The Gospel of Luke – Luke 13 – Whose Kingdom

This week, we will continue our study of Luke’s gospel with Luke 13:1-14:35. You can join us at any time on our journey. These readings today have both a historical and an eschatological dimension.

On Repentance: (vv.13:1-9)

As we read through Luke’s Gospel, one of the open-ended questions is whether Jesus’ teachings concern his present moment (history), the end-time (eschatology), or both. The teaching begins with people coming to Jesus to tell him of Pilate’s massacre of Galilean pilgrims. Although no other historian relates this event, Pilate had a habit of massacring the native Jews and Samaritans. Antiquities, 18.3.2; 18.4.1. Jesus also tells the story of the collapse of a tower that killed 18 people. In both cases, Jesus ends with the admonition that “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”  Jesus then tells the parable of the unfruitful fig tree that will be cut down unless it begins to bear fruit.

We can view Jesus’ teachings based on historical circumstances. During Jesus’ life, there was great tension between the Jews and their Roman overlords. When Jesus was born, there was the revolt of Judas the Galilean, which gave birth to the Zealots. Acts 5:37. Most Jews (and some of the disciples) saw Jesus as leading a this-world political movement. Jesus’s passion and resurrection occurred around 33 AD, and in 66 AD, the First Jewish Revolt occurred, which led to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, its walls and towers, and the Temple in 70 AD. The gospels were written sometime after this failed rebellion.

Jesus’s teaching is that his audience must repent (change direction) and abandon their lust for national rebellion against Rome or suffer the consequences of being massacred and having the walls of Jerusalem fall on them. Jesus is urging the Jews to either follow his way of peace with a reliant faith in God or follow the way of the sword with a reliant faith in political change. Luke knows what happened in the Revolt when the Jews chose to follow politics and not God. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.

Alternatively, Jesus may be speaking eschatologically. The two examples show that whether by moral evil or by natural evil, death comes for us all, usually unexpectedly. Death does not care about the moral status of a person. Therefore, we must always live a life of repentance and turning back to God. Always be prepared.

Healing of a Crippled Woman: (vv.10-21)

Here, Luke tells us of another healing in a synagogue on the Sabbath. (The first was the man with the withered hand in Luke 6.) The context of this story is important. It occurs between Jesus’s previous teaching about Pilate and repentance and his discussion about Herod in verses 31-35. Jesus describes the woman as a daughter of Abraham. v.16. She is a stand-in for all of Israel. Luke describes the woman as having a spirit of weakness or infirmity. She is physically bent and bound to Satan.  vv. 10, 16. Jesus takes the initiative to free her from her bonds without being asked and without conditions.

The controversy is that the president of the synagogue takes offense at Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath. Jesus not only violates the Law, but he also infringes upon the authority of the president. The president represents the Jewish leaders who are itching for a fight with Rome and who keep their people bound to the letter of the Law. Jesus shows that the president is incorrect in his legal interpretation (the Law does not prohibit doing good on the Sabbath) and puts the president in his place. And all the people rejoice. v.17.

Two Small Parables: (vv. 18-21)

Jesus then tells the people in the synagogue two parables: The Mustard Seed and the Leaven. In both parables, Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God can be compared to two very small things – a mustard seed and yeast – that will grow into something much more significant and change their surrounding environment. Small things bring about God’s Kingdom – not the Law and not the political ambitions of leaders, but the healing of a suffering unnamed woman. The full power of God is expressed not in the overthrow of earthly kingdoms but in the small act of loving the person in front of you.

The Parable of Two Doors: (vv.22-30)

We have previously discussed this parable. The parable speaks of two doors – a narrow door and a locked door. The narrow door into God’s Kingdom is Jesus – his life, teachings, death, and resurrection. See, also, John 10. However, the door is locked to those still focused on themselves and their own concerns and not Jesus. These are people like the president of the synagogue or those focused on Roman politics. At the end of the parable, Jesus tells them that those in the Kingdom will not only be great Jews like the Patriarchs but also Gentiles from throughout the world. Kingdom is not only open to legally obedient Jews, but to anyone who follows Jesus.  

Herod Antipas: (vv.31-35)

We last left Herod Antipas in Luke 9, where Herod was perplexed about Jesus’s identity and wanted to meet him. Here, some Pharisees come to Jesus to tell him to leave Galilee (Jesus is already on his way out) because Herod wants him dead. (Herod’s  jurisdiction only extended over Galilee and not into Judea proper.) Jesus tells the Pharisees to tell Herod (“that fox”) that Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem because that is where the prophets must die. Within this exchange, Jesus has some wonderful symbolism – on the third day (i.e. Easter) he finishes his mission and Jesus is a hen who gathers her brood under her wings to protect them from foxes like Herod. Jesus’s mission is not political to overthrow men like Herod, but prophetic to proclaim the Kingdom of God.

Dinner is at 6. The menu is a fish fry. Please make sure to let us know if you will attend. Discussion about 6:45. Hope to see you here.

As one whom his mother comforts,
    so I will comfort you;
    you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 66:13