R Y n 1. Human inflictions.
o 2. "Suppose you?"
p 3-. No.
q -3. Warning to that generation.
Y n 4-. Natural infliction.
o -4. "Suppose you?"
p 5-. No.
q -5. Warning to that generation.
28 A.D.
Luke 13)
1 There arrived in that season some telling Him about the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. (Josephus Antiq. 18:4,5. Concentrate on the season. God's Word states, "at that season". We are still talking about the generation that will be delivered up before antichrist. The Galilaens spoken of here were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They got butchered. It was a calamity.)
2 And He answering said to them, "Suppose you that these Galilaeans happen to be defaulters (connecting it with 12:58 above) above all the Galilaeans, because they have suffered such things? (If something bad happened they automatically think this. Cp. Job. Beware of suspicious people. They can hurt somebody by being so distracted at times. Seeing a black cat run across the street and flip the car. Over cautious. People have a tendency to equate calamity with sin. Be smarter than that. We live in a dangerous world. Accidents happen, but they have nothing to do with sin.)
3 I tell you, No:
but, if you repent not, you shall all likewise perish. (Blotted out. The Galatians were not more sinful than the others. Christ said, "Rent". Repentance places you with the good and separates you from the evil. Remember, this earth age is all about division.)
4 Or those eighteen (18 = bondage. Kick Satan out in the name of Yahshua), upon whom the tower in Siloam fell (the foundation was weak), and killed them, (Cp. Neh. 3:15. Isa. 8:6. John 19:7)
think you that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, No:
but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." (Analogy of the lake of fire. Its going to happen. Gr. deo = it is necessary. Christ told them the 18 had perished were no bigger sinners than the others. God is a consuming fire. Those that don't repent and become part of the wheat will perish with the chaff. The choice is yours.)
Q r 6,7-. Owner to vine-dresser.
s -7. Order. "Cut it down."
r 8,9-. Vine-dresser to owner.
s -9. Order. Postponed.
6 He spoke also this parable (combining the fig tree and the vineyard. See John 15:1); "A certain man had a fig tree (the symbol of Israel's national privileges. See Judg. 9:8-12. Here it denotes that special privileges of that generation. Cp. Jer. 24:3. Hos. 9:10. Matt. 21:19) planted in his vineyard (Ps. 80:8-11. Cp. Isa. 5:2,&c.); and he came and sought fruit on it, and found not any.
7 Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard, 'Behold, since these three years (can refer only to the period of the Lord's ministry.) I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: (See 2 Pet. 3:8. Does He find fruit in you?)
cut it out (i.e. from among the vines); why injure it the soil also?'
8 And he answering said to him, 'Lord, let it alone this year (i.e. the 3rd year. Symbolic of the millennium) also, till I shall dig about it, and put manure: (In other words, let's give everyone with free will every opportunity to produce fruit.)
9 And if it bear fruit, well:
and if not, then in the future you shall cut it down.' " (Note, not I will. This is the harvesting of the tares in Matthew 13. This earth age is about separation.)
H t 10-. Place. Synagogue. Woman.
u -10. The Sabbath.
v 11. Condition of Woman. Bound.
w 12. Loosing.
x 13. Effect. God glorified.
t 14-. Place. Synagogue. Ruler.
u -14. The Sabbath.
v 15. Condition of Cattle. Bound.
w 16. Loosing.
x 17. Effect. Adversaries ashamed.
10 And He was teaching in one of the synagogues
on the sabbath.
11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit causing infirmity eighteen years (a type of condition of the nation), and was bent doubled, wholly unable to lift up herself. (See what an evil spirit can do the mind to make it do this? Complete human inability, and Heb. 7:25, complete Divine ability. The word "spirit" would be better translated "evil demon". This woman, symbolic of of Christ's church, had been in bondage to this evil spirit for 18 years. Many today are in bondage to the ways of this world, such as usury, drugs and alcohol to name a few. Satan will bind you, if you let him. Set yourself free from bondage. What will set you free? The truth of God's Word will set you free.)
12 And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." (She had been bound with a demonic band. See Mark 7:35)
13 And He laid His hands on her: and immediately she was set upright again, and glorified God. (Not knocked down. Christ freed the woman from bondage. Doing so on the sabbath "would light the priest's wick".)
14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation,
because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said to the people, "There are six days in which men ought to work (it is necessary, binding): in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." (Man's word. Don't pay attention to it. The priest probably wished he could have healed the woman. Man doesn't have the power to heal. God does! Can you imagine the priests telling Jesus Christ that He can't heal on the sabbath? Jesus became our sabbath.)
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, "You hypocrite, do not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? (They take care of their livestock.)
16 And ought (the same word as the ruler's, but as an interrogative. The former was based on ceremonial law; the Lord's on the necessity of Divine love. See Acts 2:17-21) not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" (Christ letting you know its not only in good taste to do good things on the sabbath, but it is bound, it is necessary to do good things on the sabbath. Who bound her? Satan bound her, and he can bind you if you allow him to. Who freed the woman from bondage? Christ did, and He can free you as well.)
