5 May 2018 — viviendo en tiempo prestado
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We live in an era unlike any other in history, an era in which the media provides instant mass communication that keeps people in touch with what is happening all over the world. But the relentless ocean of detailed information, pictures, and videos that floods our TV screens, computer monitors, and cell phones also ensures that we are not isolated from calamities, no matter where they happen. Deadly natural disasters such as earthquakes like those in Mexico, Chile, China, or Japan, tsunamis in the Indian Ocean, volcanic eruptions in Iceland or the Philippines, hurricanes along the eastern seaboard and Gulf coast of the United States, typhoons in Asia, wildfires in Australia or the American Southwest, avalanches in Europe, epidemics in third-world countries, famines in Africa, as well as man-made disasters, such as wars, terrorism, genocide, crimes, riots, and accidents, along with social and economic crises throughout the world, all flood our senses, causing people everywhere to experience vicariously all the pain, sorrow, suffering, and death those catastrophes bring.
That life on this fallen, sin-cursed planet is filled with trouble, sorrow, pain, and suffering is more evident than ever, but has always been the clear testimony of Scripture. One of Job’s self-appointed counselors accurately declared,
Pero como las chispas se levantan para volar por el aire,
Así el hombre nace para la aflicción.
an assessment with which Job agreed:
El hombre nacido de mujer,
Corto de días, y hastiado de sinsabores,
Jeremiah lamented,
“Man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward” (), an assessment with which Job agreed: “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil” (). “Why did I ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow,” Jeremiah lamented, “so that my days have been spent in shame?” ().
¿Para qué salí del vientre? ¿Para ver trabajo y dolor, y que mis días se gastasen en afrenta?
Even more disturbing is the perception that God sometimes seems distant and unconcerned about the world’s troubles. Job cried out despondently,
“Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil” (). “Why did I ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow,” Jeremiah lamented, “so that my days have been spent in shame?” ().
“so that my days have been spent in shame?” ().
Even more disturbing is the perception that God sometimes seems distant and unconcerned about the world’s troubles. Job cried out despondently, “Why do You hide Your face and consider me Your enemy?” (). The psalmist asked pensively, “Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (). Speaking for Israel the sons of Korah asked, “Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression?” (). Isaiah wrote, “Truly, you are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!” (). David too had moments of doubt and discouragement. In he asked despairingly “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (cf. ; ), while in he expressed his anguish in words later uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in application to His experience on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (cf. ).
¿Por qué escondes tu rostro,
Y me cuentas por tu enemigo?
The psalmist asked pensively,
¿Por qué estás lejos, oh Jehová,
Y te escondes en el tiempo de la tribulación?
Speaking for Israel the sons of Korah asked,
“Why do You hide Your face and consider me Your enemy?” (). The psalmist asked pensively, “Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (). Speaking for Israel the sons of Korah asked, “Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression?” (). Isaiah wrote, “Truly, you are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!” (). David too had moments of doubt and discouragement. In he asked despairingly “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (cf. ; ), while in he expressed his anguish in words later uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in application to His experience on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (cf. ).
¿Por qué escondes tu rostro,
Y te olvidas de nuestra aflicción, y de la opresión nuestra?
“Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (). Speaking for Israel the sons of Korah asked, “Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression?” (). Isaiah wrote, “Truly, you are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!” (). David too had moments of doubt and discouragement. In he asked despairingly “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (cf. ; ), while in he expressed his anguish in words later uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in application to His experience on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (cf. ).
Isaiah wrote,
Verdaderamente tú eres Dios que te encubres, Dios de Israel, que salvas.
“Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and our oppression?” (). Isaiah wrote, “Truly, you are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!” (). David too had moments of doubt and discouragement. In he asked despairingly “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (cf. ; ), while in he expressed his anguish in words later uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in application to His experience on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (cf. ).
David too had moments of doubt and discouragement. In he asked despairingly
¿Hasta cuándo, Jehová? ¿Me olvidarás para siempre?
¿Hasta cuándo esconderás tu rostro de mí?
while in he expressed his anguish in words later uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in application to His experience on the cross:
“Truly, you are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!” (). David too had moments of doubt and discouragement. In he asked despairingly “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (cf. ; ), while in he expressed his anguish in words later uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in application to His experience on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (cf. ).
