Luke 13 - In Depth Bible Commentaries

267213:6 But then He was speaking this comparison / parable: A certain person had a fig-2673tree which had been planted in the vineyard of his; and he came, seeking fruit in it, and did not2670(...continued)It is changed to the adverb o`moi,wj, homoios, with the same meaning, by P75, Alexandrinus,Bezae, W, Theta, Psi, Uncial Manuscript 070, Family 13 of Minuscules and the "MajorityText." Again, this variant reading makes no difference for the meaning of Luke.2671The same conclusion is given by Jesus as that which He gave in verse 3, repeating thatstatement here in verse 5. When such tragic accidents (or purposeful destructions) occur, don'tstart trying to analyze why it happened, and begin drawing conclusions concerning the moral /spiritual condition of those who have perished. Instead, look at your own human frailty, and turnto God in trembling penitence, resolving to use your short time upon this earth in doing God's will.Jesus says, “Don't get involved in the 'blame game.' Instead, get involved in the much more importantmatter of aligning your own life with the divine will. That's the important thing!"2672Gilmour holds the meaning of the comparison / parable to be, "Israel has only a shortperiod left for repentance." (P. 240) That was certainly the case for first century Israel, as the oncomingdestruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 70 A.D. would prove conclusively. But if thatwas true for Israel, as history proved it to be, it is also true for all of us! The end of our lives is notfar off–within a century, almost every one of our lives will have met their end, whether throughintentional tragedies inflicted by others, or through natural disasters, or simply through the agingprocess. Our deep need is not to assess blame to others, but to prepare ourselves!2673For fig-trees in connection with vineyards, see 1 Kings 4:25; Jeremiah 8:13; Micah 4:4and Zechariah 3:10. For the use of figs, both good figs and bad figs, as metaphors for the goodand bad Jewish people, see Jeremiah 24:1-10.24:1 After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile from Jerusalem Jeconiahthe son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, together with the officials of Judah, the craftsmen, and themetal workers, and had brought them to Babylon, YHWH showed me this vision: behold, twobaskets of figs placed before the temple of the YHWH. 2. One basket had very good figs, likefirst-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten. 3. AndYHWH said to me, What do you see, Jeremiah? I said, Figs, the good figs very good, and thebad figs very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.4. Then the word of YHWH came to me: 5. Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel: Likethese good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from thisplace to the land of the Chaldeans. 6. I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring themback to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not uprootthem. 7. I will give them a heart to know that I am YHWH, and they shall be My people and I willbe their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart. 8. But thus says YHWH: Like thebad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials,the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt.9. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a reproach, a byword, a taunt,and a curse in all the places where I shall drive them. 10. And I will send sword, famine, and(continued...)1273