Luke 13 - Will All of Israel Be Saved?

Luke 13 - NIV

Luke 13 - Enduring Word Commentary

Repent or Perish

13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 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? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus mentions two disasters. One, caused by a man, Pilate. The other a natural cause, the tower of Siloam, which fell about 14 Jewish people who all died. In Jesus' day people would often assume something bad would happen to you if you sinned. They might have assumed the Galileans and the victims of the tower of Siloam deserved their fate.

But the rain falls on the just and just, the bible teaches us. When 9/11 happened, there were both believers and unbelievers who were killed. The bottom line is that we are all going to die some day and we are all called to repent and turn to Jesus. We are all equally guilty before a holy God. God doesn't arbitrarily punish those who sin with death. ALL of US need to rely on God's mercy and grace which he poured out through Christ Jesus, our Lord. 

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 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?’ 8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Jesus tells another story about a man who owned a fig tree who was upset the fig tree in his garden had not borne any fruit. In fact, he had been patient by waiting three years for this tree to bear fruit. The owner instructed the caretaker of the vineyard to cut it down. After all he could plant another fig tree that would bear fruit. 

But the man asked the owner for one more year for the fig tree to bear fruit. For his part, he would dig the soil around it and fertilize it. If it didn't bear fruit next year, the owner should cut it down. 

Most likely this refers to the Jewish people who God called to be his people and to bear fruit by honoring God by and obeying his covenant. The fruit would their lives on display for the world to see the one true God. But the Israelites fell away from God and broke the covenant time and time again. He used the prophets to warn and always gave them one more chance to bear fruit. 

In the same way Christians are called to bear fruit. We bear fruit when we serve God and draw other people to Him through Jesus. We also bear fruit through the Holy Spirit's presence within us. The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Like the owner ,God expects us to bear fruit. He is patient and kind with us not wanting us to perish but to come to a knowledge of the truth. 

Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman on the Sabbath

10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Jesus often taught in the synagogue, which shows he was regarded as a rabbi. Many times people called him "Rabbi", which means teacher. As he was teaching a woman who had faithfully gone to the synagogue for 18 years who was crippled. In this case it was a demonic spirit that caused her to be crippled. This is not the first time we see a demonic spirit physically afflicting someone with a disability. I.e. The man who was mute. The Gerasene demoniac who cut himself. 

Rather than addressing the demonic spirit, Jesus merely told her she was free from her infirmity, laid hands on her, and she stood straight up. We have said Jesus never used one particular method to heal someone. In this case he didn't even address the demon, he just healed the woman. Note he spoke a word and then laid hands on her. This is why we lay hands on people today, because Jesus did it.  When Jesus said she was set free, she was set free from her illness and the demon. 

14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” 17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

The synagogue leader was shockingly upset that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. He was so far from the heart of God that he had no compassion or gratitude that a woman who had come to his synagogue for 18 years was healed. After all, she could now straighten up and see him when he was giving his messages. 

So the man accused Jesus of healing on the Sabbath. After all he reasoned couldn't Jesus have done it on a different day. Jesus promptly put the man in his place. He said, "You hypocrites", meaning he was referring to the other religious leaders there who were thinking the same thing. The height of their hypocrisy was that these men took care of their animals so they could work on the Sabbath, but they frowned upon a daughter of God who was healed of a disease that racked her body for 18 years. The leaders were humiliated because they knew what Jesus was saying was true, but the people were full of joy because of what he was doing. 

This is a good reminder that whenever we judge someone, we are set ourselves for our own judgment. Jesus says, "The measure you used, will be used for you!"

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

These parables are taught with further details in the other gospels. Again Jesus tells them a parable to illustrate what the Kingdom of God looks like, which was his primary purpose on earth in addition to dying on the cross and being raised from the dead. The parables are similar in that something small is used which produces something big. 

God can take something small and turn it into something big. We know the mustard seed can refer to faith in the other gospels. Jesus was always more interested in "quality" versus "quantity". This is why he praised the widow who only put a "mite" in the temple offering box. Why? Because she gave all she had! 

Friends, we can all be like the mustard seed and the little bit of yeast. When we offer ourselves to God he can multiply our impact of the kingdom many times over. We only need to be faithful to plant the seed but it is God who makes it grow. 

What seeds of faith are you offering to God? One way might be leading another person to Christ, or helping someone to grow in their faith? Who knows this person might be the next Billy Graham. When we offer something for God's use no matter what the size, he can do big things!

The Narrow Door

22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

As Jesus made his way to Jerusalem, to the cross, someone asked them if only a few people were going to be saved. Jesus didn't answer them directly, but he used the analogy of a narrow door to describe those who would be saved. Many might think they are saved because of good works, but on judgment day when Jesus returns, our salvation will be based on our knowledge of him. We can know information or even bible knowledge about Jesus, but do we know Him. Do we have a personal relationship with Him? Have we believed in him by faith?

God desires all people to be saved and sent Jesus because he so loved the world. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, John says in his gospel. Then, he adds Jesus' words, "No one come to the Father except through me." You could say it is a narrow way, because Jesus is the only way. But in another sense it is a wide way because it is equally available to all people. The reason Jesus is the only way is because of his death on the cross which forgives us of our sins is the only way for us to be reconciled with a holy God. 

"If there was another way besides the cross, then Jesus died for nothing!" If we could be saved by our good works, or through another person, then Jesus is just another religious teacher. 

Jesus’ Sorrow for Jerusalem

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! 34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Jesus reflected His Father's for all people. Though He was the only way, Jesus loved his fellow Israelites so much he cried out, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I have longed to gather your children together but you were not willing!" 

This must have been the last time Jesus spoke to this particular group, as he told them he would not see them again until they said, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

When Jesus returns, His hope would be, as Paul teaches in Romans 11:26, all Israel will be saved. There is debate over whether this means every single Jew, or just those who believe in Him often called the "remnant". Some think the Jews will have second chance to received Jesus as Lord, but this is hard to reconcile with other bible verses. I.e. It is appointed for a man to die once and then face judgment. 

So there is some mystery around Paul's words, "All Israel will be saved!"  My hope is that all people Jews and Gentiles will be saved and I know that is God's heart too!

Here are a couple of articles on this complex subject.

What Does It Mean that All Israel Will Be Saved According to Romans 11:26

Will All of Israel Be Saved? - Got Questions