Dios mío, Dios mío, ¿por qué me has desamparado?
¿Por qué estás tan lejos de mi salvación, y de las palabras de mi clamor?
The universality of suffering and God’s seeming indifference to it prompts many to ask why He allows bad things to happen to good people. But that question misses the point. No one is truly good, because
“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (cf. ; ), while in he expressed his anguish in words later uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in application to His experience on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (cf. ).
“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (cf. ).
The universality of suffering and God’s seeming indifference to it prompts many to ask why He allows bad things to happen to good people. But that question misses the point. No one is truly good, because “there is no man who does not sin” (); “there is no one who does good” (); in God’s “sight no man living is righteous” (); no one can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin” (); “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (). Since “all have sinned” () and “the wages of sin is death” (), everyone deserves death. The real question is not why bad things happen to good people, but why good things happen to bad people. That they do reflects God’s compassion, grace, and mercy to undeserving sinners.
Si pecaren contra ti (porque no hay hombre que no peque), y estuvieres airado contra ellos, y los entregares delante del enemigo, para que los cautive y lleve a tierra enemiga, sea lejos o cerca,
“there is no man who does not sin” ();
Dice el necio en su corazón:
No hay Dios.
Se han corrompido, hacen obras abominables;
No hay quien haga el bien.
“there is no man who does not sin” (); “there is no one who does good” (); in God’s “sight no man living is righteous” (); no one can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin” (); “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (). Since “all have sinned” () and “the wages of sin is death” (), everyone deserves death. The real question is not why bad things happen to good people, but why good things happen to bad people. That they do reflects God’s compassion, grace, and mercy to undeserving sinners.
“there is no one who does good” ();
Y no entres en juicio con tu siervo;
Porque no se justificará delante de ti ningún ser humano.
in God’s “sight no man living is righteous” ();
¿Quién podrá decir: Yo he limpiado mi corazón,
Limpio estoy de mi pecado?
no one can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin” ();
in God’s “sight no man living is righteous” (); no one can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin” (); “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (). Since “all have sinned” () and “the wages of sin is death” (), everyone deserves death. The real question is not why bad things happen to good people, but why good things happen to bad people. That they do reflects God’s compassion, grace, and mercy to undeserving sinners.
Ciertamente no hay hombre justo en la tierra, que haga el bien y nunca peque.
por cuanto todos pecaron, y están destituidos de la gloria de Dios,
no one can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin” (); “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (). Since “all have sinned” () and “the wages of sin is death” (), everyone deserves death. The real question is not why bad things happen to good people, but why good things happen to bad people. That they do reflects God’s compassion, grace, and mercy to undeserving sinners.
Porque la paga del pecado es muerte, mas la dádiva de Dios es vida eterna en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro.
“there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (). Since “all have sinned” () and “the wages of sin is death” (), everyone deserves death. The real question is not why bad things happen to good people, but why good things happen to bad people. That they do reflects God’s compassion, grace, and mercy to undeserving sinners.
Since “all have sinned” () and “the wages of sin is death” (), everyone deserves death. The real question is not why bad things happen to good people, but why good things happen to bad people. That they do reflects God’s compassion, grace, and mercy to undeserving sinners.
Because redeemed sinners still live in a fallen world, bad things also happen to believers. But unlike what happens to unbelievers, when believers experience the same calamities, they are not judgments, but remedial trials to benefit them spiritually and bring honor to God. Scripture says that God permits this for several important reasons.
REPENTANCE: THE NECESSITY (VV. 1–5)
Body
A pulpit committee has been defined as a group of people in search of a man who will be “totally fearless and uncompromising as he tells them exactly what they want to hear!” Actually there is some truth in this because church people, like most people, naturally prefer comfort to challenge and encouragement to correction.
The fact is, Jesus’ very own preaching would not please some congregations because he was certainly not in the habit of telling people what they wanted to hear. Take, for example, the context immediately preceding chapter 13, where he told his hearers he had come to bring “fire on the earth” (v. 49) and division instead of peace (vv. 51–53), then indicted them as “hypocrites” who would not apply the same interest and energy to reading the spiritual weather that they apply to understanding earth’s weather (vv. 54–56).
