jesus Christ’s Words and Warning then is not just for them, but for us all!
Vs. 4-5 “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.”
To emphasize His point, the Lord Jesus now recalls a tragic event that would’ve been fresh in His listeners minds, and that was the tower of Siloam which fell and killed eighteen people. Now Jesus recalling this was again to reiterate to them all that simply because such things happened to them does not mean that they were any worse sinners than anyone else, for again people always try to excuse themselves for their own need for repentance by looking at someone they can point to as seemingly being worse than themselves; and in this nothing is more convenient than to point to people who suffer ill fates, and then presume that it was the judgment of God upon them. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ again says that unless they (and thus we also) repent we will all likewise perish. Not in the exactly same manner, but perish and suffer eternally for our sins and transgressions! That is Jesus’ warning here to us all, that everyone one of us sees the danger and repents and believes before it is to late! Do not then look then on atrocities, accidents, and tragedies as the judgment of God on individuals, rather look at yourselves and be sure that you are reconciled to God! Because as the Lord Jesus Christ will reveal in His upcoming parable though God is longsuffering towards us all, wanting us all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), if we fail to respond to Him, our lives end may come at a time, and in a way, that we too did not expect it.
Vs. 6-9 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.’ ”
Having then warned us all to repent, the Lord Jesus now tells a parable, about a man who planted a fig tree in his vineyard and came seeking fruit on it but found none. And so, finding none he tells the keeper of the vineyard to cut it down, saying, ‘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?’ vs. 7
However, the keeper of the vineyard intercedes for it and asks for more time saying 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.’ ” vs. 8-9
Obviously if one wants to draw parallels from this parable both the nation of Israel as a whole, and or our individual persons and lives are the fig tree planted in the garden, and God is the owner of the vineyard, who comes seeking fruit, (in this case the fruit of repentance in our persons and lives). While His Son the Lord Jesus Christ is the keeper of the vineyard (regarding Israel see Isaiah 27:3), who again intercedes so that the fig tree is not immediately cut down (thus its life ended) before He first digs around it and fertilizes it. Thus, the vineyard keeper does what He can so that the fig tree has every opportunity to bear fruit, (which for us is the good fruit of repentance which only comes out of a Holy Spirit regenerated person and life, something which only happens when one repents and believes in Him). And so, both the nation of Israel collectively, and all people everywhere individually, are given full opportunity to bear the fruits of repentance (see Luke 3:8-9). But as the Lord Jesus Christ reveals in this parable, though God is longsuffering towards us all, not wanting any to perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), if we do not respond to Him then our end like the fig tree in the parable will come. From which there will be no recourse or chance ever again to be repent and believe and thus be saved.
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson
No comments:
Post a Comment