| Luke 13 | |
|---|---|
 Luke 12:54–13:4 inCodex Alexandrinus,c. AD 400–440 | |
| Book | Gospel of Luke |
| Category | Gospel |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 3 |
Luke 13 is the thirteenthchapter of theGospel of Luke in theNew Testament of theChristianBible. It records severalparables and teachings told byJesusChrist and his lamentation over the city ofJerusalem.[1] Jesus resumes the journey to Jerusalem which he had embarked upon inLuke 9:51. This chapter, taken withLuke 12:54–59, begins to outline and illustrate "the problem with the Jewish nation" which accounts for the urgency of his journey to Jerusalem.[2]: 945–5 The book containing this chapter isanonymous, however earlyChristian tradition generally accepts thatLuke the Evangelist composed thisGospel as well as theActs of the Apostles.[3]
The original text was written inKoine Greek. Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
This chapter is divided into 35 verses. TheNew King James Version organises it as follows (with cross references to other parts of the Bible):
Jesus received a report thatPontius Pilate, who was described byPhilo of Alexandria as cruel, corrupt, and unnecessarily violent,[6] had killed someGalileans while they were worshiping God by offering sacrifices according to theJewish religious law. This discussion is only recorded in Luke's gospel,[7] and the incident is not otherwise known to history, although bothHeinrich Meyer andHeinrich Ewald recognise a clear "stamp of primitive originality" in this passage.[8]
Apparently those making the report, an identified group of people, were looking for Jesus to offer some explanation of why bad things happen to normal people, in this case even while they wereworshiping.[9] They assume that a victim must have done something terrible for God to allow something so tragic to happen to them.[10] Jesus denies that this is the case and answers that, likewise, the calamities suffered by the victims of the falling of theTower of Siloam were not related to their relative sinfulness; he then diverts the focus onto the interrogators, wanting them to consider their own souls.[10]
Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; 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 offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.[11]
His mention of the fall of the Tower of Siloam added a nuance to his previous point: accidents happen. Therefore, even in the absence of persecution, death can come unexpectedly to anyone, irrespective of how righteous or how sinful they are. He may have been emphasizing that the time granted by God for repentance is limited.[9]
Thisparable, not to be confused with theparable of the budding fig tree, appears only in theGospel of Luke among thecanonical gospels of theNew Testament. In this parable, the owner is generally regarded as representing God, who had a fig tree ("tree of knowledge") planted in his vineyard ("thegarden of Eden") and came seeking fruit ("righteous works", which in part is a mystery). The gardener (vinedresser) is God and the vine isJesus ("tree of Life").[12] Fig trees were often planted in vineyards.[13] The fig tree was a common symbol for Israel, and may also have that meaning here,[12] or the tree in the parable may refer to the religious leadership.[13] In either case, the parable reflects Jesus offering his hearers one last chance for repentance.[13] "These three years" logically refers to the period of Jesus' ministry. The parable has been connected to the miracle ofcursing the fig tree.Richard Whately commented that this parable "is one which our Lord may be said to have put before his hearers twice; once in words, once in action".[14]
Although the parable is found only in Luke's gospel, critics consider that there is no strong argument against its authenticity, for example a majority of the members of theJesus Seminar voted it to be authentic.[13]
This healing miracle of Jesus appears only in theGospel of Luke among thecanonical gospels of theNew Testament. According to Luke's account, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on theSabbath day, when he observed a woman who had been crippled "by a spirit" for eighteen years, and healed her with the words "You have been set free". This might therefore be classified as anexorcism. The gospel account relates the story as another example of Jesus clashing with religious authorities over how the Sabbath should be honoured: when the synagogue ruler tells the woman she should have come to be healed on a different day, Jesus denounces the synagogue leaders as hypocrites because they would release their animals to feed on the Sabbath, so why should this "daughter ofAbraham" (verse 16) not be set free on the Sabbath from what is keeping her captive?
Verse 15 has the singularGreek:ὑποκριτά,hypokrita, in theTextus Receptus,[15] but the pluralGreek:ὑποκριταί,hypokritai, in critical Greek texts such as theSBL Greek New Testament.[16] Hence theKing James Version reads "Thou hypocrite",[17] addressing the synagogue leader only, whereas theNew International Version reads "You hypocrites!".[18] Free church ministerWilliam Robertson Nicoll suggests that the comment was "directed against the class", i.e. the synagogue leaders collectively.[19]
In verse 17, Luke contrasts the reactions of "his adversaries" and the crowd:
The religious leaders, according to Nicoll, were "ashamed, not as convinced but as confounded".[19]Non-conformist theologianMatthew Poole makes the same point:
It is one thing to be ashamed, another thing to be convinced, so as to confess an error; they were ashamed that they were so put to silence before the people, but we read of no confession of their error and mistake, and begging Christ's pardon.[21]
This parable is one of the shorterparables of Jesus. It appears inthree of thecanonical gospels of theNew Testament. The differences betweenGospels ofMatthew (13:31–32),Mark (4:30–32), andLuke (13:18–19), are minor. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, it is immediately followed by theparable of the leaven, which shares this parable's theme of theKingdom of Heaven growing from small beginnings.
A version of the parable also occurs in the non-canonicalGospel of Thomas 20.[22]
The plant referred to here is generally considered to beblack mustard, a large annual plant up to 9 feet (2.7 m) tall,[23] but growing from a proverbially small seed:[23] this smallness is also used to refer to faith inMatthew 17:20 andLuke 17:6. According torabbinical sources, Jews did not grow the plant in gardens,[23] and this is consistent with Matthew's description of it growing in a field. Luke tells the parable with the plant in a garden instead; this is presumably recasting the story for an audience outside Palestine.[23]
Theparable of the leaven (also called theparable of the yeast) is one of the shorterparables of Jesus. It appears in two of thecanonical gospels of theNew Testament and a version of the parable also occurs in the non-canonicalGospel of Thomas (96).[22] The differences betweenMatthew (Matthew 13:33) andLuke (Luke 13:20–21) are minor. In both places the story immediately follows theParable of the Mustard Seed, which shares this parable's theme of theKingdom of Heaven growing from small beginnings.
Luke reminds his readers of Jesus' journey, which was last mentioned inLuke 10:38, and "of the urgency it proclaims, and the response it demands".[2]: 946 He is asked whether there are only a few who are (or will be)saved, a question "peculiar to Luke",[25] although the answer, that the gate is narrow, and "many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able",[26] is also recorded inMatthew 7:13.
In his continuing dialogue with thePharisees, Jesus confirms that he must continue to Jerusalem. The Pharisees here warn Jesus aboutHerod Antipas:[27] Franklin refers to them as "friendly" on this occasion.[2]: 946 Luke outlines the significance of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem (seeLuke 9:51) as if it was a journey in three days: "today and tomorrow" are concerned with sowing the seeds of the Kingdom of God, but they will lead on to a "third day", when Jesus will "complete" his course, referring to his passion, crucifixion and resurrection.[2]: 946
Both here, on the journey, and atLuke 19:41 when the city is in sight, Jesus contemplates the significance and fate of Jerusalem, theholy city.
| Preceded by Luke 12 | Chapters of the Bible Gospel of Luke | Succeeded by Luke 14 |