A Galilean Atrocity
Stuart Briscoe has imagined the kind of conversation that could have taken place at a family meal time after that.
Jesus’ teaching heated up when some of his listeners brought up a recent atrocity: “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices” (v. 1). As best we can reconstruct the bloodshed, this took place in the temple at Passover, because that was the only time laymen, Galilean or otherwise, were involved in the slaughter of animal sacrifices. So the victims were Galilean pilgrims offering Passover sacrifices in the temple. Evidently Pilate thought they were guilty of sedition and had his soldiers fall upon them when they least expected. In the ensuing melee human blood mixed with lambs’ blood in an appalling bouquet.
Everyone knew of the event, but the reason it was mentioned to Jesus is that it was generally believed that victims of calamities and misfortunes were guilty of extraordinary sins that they had kept hidden. A famous example of this kind of thinking is found in , : “As he [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ” It was obvious to them that the man’s misfortune was due to someone’s sin. Similarly, Job’s “comforters” earned their ironic title by expounding repeatedly on this theme, beginning in 4:7 with the question, “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?” (cf. 8:4, 20; 22:5; also ; ; ).
“Well, Dad, what did you think of the sermon?”
“I was insulted!”
This was an attractive way to think about life for those who had been spared adversity. Their goodness, their moral superiority, had spared them! It was all so very neat, and so self-satisfying. “Come on, Jesus, expound on the moral inadequacies of those Galileans who met such scandalous deaths, so we can further sanctify our souls.”
Jesus refused to play their game. Instead he answered with the ruthless truth, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (vv. 2, 3). Jesus was not denying that sin sometimes brings tragedy, because it does (cf. ). But he flatly refused the idea that all tragedy is due to the sins of its victims. In fact, he emphatically answered those who wondered about whose sin caused the man’s blindness by saying, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned” (). This speaks to the misguided tendency of so many ill-informed Christians who heap imagined guilt upon themselves for the calamities that have befallen their children or other loved ones. We must accept reality. Death happens. Tragedies come to all. Sometimes unthinkable things befall the most godly and committed.
“Why? What did he say to insult you?”
One lazy Sunday afternoon in Papua New Guinea, Wycliffe missionaries Walt and Vonnie Steinkraus were resting alongside their daughters Kerry and Kathy when their world came to an abrupt end. At precisely 3:00 P.M. a half-mile-wide section of the mountain on the opposite side of the river from their village broke off and buried them. They may never even have heard the sound. In a world full of vacant hillsides, in a world full of reprobates, in a world with too few missionaries, the Steinkrauses disappeared under a mountain. Was it because of their sin? No! Jesus settled the issue—not all tragedy or crisis is due to one’s own sins.
“He said that if I was interested in weather forecasting that proved I was a hypocrite.”
“Oh come off it, Dad, he didn’t say anything of the sort. What he actually said was that if you take the time to become an expert in reading the skies so that you can predict the weather but won’t take time to become an expert in spiritual matters when you profess to be spiritual then you are being inconsistent!”
Judean Accidents
“Well, I don’t think He has any right to judge people like that and I won’t be going back to listen to him again. In fact, I’m going to see if something can’t be done to get him silenced. We don’t need that kind of talk around here.”
Jesus strengthened the impact of his point by citing another incident: “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? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (vv. 4, 5). Many believe that the tower stood at the juncture of the south and east walls of Jerusalem and may have fallen during the construction of an aqueduct from the reservoir of Siloam to improve the water supply. Some of Jesus’ listeners could have argued that the Galileans had “asked for” such tragedy from Pilate due to their political activity and thus were morally culpable, but no one could say the same about the random deaths from the collapse of the tower of Siloam.5
Jesus wanted to be sure he got his point across. “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?… 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?” His answer was emphatic. “I tell you, no!… I tell you, no!” Jesus could not have put it more forcefully. Those who died were run-of-the-mill sinners like the rest of us.
Jesus simply was not in the habit of telling people what they wanted to hear. And as Luke further reveals in chapter 13, the Master became even more aggressive. And people, except for the most committed, did not like it. And yet everyone needed to hear what Jesus had to say. And the same goes for us today.
Jesus assumed and taught the universality of sin, and of death as its consequence. We are all sinners. Sure, there are differences between us sinners, but they are only differences of degree—we all “fall short of the glory of God” (). We are all guilty. We all deserve death.
