---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Luke 13"
description: "CHAPTER 13   :-. THE LESSON,
\"REPENT OR PERISH,\"
SUGGESTED BY TWO
RECENT INCIDENTS,
AND ILLUSTRATED BY THE
PARABLE OF THE BARREN
FIG TREE. 1-3. Galileans—"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/13"
---

CHAPTER 13

. THE LESSON,
"REPENT OR PERISH,"
SUGGESTED BY TWO
RECENT INCIDENTS,
AND ILLUSTRATED BY THE
PARABLE OF THE BARREN
FIG TREE.

**1-3. 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](../../../kjv/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, 5. tower in Siloam**—probably
one of the towers of the city wall, near the pool of Siloam. Of its
fall nothing is known.

**6-9. 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 [Isaiah 5:1-7](../../../kjv/isaiah/5/1-7);
[John 15:1-8](../../../kjv/john/15/1-8), 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 [Matthew 21:33](../../../kjv/matthew/21/33);
[Matthew 21:34](../../../kjv/matthew/21/34); [Isaiah 5:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/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](../../../kjv/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](../../../kjv/luke/23/42);
[Luke 23:43](../../../kjv/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 ([Proverbs 1:24-31](../../../kjv/proverbs/1/24-31)
[Ezekiel 24:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/24/13)).
[Ezekiel 24:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/24/13). WOMAN OF
EIGHTEEN YEAR'S
INFIRMITY HEALED
ON THE SABBATH.

**11. spirit of infirmity**—Compare
[Luke 13:17](../../../kjv/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 13:17](../../../kjv/luke/13/17)).

**12, 13. said . . . Woman . . . and
laid**—both at once.

**14. with indignation**—not so
much at the sabbath violation as at the glorification of Christ.
(Compare [Matthew 21:15](../../../kjv/matthew/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 ).
**hypocrite!**—How "the
faithful and true Witness" tears off the masks which men wear!
**his ox,** c.—(See on and [Luke 6:9](../../../kjv/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!
. MISCELLANEOUS
TEACHINGS.

**18-21. mustard seed . . .
leaven**—(See on ).
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 ) or of the threefold partition of the world among the three
sons of Noah ([Genesis 10:32](../../../kjv/genesis/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 [Genesis 10:32](../../../kjv/genesis/10/32)).

**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 ).
**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 ).

**26, 27.** See on the similar
passage ([Matthew 7:22](../../../kjv/matthew/7/22); [Matthew 7:23](../../../kjv/matthew/7/23)).
**eaten and drunk,** &c.—We
have sat with Thee at the same table. (See on [Matthew 7:23](../../../kjv/matthew/7/23)).
**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 ). *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, 29.** (See [Matthew 8:11](../../../kjv/matthew/8/11);
[Matthew 8:12](../../../kjv/matthew/8/12)). Also see on [Matthew 8:12](../../../kjv/matthew/8/12).
[Matthew 8:12](../../../kjv/matthew/8/12). MESSAGE TO
HEROD.

**31. 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](../../../kjv/luke/13/22)).
Haunted by guilty fears, probably, Herod wanted to get rid of Him
(see on [Luke 13:22](../../../kjv/luke/13/22)), 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 ).
**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, 35. O Jerusalem,** c.—(See
on ).

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