Sunday 07 March 2010
- Bible Book:
- Luke
"Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down." (v.8-9)
Background
Pontius Pilate was the governor of the Roman province of Judea.Galilee was part of another province, and many Galileans, includingJesus himself, would travel annually to the city of Jerusalem inJudea to offer sacrifice at the Jewish Temple. The Galileans hadsomething of a reputation for rebellion, but we do not know theparticular incident to which verses 1-3 refer. The same is true ofthe collapse of the tower of Siloam in verses 4-5. Siloam was thename of the Jerusalem reservoir, and we know that Pilate built anaqueduct to improve water supply to the city, so the collapse mayhave been associated with the building work.
Jesus therefore brings together an example of deaths due to humanviolence and those which we may describe as 'accidental'. Manypeople believed that calamity was a punishment sent by God for sin;other examples in the Bible of people taking this view range fromthe friends of Job (Job 4:7) to the disciples of Jesus (
When Jesus says that those who do not repent, meaning 'turn fromtheir sins', will perish in the same way, he cannot mean literallythat they'll be killed by soldiers or have a building fall on them.Rather it appears to be a reference to the so-called 'lastjudgement' - the fact that all sinners will face the judgement ofGod in the end.
The parable of the fig tree (fruit trees of all kinds were commonlyplanted in vineyards) takes up the theme of eventual judgement, butonly after the fruitless tree has been given every opportunity toprove itself. Having failed to produce a crop for three successiveyears, the gardener pleads for one last chance, offering to loosenthe soil around its roots so they can breathe, and adding manurefor nourishment.
Whilst many of the parables from this later part of Jesus' ministrycontain a veiled or clear indication that God's people generallyare failing in their mission, evidenced by their lack ofrecognition of Jesus, the parable that precedes this one (
To Ponder
When bad things happen, should we blame thevictims? Should we blame God? Should we look for someone else toblame? Or how are we to make sense of tragedy?
The parable of the fig tree appears to seek tokeep together in a helpful way God's grace (or mercy) and God'sjudgement. Do you believe in a judgement to come after grace hasdone its utmost to change people? Why?
What kind of fruit does God look for from yourlife?