REPENTANCE: THE NECESSITY (VV. 1–5)
A Galilean Atrocity
What Repentance is Not
When death comes, we will all perish unless we have repented. The context here is the final judgment. Repentance is a much misunderstood word. Some people think “repentance is an emotional experience enjoyed by strange people who like to cry in public.” This caricature involves well-trained men who lead their fellow Christians to weep and wail their way back to God. There is more to repentance than manipulated or even genuine remorse.
Jesus’ teaching heated up when some of his listeners brought up a recent atrocity:
En este mismo tiempo estaban allí algunos que le contaban acerca de los galileos cuya sangre Pilato había mezclado con los sacrificios de ellos.
Lucas 13.1
As best we can reconstruct the bloodshed, this took place in the temple at Passover, because that was the only time laymen, Galilean or otherwise, were involved in the slaughter of animal sacrifices. So the victims were Galilean pilgrims offering Passover sacrifices in the temple. Evidently Pilate thought they were guilty of sedition and had his soldiers fall upon them when they least expected. In the ensuing melee human blood mixed with lambs’ blood in an appalling bouquet.
“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices” (v. 1). As best we can reconstruct the bloodshed, this took place in the temple at Passover, because that was the only time laymen, Galilean or otherwise, were involved in the slaughter of animal sacrifices. So the victims were Galilean pilgrims offering Passover sacrifices in the temple. Evidently Pilate thought they were guilty of sedition and had his soldiers fall upon them when they least expected. In the ensuing melee human blood mixed with lambs’ blood in an appalling bouquet.
Everyone knew of the event, but the reason it was mentioned to Jesus is that it was generally believed that victims of calamities and misfortunes were guilty of extraordinary sins that they had kept hidden. A famous example of this kind of thinking is found in , :
Another well-traveled caricature identifies repentance with the ritual of penance, which begins with an obligatory “confession,” followed by the mechanical carrying out of ordered exercises as a means of making restitution or paying the price of our sin in some sense.
Al pasar Jesús, vio a un hombre ciego de nacimiento.Y le preguntaron sus discípulos, diciendo: Rabí, ¿quién pecó, éste o sus padres, para que haya nacido ciego?
It was obvious to them that the man’s misfortune was due to someone’s sin. Similarly, Job’s “comforters” earned their ironic title by expounding repeatedly on this theme, beginning in 4:7 with the question,
Recapacita ahora; ¿qué inocente se ha perdido?
Y ¿en dónde han sido destruidos los rectos?
Vino una mujer de Samaria a sacar agua; y Jesús le dijo: Dame de beber.
This was an attractive way to think about life for those who had been spared adversity. Their goodness, their moral superiority, had spared them! It was all so very neat, and so self-satisfying. “Come on, Jesus, expound on the moral inadequacies of those Galileans who met such scandalous deaths, so we can further sanctify our souls.”
“As he [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ” It was obvious to them that the man’s misfortune was due to someone’s sin. Similarly, Job’s “comforters” earned their ironic title by expounding repeatedly on this theme, beginning in 4:7 with the question, “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?” (cf. 8:4, 20; 22:5; also ; ; ).
“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?” (cf. 8:4, 20; 22:5; also ; ; ).
Neither of these caricatures are true repentance. Repentance begins with a change of the mind, but not in the contemporary sense of changing one’s mind only to change it again. It is a change of mind that brings a change of actions. It is both intellectual and volitional—and then, though not necessarily, emotional. Repentance is a real turnaround of one’s life in respect to sinful conduct.
This was an attractive way to think about life for those who had been spared adversity. Their goodness, their moral superiority, had spared them! It was all so very neat, and so self-satisfying. “Come on, Jesus, expound on the moral inadequacies of those Galileans who met such scandalous deaths, so we can further sanctify our souls.”
Repentance must happen in our souls, or we will perish in the judgment. If Jesus has not changed your conduct, and if he is not continuing to change your conduct, you are very likely not a Christian. Repentance is the style of true Christianity! Repentance is not an option.
