Repent or Perish
December 24, 2019
Commentary
Twice in this passage Jesus repeated identical words to reinforce the necessity of repentance (vv. 3- 5). Calamity and destruction await all who refuse to heed the warning. He uses two examples of how calamity can happen to anyone. The first told about was some Galileans who, while they were offering sacrifices were killed by Pilate (v. 1). The second concerned 18 seemingly innocent bystanders in Siloam who were killed when a tower fell on them (v. 4). Jesus is pointing out the fact that death is going to come to everyone sooner or later. But not everyone needs to stay dead. He promises that those who believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Only repentance can bring life as people prepare to enter the kingdom.
Jesus gives them further teaching on the subject by giving them a parable of the fig tree (vv. 6-9). The tree seems to stand for Israel but can also be applied to the individual lives of those who claim to be God’s servants. The lesson is that when God gives spiritual privileges, He has a right to expect fruit. If fruit does not show in a person’s life, judgment will come. If there is no visible change, that person, like the figless fig tree, will be judged. If we have been enjoying God’s special treatment without giving anything in return, we need to begin to bear the fruit God has created us to produce.
Repentance is not like the person who sent the IRS a check for $150.00 with the remark, “If I can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest.”
Application
The next time I hear about a tragedy that claims many lives (like the Tsunami was in Asia), I need to ask myself, “Am I just taking up space, or am I bearing fruit for God’s glory?”
Luke 13:1– 9 (NET)
1 Now there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 He answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well! 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent you will all perish as well!”
6 Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?’ 8 But the worker answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. 9 Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.’”