Luke 13: 1 – 5
Are You Glad Its Them And Not You
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 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? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
To better understand what is going on here as we begin in chapter 13 it is good to see from what had just happened. Let us take a look at the last teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ in chapter 12.
“54 Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? 57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58 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. 59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”
We see from these verses that our Holy Master was teaching about the coming judgment. Our Great King warns that we must not see the unfortunate people involved in catastrophe as having been selected out by God because they were particularly sinful. Rather it should reveal to all of us that God’s judgments are continually in the earth and that we should therefore learn righteousness from them. For He points out that no one knows when it is their turn or time to whom such things occur, and besides, in the end all who are unrepentant will definitely perish. Thus everyone should take these awful events as a warning and repent before it is too late. All should come to Him to be ‘made straight’. As described in the previous verses let them ensure that they are reconciled to their Accuser before it is too late.
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Our Precious Holy Spirit gives us a history lesson as to how evil Pilate was. We see here how news had arrived from Jerusalem of Pilate’s latest atrocity against the Jewish people. Galileans offering their sacrifices in the Temple were at the very time of their bringing their sacrifices slain in the Temple courtyard on Pilate’s orders. We have no details of this particular occurrence, but it is typical of Pilate. It may be that they had already been marked men, and that Pilate had simply been waiting for them to arrive at the Temple where he could be sure of finding them at the particular feast, or it may be that while in the Temple they were seen as having fermented trouble resulting in a quick and merciless reaction.
Our Precious Holy Spirit teaches us that others have used this type of evil trickery to slay certain groups. In the book of 2 kings chapter 10 we read this about the king of Israel who set a trap for the false prophets of Baal, “18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now therefore, call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu acted deceptively, with the intent of destroying the worshipers of Baal. 20 And Jehu said, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it. 21 Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. So they came into the temple of Baal, and the temple of Baal was full from one end to the other. 22 And he said to the one in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out vestments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out vestments for them. 23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab the son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal, and said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and see that no servants of the LORD are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 24 So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men on the outside, and had said, “If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escapes, whoever lets him escape, it shall be his life for the life of the other.” 25 Now it happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them; let no one come out!” And they killed them with the edge of the sword; then the guards and the officers threw them out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal. 26 And they brought the sacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them. 27 Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this day. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.
Why the informers told The Lord Jesus as we see here in the first verse of chapter 13 of the Gospel of Luke is not explained. It may be that they hoped to stir our Lord Jesus up to supporting retaliatory action, or to trap Him into saying something unwise against the authorities. Or it may be that they were citing them as an example of the kind of people in mind, who having not become reconciled with God have received their just deserts. But whatever the motive it would appear that someone had suggested that their manner of death clearly indicated their special sinfulness.
To prove our point our Creator likes to ask a question to get the people to think seriously about what the issue really is.
2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
This confirms that there had been some suggestion that they had brought their suffering on their own heads, or possibly even the suggestion that for someone to be killed while actually in the process of bringing a sacrifice must prove what dreadful sinners they were. The idea has become fixed in some people’s minds that these were particularly sinful Galileans.
I have personally experienced this same kind of attitude taken by some very influential Christian leaders. These guys are wealthy, well respected throughout the world, and are in need of nothing. They are successful.
These guys look at some other brothers in Christ Jesus who are constantly being hammered by the enemy and cope an attitude that these suffering brothers have to have sin in their lives. That is why they are getting the snot beat out of them on a daily basis. I truly wish these men who have it made feel some of the pain other faithful servants of the Lord are going through.
When they point their fingers at others they should realize that three fingers are pointing right back to them.
Look at these passages and see if you agree with me that not all suffering is due to the fact that the recipient is sinful. It is just as possible that the person is standing in the front of the battle for the Lord and take the hits.
Jeremiah 15:14-16, “14 And I will make you cross over with your enemies Into a land which you do not know; For a fire is kindled in My anger, which shall burn upon you.” 15 O LORD, You know; Remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In Your enduring patience, do not take me away. Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.”
Acts 9:15-17, “15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Romans 8:16-18, “16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
2 Timothy 3:11-13, “11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
The amazing word of God speaks for itself.
3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Our Lord Jesus’ reply is that that their deaths do not indicate that they were worse sinners than anyone else. They were not necessarily the guiltier because they died violently. Judgment is not always so direct. And then He seizes the opportunity to apply the lesson. Let them in fact recognize that unless they repent they will all perish similarly. Let the judgments that are in the earth teach them righteousness before it is too late.
4 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?
Our Holy Ruler then takes another example, this time of an ‘accident’ that had happened in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Siloam was the reservoir from which Jerusalem’s water supply came. The tower may have been a watch tower, or it may have been connected with the aqueduct that Pilate built. Whatever tower it was it had clearly simply collapsed. So here the deaths had been purely connected with what could be called ‘an act of God’, that is, something not resulting from men’s actions. Was this then any different?
His reply is that that is no different. Whether applying to a Galileans or to inhabitant of Jerusalem the same principle applies.
5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Sudden deaths are not to be seen as necessarily resulting from the sinfulness of the persons involved. And the same warning is given. If they do not want to perish in a similar way they must repent, for in the end all who do not repent will perish everlastingly.
The implication is clear. Firstly that deaths by violence or accident do not necessarily indicate the special sinfulness of the people involved, and secondly that all such should be seen as a warning to be ready for the day of judgment. Like the debtor in the previous verses we all need to be reconciled to God before it is too late.
