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There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that those Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 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? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
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. 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?" But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down."
- Luke 13:1-9
In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His teaching which began in Friday's reading (see Friday's and Saturday's reading and commentary). These teachings include a great awareness that He is on His way to Passion, death and Resurrection. In yesterday's reading, He taught about division: "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother in law." He spoke of the time and the Judgment, speaking not just to the disciples but to the multitudes: "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite."
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that those Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 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? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." Luke here reports that Jesus speaks regarding two historical incidents of human suffering. My study bible says they are reported in no other source but Luke. It notes, "The slain Galileans were probably Zealots, Jewish nationalists who triggered some disturbance against the Romans in the temple area. The collapse of the tower in Siloam may have been simply an accident, rather than an act of sabotage, which people thought of as divine justice on sinners. Jesus passes judgment on neither group. He only registers these tragic events to warn that, unless His listeners respond to His message and repent, they would all likewise perish. Perish may have the double meaning of both physical and spiritual death." The word in Greek here for perish implies utter destruction, a kind of annihilation. Jesus is changing the perception of sin and death. We all have the opportunity for repentance, for change of mind. Calamities and other personal disasters aren't necessarily the result of personal sin; but rather God's judgment rests elsewhere, and that death is something far more encompassing. In Jesus' vision here, we all equally have work of repentance to do, and we look to our own -- the plank in our own eye, the inside of the cup.
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. 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?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'" My study bible notes, "Here Luke gives his account of the fruitless fig tree. It is spared from the curse, at least for a time. In the Old Testament the fig tree symbolizes Israel, which receives God's loving care in the expectation of a fruitful harvest. Three years probably represents the three-year ministry of Christ. Because of the pleading of an unknown vineyard keeper, the Master allows additional time for true repentance and fruitfulness before judgment occurs." I think there's no doubt this is a hint about His ministry, and also the time to come, in which the Apostles and countless other "vineyard keepers" will work fertilizing this tree, and praying for its harvest. Again, there's a sense of time that Jesus offers to us which is quite different from the assumptions about suffering implied in the earlier verses: we don't know when this judgment will happen. But we do know our need for spiritual fruits.
In today's reading, Jesus tries to emphasize repentance. He tries to get His audience to understand that repentance happens in the here and now, and that mercy is operative in a kind of time lag of our lives. We can't understand on direct material terms how this judgment works. What we must understand is both God's mercy, in giving us time to "change our minds" (the true definition of the word in Greek for repentance) rather than a swift sort of justice that we can see before us on our worldly terms. The judgment of which Jesus is speaking is something that happens in another place, beyond what we understand, but nevertheless its certainty is undoubtable if we take Jesus' words seriously. Repentance is, I believe, something we must understand more deeply than we commonly do. As "change of mind" it doesn't necessarily need to carry the burdens of terrible shame and guilt with which we so often overload it. It's paradoxical, but somehow our human nature doesn't want to recognize something that carries such things with it, and so the unwillingness to actually examine something for our own good becomes a means whereby we never heal, and we remain separate from the One who loves us. "Sin" itself is a word often laden with terrible guilt and shame, but really directly translated means "missing the mark." If we consider then, the One who loves us, who asks us to turn to Him and be healed, then the things within us diminish to a place where we can offer our lives to Him and simply be willing to change what we find may need to change. On our way to "God-likeness" (as we are made in the image and likeness of God, and for this we were created), we may just find all kinds of ways in which we change our minds, our outlooks and values can be changed and transformed, but we won't get there if we insist there is no reason to come before Christ without this open heart that is willing to grow and change. Change is hard, and thus healing becomes something we don't see as merciful. But God wants us in relationship to God. Jesus compares the sinfulness of ones for whom disaster is fallen and asks the crowds if they really believe there are no others more sinful in the community. His call is for us all. We come and ask how He wishes to change us in relationship. Can you step into the water of His baptism? These waters are those of constant renewal, growth, and fruit bearing.
