Luke 13:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?

NIV: Jesus answered, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?

NASB: And Jesus responded and said to them, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans just because they have suffered this fate?

CSB: And he responded to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things?

NLT: Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?' Jesus asked. 'Is that why they suffered?

KJV: And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

NKJV: And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?

A crowd surrounds Jesus. Some of them have reported that Pilate killed Galileans who had gone to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. It's unclear why they bring it up; perhaps it is late-breaking news. Jesus uses the opportunity to warn them that just as it is best to reconcile with a person they have wronged before going to court (Luke 12:57–59), it is essential to reconcile with God before facing eternal judgment (Luke 13:3). If they wrong a person, they could be imprisoned or fined. Dying without repenting to God means eternity in hell (Luke 12:4–5).

During His argument, Jesus contradicts what was then a widely, almost universal belief: that God always blesses good, obedient Jews and always curses disobedient Jews with early deaths (Luke 13:4). This belief is not completely without precedent in Scripture. The Mosaic covenant can be summarized as a promise: if the people obey God's commandments and worship only Him, He will bless them. If they break His commandments and worship idols, He will punish them (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). Over time, this grew into the belief that if a person is prosperous, he must be a good person, approved of by God. If someone suffers hardship, they must be a horrible sinner.

Modern people lean towards this belief, as well, to varying degrees. We often hear statements such as, "I'm a good person; why did God do this to me?" Or "God must approve of that pastor's teaching because the church is growing so quickly." Even when we know better, we tend to think that if we just read the Bible enough, pray enough, do the right things, and love God and people the right way, we will mitigate the damage the fallen world can throw at us.

Jesus reminds us that this is not the case. Following God's will can keep us from some of the risks and consequences brought on by sin (Proverbs 1:31; 5:22; 8:35–36; Psalm 32:10). Obeying God means avoiding discipline for our sins, but violence and accidents happen. Sometimes it is God's will to allow bad things to happen to us or the people we love. We can't always escape it (John 9:1–3).

What we can do is ensure our eternal future is blessed, safe, and protected. We do that by repenting of our sins and reconciling with God so we can live with Him in paradise forever.

Luke 13:1–5 expounds upon the lesson Jesus has just taught. In Luke 12:57–59, Jesus told the crowd to reconcile with other people they have wronged. Now, Jesus contextualizes real-world tragedies to point out that being "good" won't protect people from physical death. However, repentance to God will protect from eternal death. Next, Jesus will apply the same lesson to Israel as a nation. These are the last passages of a section comparing living for the world with living for the kingdom of God (Luke 12:1—13:9).

Jesus uses real-world examples to show that tragedy and death can come to anyone, even the righteous. No one should delay in reconciling to God; time is running out. Jesus heals a woman in the synagogue, on the Sabbath, triggering an angry response. Jesus scolds the synagogue leader, then preaches about the inevitable spread of the gospel around the entire world. However, He also notes that most people will reject this message, including the people of Israel.

Luke 9:51—19:27 is sometimes called "Jesus' Travelogue to Jerusalem." The segment describes how Jesus prepared the disciples for their future as He approached His own death and resurrection. Interspersed are a few altercations with religious leaders. There are calls for the crowd to repent of their sins and reconcile with God before it's too late. In Luke 13, two stories in particular reveal Jesus' heart. In one, He heals a long-suffering woman on the Sabbath; healing is a type of rest. In the last, He mourns the fact that, for now, the Jews as a nation will reject their Messiah.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.