17 And while He had saying these things, all His adversaries were put to shame: and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were coming by Him. (See 15:22-32)
J y 18. Question. "What is it like?"
z 19. Answer. Mustard-seed.
y 20. Question. "What is it like?"
z 21. Answer. Leaven.
18 Then said He (repeated with variations from Matt. 13:21,&c.), "Unto what is the kingdom (the King and His dominion) of God like? (cp. Isa. 40:18) and where-unto shall I resemble it? (How would you describe it?)
19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and became into a great tree (15-18 feet); and the birds of the heaven nested in the branches of it." (Dirty birds will come)
20 And again he said, "Where-unto shall I liken the kingdom of God? (Its a hidden force)
21 It is like leaven (Truth. See Matt. 13:33), which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." (Christ is the bread of life, permeates your entire soul.)
J Z 22. Jerusalem. Journey toward it.
A 23-30. The Kingdom. Individual entrance.
A 31-33. The King. Personal. Departure.
Z 34,35. Jerusalem. Apostrophe to it.
22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and progressing toward Jerusalem.
A a 23. Question.
b 24. Explanation. Many will seek.
c 25-28. Reasons.
b 29. Explanation. Many will enter.
a 30. Answer.
23 Then said one to him, "Lord, if there are few that are being saved?" And He said to them,
24 "Struggle (lit. agonize, combat with the Adversary, Satan) to enter in through the narrow door (the elect go through this): for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25 From whatsoever time the master of the house may have risen up, and has shut to the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us;' and He shall answer and say to you, 'I know not from where you are:' (i.e. of what family or household. They were deceived and bowed to Satan. Stay focused. Don't allow Satan to put you in bondage with false teachings, or you may find yourself standing outside the Master's house.)
26 Then shall you begin to say, 'We have eaten and drank before You (Holy Communion), and You have taught in our streets.' (This shows to whom these words are addressed, and thus limits the interpretation to "this generation".)
27 But he shall say, 'I tell you, I know not from where you are; depart from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness.' (Satan's work. You can't come in. See Mark 13:17. Christ taught in their streets, but they weren't listening. You can hear it today from the very pulpits that should be teaching the truth. They have twisted the truth into teaching the rapture, the Easter bunny and the apple Eve ate in the garden of Eden. These false teachings make make those that accept these doctrines easy marks for Satan's bondage)
28 There shall be the weeping (see Matt. 8:12) and gnashing of teeth, when (defining the special occasion) you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves being cast outside. (This is the occasion referred to. They listened to man, not God. The key of David is the only key that will open the door to the Kingdom of God in the season being discussed.)
29 And they shall come (a ref. to Isa. 49:12) from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall recline [at table] in the kingdom of God. (Guarantee of true gathering.)
30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last." (The elect were chosen before the foundation of this earth age. They were the first, and they are a major factor in this, the last, generation. That is to say they will be a major factor, if they are not in bondage to Satan. Watchmen, observe God's signs. Pay attention. Most importantly, focus on the truth of the Living Word that sets you free from Satan's bondage.)
A d 31. Pharisees. Advice given.
e -31. Their reason.
d 32,33-. Pharisees. Advice rejected.
e -33. The Lord's reason.
31 Just then there came certain Pharisees, saying to him, "Get thee out, and depart from here:
for Herod wishes to (i.e. means to) kill You." (They are running a bluff.)
32 And He said to them, "Go you, and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons, and I perform (or effect) cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I come to and end [of My work]. (Namely by the miracles of John 11:40-44. Cp. John 19:30)
33 Nevertheless I must journey (i.e. through Herod's country) today, and tomorrow, and the day following:
for it is not fitting that a prophet perish out of (i.e. except in) Jerusalem.' (It is written, He will die in Jerusalem)
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem (see Gen. 22:11. Repeated on the 2nd day before the Passover [Matt. 23:37]), which kills the prophets (see 11:47; 20:14; 23:34. Cp. Isa. 1:21), and stones them that are sent to you; how often I desired to gather your children together, as a hen (specially contrasted with "fox", v.32. Cp. Matt. 23:37) doth gather her brood under her wings, and you did not desire it! (People would rather hear fairy tales and mythology.)
35 Behold, the Temple (it had been Yehovah's house. Cp. John 2:16. Now it was no longer owned as His. Cp. 19:46) is left to you desolate (every place is "desolate" where Christ is not. The "Abomination of desolation" will take place in Jerusalem): and truly I say to you, You shall by no means see Me, until the time come when you shall say, 'Blessed is the coming One in the name of the Lord.' " (Quoted from Ps. 118:26. Referring to the final and national repentance of Israel, which might have been then [Acts 3:18-20] near, but Acts 28:25-28 is yet future, while all blessedness has been postponed.)