Luke 13:1-5

Rachel Workman: 13 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. ² “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? ³ Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. ⁴ And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.

Bad things happen to good people. The suffering of one person does not indicate they are the bigger sinner. We are all equally sinners in the eyes of God.

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John Burnett:  Luke 12:57-13:5

⁵⁷ “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”  Jesus calls for us to try and reconcile with those who we have wronged or have wronged us.  Being hard headed and not reconciling has consequences as Jesus points out in verses 58-59.

Repent or Perish

13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Jesus calls for repentance from those who were there with Him.  He calls for us to repent as well and He makes it very clear that our eternity is dependent upon our repentance.  Without repentance, “You too will all perish.”  Thank you Lord Jesus for opening my eyes and granting me the ability to see my sin and my need for repentance.

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Pat Bell: The message to me here is we are all sinners. One is never above another.   

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Tomorrow’s reading for Luke 13:6-7

⁶ Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. ⁷ Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’