Do We Quantify Sinfulness?

Luke 13:1-9

¹There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ²And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? ³No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. ⁴Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? ⁵No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” ⁶And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ ⁸And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. ⁹Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

For most of us, there can be a underlying current of self-justification that goes a little bit like, “I know I’m a sinner, but I’m not as bad as ______________________________.” You can fill in the blank. We want to quantify sin. God doesn’t get involved in that type of activity. The questioners in today’s reading are looking for just such a judgment from Jesus. Apparently, there was an event that had recently taken place that was spiritually heinous for Jesus audience. Pilate violated all holiness codes by sending his troops into the temple area to murder Galilean Jews while they were slaughtering their lambs for the Passover Seder. During this holy feast the blood of these Jews was mixed with the blood of the lambs. The people were horrified; probably both by the violent deaths of their fellow countrymen and by the sacrilege that that taken place.

Jesus uses this question as a chance to teach His listeners yet again about His Kingdom and who is in need of repentance. Since they want to discuss current events, He brings up another news story about a tower that had fallen on 18 people and killed them. By standing those accident victims next to those massacred by Pilate’s army, Jesus helps us see that these particular incidents of suffering and tragedy are not signs of God’s judgment on individuals, but of his wrath against all sinful humankind.

Following close on the heels of this discussion is the parable of the unproductive fig tree. Here Jesus once again exposes the consequences of refusing to repent and turn back to the Lord. This fig tree exposes God’s incredible patience with a stubborn people. One could say that this parable refers specifically to the Pharisees or the Jews who simply will not receive Jesus as the promised Messiah. But it could just as easily refer to anyone, regardless of their background, who will not bow the knee to the Lord God or receive Jesus as their Savior. The absence of judgment here and now cannot be construed as a sign of one’s righteousness. Rather, if judgment does not strike immediately, it is a sign of God’s mercy, not His approval.