The Surprising Mercy of God--Luke 13:1-9

"At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

6 Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” 8 He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

Introduction

This passage begins with an attempt by Jesus' hearers to bait him into admitting the injustice of God; it ends with a parable pointing to God's unexpected mercy. Jesus' point will be that if we just wanted "justice" from God, none of us would survive. We need the grace of "one more year" to "produce our fruit."

To understand this text we need to see it in the developing context of Luke's Gospel. In 9:51 Jesus has "set his face" to go to Jerusalem. He knows that his fate will be decided there. On the way, however, he continues to encounter people, many of whom want to up the theological ante by challenging him on various points. Here is their approach:

"When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile towards him and to cross-examine him in many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say" (11:53-54).

One example of this conduct is in 12:13-21, where a person bursts into Jesus' presence and says, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me" (12:13). Luke presents this "in your face" scene to show not only that Jesus is arousing the ire of people but that he is also skilled it turning questions back on the questioner. Or, in other words, Luke will portray Jesus as skillfully changing the topic of debate when confronted by insistent and deceptive questioners.

The other thing that happens, especially in ch. 12, is Jesus' ratcheting up the language of the imminence of divine judgment. He tells a parable about the master of the house who goes away only to return at a later time when he hopes to find the servants occupied in faithful work (12:41-48). He stresses that the invisible signs are on the horizon, portending the coming of God's judgment (12:54-56), even though people can't "see" it. Thus, as we begin our passage today, we are in the dual contexts of controversy and impending judgment. Both of these are explored in the passage of the morning.

The passage neatly breaks into two parts: (1) 13:1-5, Trying to Bait Jesus; and (2) 13:6-9, The Surprising Mercy of God. Let's turn to each.

I. The Controversy--Trying to Bait Jesus (13:1-5)

We are told that "in that very instant" (the Greek emphasizes the immediacy of the interruption in 13:1) someone announces to Jesus the deaths of some Galileans at Pilate's hands. These Galileans were fulfilling their religious duties while they were executed. His questioners want to know if these people were comparatively more guilty than others because of their sudden deaths. In dealing with their intrusive question, Jesus does three things.

First, he fleshes out the true meaning of their question. They only "told him" about the fate of the Galileans. Jesus realized that they were asking about the justice of God, and so he framed their announcement in terms of the question really on their minds. Were these people especially bad that this thing happened to them? Second, Jesus reframes the question raised. Instead of using the occasion for an academic dispute on whether good people die unjustly, or whether everyone who dies violently had "deserved" it (an untimately unfruitful debate whenever is happens), Jesus turns the question back on the hearers. It is as if their comment becomes an intellectual boomerang, exposing the weaknesses in their own thinking. Jesus tells them that if they really wanted impartial justice in the world (which their comment tended to imply), they wouldn't stand a chance. They need to repent.

Third, Jesus slips in a little word, translated "offenders" (v. 4) that has a rich theological meaning in Luke. The Greek word behind it is opheiletai and this is the same word translated "debtors" in the Lord's prayer (11:4). Those on whom the tower of Siloam fell were not greater offenders/debtors than anyone else (13:4); indeed, it is the principle of forgiveness of debtors that will be foundational for Jesus' new order. Thus, the interlocutors are taken out of their world of alleged concern for the justice of God and are confronted with the principles of repentance and forgivness of debt. But the latter point is only hinted at indirectly in these verses. Jesus then tells a story about forgiveness/mercy.

II. Judgment and God's Surprising Mercy (13:6-9)

Unless we understand the dual importance of controversy and talk about the judgment of God in Jesus' words in ch. 12, we don't really understand how the two are connected in our text for the day. Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree which bears no fruit. The bottom line is that the man who planted the apparently unfruitful tree would allow it one more year to bear fruit before cutting it down.

Three points also emerge from this brief parable. The first is that the owner (God in the parable) wants to cut it down but that another (the gardener) convinces him to wait one more year. If we really got just what we deserved, as the controversialists seem to want in 13:1-5, the tree would be cut down. But the owner gives another year. Second, there is no indication that the tree will bear fruit but, nevertheless, the gardener expends extra effort in preparing the tree. We hear echoes of II Pet. 3:9 in this:

"The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance."

If justice is what we really want, we would all be "cooked." Mercy is what we need, and that is what the owner will allow. One more year.

Finally, however, we have the goal of the wait--fruitfulness. The image of bearing fruit is a rich one in Luke's Gospel. John the Baptist first mentioned it in 3:8:

"Bear fruits worthy of repentance....Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (3:8-9).

Jesus, too, is concerned about fruit and fruitfulness:

"No good ttree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit," (6:43).

Finally, the parable of the sower who went out to sow his seed illustrates that when the ground is carefully cultivated that the seed bears "a hundredfold" (8:8).

Conclusion

The goal of the call to discipleship is the bearing of fruit, fruit that abides. By couching the discussion in terms of strict justice, the hearers not only would miss their own responsibility for repentance, but they would be deaf to the startling mercy of God. By reframing their question, Jesus brings us to the heart of God--a God who will judge, make no mistake about it, but one who is persuaded to grant a little more time. Don't presume on the kindness; embrace the mercy; wonder about the justice, but don't let it be an excuse for failing to change our own hearts and embrace the surprising mercy of God.

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