Jesus refused to play their game. Instead he answered with the ruthless truth,
Respondiendo Jesús, les dijo: ¿Pensáis que estos galileos, porque padecieron tales cosas, eran más pecadores que todos los galileos?Os digo: No; antes si no os arrepentís, todos pereceréis igualmente.
Jesus was not denying that sin sometimes brings tragedy, because it does (cf. ). But he flatly refused the idea that all tragedy is due to the sins of its victims. In fact, he emphatically answered those who wondered about whose sin caused the man’s blindness by saying,
Respondió Jesús: No es que pecó éste, ni sus padres, sino para que las obras de Dios se manifiesten en él.
John
This speaks to the misguided tendency of so many ill-informed Christians who heap imagined guilt upon themselves for the calamities that have befallen their children or other loved ones. We must accept reality. Death happens. Tragedies come to all. Sometimes unthinkable things befall the most godly and committed.
“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (vv. 2, 3). Jesus was not denying that sin sometimes brings tragedy, because it does (cf. ). But he flatly refused the idea that all tragedy is due to the sins of its victims. In fact, he emphatically answered those who wondered about whose sin caused the man’s blindness by saying, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned” (). This speaks to the misguided tendency of so many ill-informed Christians who heap imagined guilt upon themselves for the calamities that have befallen their children or other loved ones. We must accept reality. Death happens. Tragedies come to all. Sometimes unthinkable things befall the most godly and committed.
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned” (). This speaks to the misguided tendency of so many ill-informed Christians who heap imagined guilt upon themselves for the calamities that have befallen their children or other loved ones. We must accept reality. Death happens. Tragedies come to all. Sometimes unthinkable things befall the most godly and committed.
EVIDENCE: THE NECESSITY (VV. 6–9)
One lazy Sunday afternoon in Papua New Guinea, Wycliffe missionaries Walt and Vonnie Steinkraus were resting alongside their daughters Kerry and Kathy when their world came to an abrupt end. At precisely 3:00 P.M. a half-mile-wide section of the mountain on the opposite side of the river from their village broke off and buried them. They may never even have heard the sound. In a world full of vacant hillsides, in a world full of reprobates, in a world with too few missionaries, the Steinkrauses disappeared under a mountain. Was it because of their sin? No! Jesus settled the issue—not all tragedy or crisis is due to one’s own sins.
Judean Accidents
To make sure no one misunderstood, Jesus issued a brief parable:
Jesus strengthened the impact of his point by citing another incident:
“A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” (vv. 6–9)
O aquellos dieciocho sobre los cuales cayó la torre en Siloé, y los mató, ¿pensáis que eran más culpables que todos los hombres que habitan en Jerusalén?Os digo: No; antes si no os arrepentís, todos pereceréis igualmente.
Many believe that the tower stood at the juncture of the south and east walls of Jerusalem and may have fallen during the construction of an aqueduct from the reservoir of Siloam to improve the water supply. Some of Jesus’ listeners could have argued that the Galileans had “asked for” such tragedy from Pilate due to their political activity and thus were morally culpable, but no one could say the same about the random deaths from the collapse of the tower of Siloam.
“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? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (vv. 4, 5). Many believe that the tower stood at the juncture of the south and east walls of Jerusalem and may have fallen during the construction of an aqueduct from the reservoir of Siloam to improve the water supply. Some of Jesus’ listeners could have argued that the Galileans had “asked for” such tragedy from Pilate due to their political activity and thus were morally culpable, but no one could say the same about the random deaths from the collapse of the tower of Siloam.5
Jesus wanted to be sure he got his point across. “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ¿Pensáis que estos galileos, porque padecieron tales cosas, eran más pecadores que todos los galileos? … Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them O aquellos dieciocho sobre los cuales cayó la torre en Siloé, y los mató—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?” ¿pensáis que eran más culpables que todos los hombres que habitan en Jerusalén? His answer was emphatic. “I tell you, no!… I tell you, no!” Jesus could not have put it more forcefully. Those who died were run-of-the-mill sinners like the rest of us.
The parable rests on three symbolisms not readily apparent to the pre-cross crowd of onlookers (who only understood it as a challenge to bear spiritual fruit or be judged). The symbols became apparent to the apostolic church after the death and resurrection of Christ. The fig tree represents Israel, as it sometimes did in the Old Testament (cf. ; ; ). Jesus’ hearers, and us by virtue of our desire to follow him, were to examine themselves through the metaphor of the fig tree. The owner is emblematic of God the Father, and the caretaker represents Christ. They are in concert, but, without interrupting their harmony, the owner argues from the logic of righteousness, while the caretaker reasons from the logic of mercy.
