Luke 13:1-5.
Context- Answer to intelligence of the murdered Galileans, and parable there upon.
Our Lord's Weighty Words point to a temporal calamities are no sure signs of sinfulness, but that others should take warning by them, and repent. At the same time, Jesus did not divert from His course through fear of Herod; and laments over the approaching desolation of Jerusalem.
In the past -
We read of one Judas of Galilee, who drew away much people after him, and perished, Acts 5:37. It is said that he seduced people from their obedience to the Roman emperor, persuading them not to acknowledge him as their governor, nor to pay tribute to the Romans.
Lk 13-1 says, There were present at that season some that told Him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. This act of Pilate is in consonance with the ‘enmity’ which he had entertained towards Herod;
Perhaps this story of the Galileans might now be mentioned to Christ with a design of leading him into a snare, whether he should justify or condemn the persons that were slain. Christ’s answer, show, that the persons who mentioned the case of these Galileans thought God had permitted them to be massacred at their devotions for some extraordinary wickedness; .
But Jesus cautioned His hearers not to blame great sufferers, as if they were therefore to be accounted great sinners. As no place or employment can secure from the stroke of death, we should consider the sudden removals of others as warnings to ourselves.
Christ founded a call to repentance otherwise we shall perish. Our Lord does not say, Those Galileans were not sinners at all. Their sins had nothing to do with their death. He rather implies the very opposite. We know nothing of the circumstances of either calamity; but this we know—that our Lord warned the rest of the Jews that unless they repented, that is, changed their minds, and therefore their conduct, they would all perish in the same way.
We may learn another lesson from the text. These Galileans, it seems, were no worse than the other Galileans; yet they were singled out as examples, as warnings, to the rest. Pestilences, conflagrations, accidents of any kind which destroy life wholesale, even earthquakes and storms, are instances of this law; warnings from God, judgments of God, in the very strictest sense; by which He tells men, in a voice awful enough to the few, but merciful and beneficent to the many, to be prudent and wise; to learn henceforth either not to interfere with the physical laws of His universe, or to master and wield them by reason and science.
Ps- Many other illustrations documented in this chapter Lk 13
~ The Barren Fig Tree. (Luke 13:6-9)
~ The Healing of a Daughter of Abraham. (Luke 13:10-17)
~ Parable of the Mustard Seed. (Luke 13:18-19)
~ Parable of the Leaven. (Luke 13:20-21)
~ Solemn Teachings. (Luke 13:22-30)
~ The Answer to Herod. (Luke 13:31-33)
~ Lament over Jerusalem. (Luke 13:34-35.)
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