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Author: Stephen Weller
673 words, 4 minutes read time

Repent or Perish

Scripture: Luke 13:1-5

With the previous lesson we finished up a very short section consisting of only one lesson, covering the topic of real treasure and where it is to be stored. With this lesson we begin a little bit longer section, covering the topics of repentance and bearing fruit.

^{Lk 13:1} “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.”

There is much about this verse that is not certain. “There were some present” would seem to indicate persons who were there listening to what Jesus was teaching in the previous chapter of Luke. There was likely a pause in the discourse and at “that very time” these people mentioned what had been done by Pilate to the Galileans.

This must have been a recent event that they knew about and wondered if Jesus had and so to find out they shared it with him. Why they thought Jesus should know about it or what opinion they were expecting from him and why is a matter of conjecture. Maybe this was just a matter of news or maybe they might get Jesus to express an opinion concerning the conduct of Pilate and thus involve him in difficulty with the reigning powers of Judea.

The Galileans spoken of here were people who lived in Galilee and were not under the jurisdiction of Pilate, but of Herod. At the time of Jesus, they were a wicked people. It appears that those sharing the news believed that these Galileans deserved being killed by Pilate for trying to offer sacrifices. Killing them while in the act of offering their sacrifices had caused their blood to be “mingled with [the blood] of their sacrifices.”

^{Lk 13:2} “And [Jesus] answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?”’

During Old Testament times it was a popular view that tragedies and ailments were due to personal sin. This was a view held by the three friends of Job, who did little to comfort him. They insisted that Job had some hidden sin that was causing his suffering and loss. Apparently, these Galileans were treated by Pilate as though they were a sacrifice and thus suffered a cruel death, causing these people to think that their sin must have been worse than other Galileans, but Jesus responds otherwise.

^{LK 13:3} “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Jesus in answering his own question with a “No” denies any such connection in this case. There were many Jews who were slain in the temple while offering sacrifice. Life in the fallen world results in evil falling upon both the evil and the righteous. These Galileans perished there at the altar, and these who were speaking to Jesus about this matter would also perish unless they repent of their sin.

Jesus gives another example, ^{Lk 13:4} “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

The “tower in Siloam” was probably part of the wall of Jerusalem near the pool of Siloam. There is no reference to this incident, but apparently was a recent event that was known to these people. The point Jesus was making was the fact of the tower falling on them does not imply that their sin was worse. Whatever your sin, unless it is forgiven and you have been born spiritually, you will perish.

Conclusion

Sin has its penalty, but to say that one’s suffering is caused by their sin is false. Evil is no respecter of person and comes upon both the unrighteous and the righteous. The point that Jesus was enforcing was the importance of repenting.