Jesus assumed and taught the universality of sin, and of death as its consequence. We are all sinners. Sure, there are differences between us sinners, but they are only differences of degree—we all “fall short of the glory of God” están destituidos de la gloria de Dios (). We are all guilty. We all deserve death.
The Owner
están destituidos de la gloria de Dios,
Reina Valera Revisada (1960). (1998). (). Miami: Sociedades Bı́blicas Unidas. (). We are all guilty. We all deserve death.
The wishes of the owner of the vineyard are perfectly reasonable. Three years earlier he had a fig tree planted on a sunny slope in the fertile ground of his vineyard. As expected, it rose above the garden with the whole sky to itself. Its large dense leaves blocked out the sun from the grapes below, and it drew precious nourishment from the soil. This was expected and acceptable because of the fruit it promised. Excellent care was given to it by the caretaker. But after one, then two, then three years there was no fruit! So the owner’s common sense commanded, “Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?” (v. 7). The useless tree was taking up precious space and exhausting the soil. It must go.
What Repentance is Not
When death comes, we will all perish unless we have repented. The context here is the final judgment. Repentance is a much misunderstood word. Some people think “repentance is an emotional experience enjoyed by strange people who like to cry in public.” This caricature involves well-trained men who lead their fellow Christians to weep and wail their way back to God. There is more to repentance than manipulated or even genuine remorse.
The Caretaker
But the caretaker pleaded for one last opportunity for the tree: “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down’ ” (vv. 8, 9). This is astonishing mercy and grace. Astonishing because it means that the Lord of the universe, who transcends, sustains, and maintains the vast cosmos (cf. ), gives us an extended period of grace during which he painstakingly does what he can to bring forth the fruit of repentance. Such mercy is awesome!
Another well-traveled caricature identifies repentance with the ritual of penance, which begins with an obligatory “confession,” followed by the mechanical carrying out of ordered exercises as a means of making restitution or paying the price of our sin in some sense.
Neither of these caricatures are true repentance. Repentance begins with a change of the mind, but not in the contemporary sense of changing one’s mind only to change it again. It is a change of mind that brings a change of actions. It is both intellectual and volitional—and then, though not necessarily, emotional. Repentance is a real turnaround of one’s life in respect to sinful conduct.
The great Puritan John Bunyan, a man who lived close to the earth, saw that the caretaker’s promise to “dig around it” indicated that its root structure was perhaps earthbound. Bunyan addressed the tree in one of his sermons: “Barren fig-tree! See how the Lord Jesus, by these very words, suggesteth the cause of thy fruitless soul. The things of this world lie too close to thy heart; the earth with its things has bound up thy roots; thou art an earth-bound soul.”
Repentance must happen in our souls, or we will perish in the judgment. If Jesus has not changed your conduct, and if he is not continuing to change your conduct, you are very likely not a Christian. Repentance is the style of true Christianity! Repentance is not an option.
Then Bunyan has Jesus, the caretaker, address the owner—the Father: “Lord, I will loosen his roots; I will dig up this earth, I will lay his roots bare. My hand shall be upon him by sickness, by disappointments, by cross providences. I will dig about him until he stands shaking and tottering, until he be ready to fall.”
EVIDENCE: THE NECESSITY (VV. 6–9)
Bunyan goes on to explain:
Thus, I say, deals the Lord Jesus ofttimes with the barren professor; He diggeth about him, He smiteth one blow at his heart, another blow at his lusts, a third at his pleasures, a fourth at his comforts, another at his self-conceitedness: thus He diggeth about him. This is the way to take bad earth from the roots, and to loosen his roots from the earth. Barren fig-tree! see here the care, the love, the labor, and way, which the Lord Jesus, the Dresser of the vineyard, is fair to take with thee, if haply thou mayest be made fruitful.
To make sure no one misunderstood, Jesus issued a brief parable:
Dijo también esta parábola: Tenía un hombre una higuera plantada en su viña, y vino a buscar fruto en ella, y no lo halló.Y dijo al viñador: He aquí, hace tres años que vengo a buscar fruto en esta higuera, y no lo hallo; córtala; ¿para qué inutiliza también la tierra?Él entonces, respondiendo, le dijo: Señor, déjala todavía este año, hasta que yo cave alrededor de ella, y la abone.Y si diere fruto, bien; y si no, la cortarás después.
The parable rests on three symbolisms not readily apparent to the pre-cross crowd of onlookers (who only understood it as a challenge to bear spiritual fruit or be judged). The symbols became apparent to the apostolic church after the death and resurrection of Christ. The fig tree represents Israel, as it sometimes did in the Old Testament (cf. ; ; ). Jesus’ hearers, and us by virtue of our desire to follow him, were to examine themselves through the metaphor of the fig tree. The owner is emblematic of God the Father, and the caretaker represents Christ. They are in concert, but, without interrupting their harmony, the owner argues from the logic of righteousness, while the caretaker reasons from the logic of mercy.
“A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” (vv. 6–9)
Oh, the astonishing mercy and grace of God! He digs to free us, pounds on us through life’s ups and downs, pries at our earthly attachments, so we might become fruitful.
Has Jesus been digging around the roots of your earthbound soul with inexplicable providences in your relationships or your profession or your family that have left you reeling? The object of these shakings is that you might become fruitful. Astonishing mercy!
The parable rests on three symbolisms not readily apparent to the pre-cross crowd of onlookers (who only understood it as a challenge to bear spiritual fruit or be judged). The symbols became apparent to the apostolic church after the death and resurrection of Christ. The fig tree represents Israel, as it sometimes did in the Old Testament (cf. ; ; ). Jesus’ hearers, and us by virtue of our desire to follow him, were to examine themselves through the metaphor of the fig tree. The owner is emblematic of God the Father, and the caretaker represents Christ. They are in concert, but, without interrupting their harmony, the owner argues from the logic of righteousness, while the caretaker reasons from the logic of mercy.
The caretaker’s other stated method is to fertilize your soul with the Word and the Spirit. Month after month he applies the hearty, life-giving nourishment of the gospel to your soul. He sends the Spirit to minister his Word. He brings to memory failures and sins and great needs. Has the Word been coming to you? Has the Spirit been stirring your soul? Then the time has come, as Bunyan would say, to “suck in the Gospel” and bear fruit—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (, )—and then engage in a fruitful life of obedience and service.
The Owner
CLOSING REFLECTIONS
The wishes of the owner of the vineyard are perfectly reasonable. Three years earlier he had a fig tree planted on a sunny slope in the fertile ground of his vineyard. As expected, it rose above the garden with the whole sky to itself. Its large dense leaves blocked out the sun from the grapes below, and it drew precious nourishment from the soil. This was expected and acceptable because of the fruit it promised. Excellent care was given to it by the caretaker. But after one, then two, then three years there was no fruit! So the owner’s common sense commanded, “Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?” córtala; ¿para qué inutiliza también la tierra?(v. 7). The useless tree was taking up precious space and exhausting the soil. It must go.
If the Lord does not return while we are here on earth, we are all going to die. Some of us will live more than three score or four score years. Some of us will die much sooner due to weakness, illness, trauma, or violence.
The Caretaker
It is no secret, and never has been. Many things have been hidden from the minds of men, but it has always been made entirely clear that they are going to die. The day is coming when all our earthly possessions will be swept away, including our ability to enjoy and even perceive them, and our very flesh will be required of us. The earth will close over our skins and they will be like a brown, crumbling leaf that blows away and vanishes.
But the caretaker pleaded for one last opportunity for the tree:
Él entonces, respondiendo, le dijo: Señor, déjala todavía este año, hasta que yo cave alrededor de ella, y la abone.Y si diere fruto, bien; y si no, la cortarás después.
Lucas 13:8
This is astonishing mercy and grace. Astonishing because it means that the Lord of the universe, who transcends, sustains, and maintains the vast cosmos (cf. ), gives us an extended period of grace during which he painstakingly does what he can to bring forth the fruit of repentance. Such mercy is awesome!
“ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down’ ” (vv. 8, 9). This is astonishing mercy and grace. Astonishing because it means that the Lord of the universe, who transcends, sustains, and maintains the vast cosmos (cf. ), gives us an extended period of grace during which he painstakingly does what he can to bring forth the fruit of repentance. Such mercy is awesome!
The great Puritan John Bunyan, a man who lived close to the earth, saw that the caretaker’s promise to “dig around it” indicated that its root structure was perhaps earthbound. Bunyan addressed the tree in one of his sermons: “Barren fig-tree! See how the Lord Jesus, by these very words, suggesteth the cause of thy fruitless soul. The things of this world lie too close to thy heart; the earth with its things has bound up thy roots; thou art an earth-bound soul.”
That day is coming sooner than we think, and if we do not repent in this life, we will perish. Truly the wrath of God abides on the unbelieving, unrepentant heart (cf. ).
Repentance is nothing less than a radically changed life, a life that has intellectually and volitionally turned from sin. The fruits of such a life are first inward and then outward for all to see as beautiful works (, original Greek). Is your life changed and changing? Is there fruit?
Then Bunyan has Jesus, the caretaker, address the owner—the Father: “Lord, I will loosen his roots; I will dig up this earth, I will lay his roots bare. My hand shall be upon him by sickness, by disappointments, by cross providences. I will dig about him until he stands shaking and tottering, until he be ready to fall.”
The mere fact that you are alive is due to the grace of God, especially if there is no fruit in your life. The message is: do not presume on the grace of God. He is looking for fruit. If he does not find it, you may be cut down!
Bunyan goes on to explain:
Hughes, R. K. (1998). Luke: that you may know the truth (pp. 80–85). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
“Thus, I say, deals the Lord Jesus ofttimes with the barren professor; He diggeth about him, He smiteth one blow at his heart, another blow at his lusts, a third at his pleasures, a fourth at his comforts, another at his self-conceitedness: thus He diggeth about him. This is the way to take bad earth from the roots, and to loosen his roots from the earth. Barren fig-tree! see here the care, the love, the labor, and way, which the Lord Jesus, the Dresser of the vineyard, is fair to take with thee, if haply thou mayest be made fruitful.”
Oh, the astonishing mercy and grace of God! He digs to free us, pounds on us through life’s ups and downs, pries at our earthly attachments, so we might become fruitful.
Has Jesus been digging around the roots of your earthbound soul with inexplicable providences in your relationships or your profession or your family that have left you reeling? The object of these shakings is that you might become fruitful. Astonishing mercy!
The caretaker’s other stated method is to fertilize your soul with the Word and the Spirit. Month after month he applies the hearty, life-giving nourishment of the gospel to your soul. He sends the Spirit to minister his Word. He brings to memory failures and sins and great needs. Has the Word been coming to you? Has the Spirit been stirring your soul? Then the time has come, as Bunyan would say, to “suck in the Gospel” and bear fruit—
Galations 5:22–23
Mas el fruto del Espíritu es amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fe,mansedumbre, templanza; contra tales cosas no hay ley.
—and then engage in a fruitful life of obedience and service.
“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (, )—and then engage in a fruitful life of obedience and service.
CLOSING REFLECTIONS
If the Lord does not return while we are here on earth, we are all going to die. Some of us will live more than three score or four score years. Some of us will die much sooner due to weakness, illness, trauma, or violence.
It is no secret, and never has been. Many things have been hidden from the minds of men, but it has always been made entirely clear that they are going to die. The day is coming when all our earthly possessions will be swept away, including our ability to enjoy and even perceive them, and our very flesh will be required of us. The earth will close over our skins and they will be like a brown, crumbling leaf that blows away and vanishes.
That day is coming sooner than we think, and if we do not repent in this life, we will perish. Truly the wrath of God abides on the unbelieving, unrepentant heart (cf. ).
Repentance is nothing less than a radically changed life, a life that has intellectually and volitionally turned from sin. The fruits of such a life are first inward and then outward for all to see as beautiful works (, original Greek). Is your life changed and changing? Is there fruit?
The mere fact that you are alive is due to the grace of God, especially if there is no fruit in your life. The message is: do not presume on the grace of God. He is looking for fruit. If he does not find it, you may be cut down!
Hughes, R. K. (1998). Luke: that you may know the truth (pp. 79–85). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.