At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4Or 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? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
6Then 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. 7So 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?’ 8He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
Translation: There were some present in that time telling him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered, he said to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were bigger sinners than all the Galileans because they had suffered this? Nay, I say to you, but if you do not repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them--do you think they were bigger debtors than all the people living in Jerusalem? Nay, I say to you, but if you do not repent, you will all perish in the same way."
And he spoke this parable: "A certain one was having a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and he found none, and he said to the gardener, "Behold! These three years I come seeking fruit in this fig tree and find none. Cut it down. Why destroy the ground?" But he answered, he said to them, "Lord, let it alone this year also, until whosoever might dig around it and throw manure. And if indeed it might make fruit, well and good. But if not, you will cut it."
This week's lection concludes a section that began in 12:1. In the section just previous to the start of our lection (12:54-59), Jesus talks about interpreting the signs of the times (54-56) and urges debtors to finagle their way out of going to jail (57-59).
In the course of those few verses, Jesus lumps the crowd in the pharisees. He calls both of them "hypocrites" (12:1, 12:56). Then, in 56-57, he credits the crowd for being able to "interpret" (twice) the events of the world, then asks, "Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?" (12:57). In our lection this week, Jesus twice asks the question, "Do you think?" (dokeite).
In eight verses, then, Jesus has mentioned the crowd's ability to interpret, called upon them to make up their own minds, and then twice asked for their opinion. It appears Jesus is trying to peel the crowds away from the pharisees by encouraging them to think for themselves. (Jesus will encourage repentance in these few verses, also twice, which indicates that repentance includes not only changed behavior but a changed mind as well.)
The reading begins with "some present" who tell Jesus about Pontius Pilate staging some kind of raid during which people from Galilee were apparently killed. No other historical sources mention this incident, although it would not have been out of character for Pilate to have done such a thing. There are other known instances of Pilate's brutality.
The word "Galileans" appears three times. These "Galileans" would have been pilgrims in Jerusalem. Luke wants to make sure we know that Pilate mistreated Galileans, and that an air of violence pervades Jerusalem.
Jesus responds by asking: "Do you think that these Galileans were bigger sinners than all the Galileans (hamartoloi para pantas tous Galilaious) because they had suffered this?" We do not know if they thought this or not, but it wouldn't have been surprising in the least if they did. Many people think the same today. If something bad happens to someone, they must have deserved it in some way.
This is Deuteronomistic theology, which operated on the principle that if Israel did right, things would go well, and if Israel did not do right, tragedy would ensue. That was true on a national level, and also on a personal level. Bad things don't happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. In the later Old Testament, the book of Job begs to differ. In the New Testament, and in our lection, Jesus does as well. No, those Galileans who suffered were not bigger sinners than other Galileans.
Jesus supplies his own example: "Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them--do you think they were bigger debtors than all the people living in Jerusalem?" Again, there is no extra-canonical account of this accident, but it was not altogether unusual for high structures to collapse.
Jesus' example, however, contains a twist. In the first instance--Pilate's random violence--Jesus undermines the idea that the people who suffered were "sinners" (hamartoloi) and thus deserved it. In the second instance--the falling tower--Jesus undermines the idea that bad things happen to people who are in debt (opheiletai).
Granted, most translations have something else here. KJV has "sinners" again. NRSV has "worse offenders." NIV has "worse sinners." The "default position" on opheiletes, however, would be "debtors." The word appears seven times in the New Testament. In six of them, the word is rendered "debtors." This is the only exception. Why?
In both instances, Jesus calls for repentance on the part of the crowd. Repentance--metanoete--does not mean getting caught at something and then having a change of heart, usually accompanied by copious tears. It means "turning and moving in a new direction." Jesus calls people away from thinking of suffering as punishment for sin or punishment for debt. Think for yourselves! Change your minds! "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?" (12:57)
In the parable of the fig tree (13:6-9), both the fig tree and the vineyard were symbols of Israel. (See Isaiah 5:1-7 and Hosea 9:10.) The owner of the vineyard came to the fig tree looking for fruit, but found none. The owner then delivers a mini-rant to the gardener about the unproductiveness of the fig tree. "For three lo-o-o-ng years, I've been trying to find figs on this fig tree, and I'm fed up! Cut this sorry tree down! It's just taking up space!"
The owner of the vineyard is, of course, God. He's mainly in the vineyard business, but apparently thought it might be interesting to have a fig tree among the grape vines. The fig tree, however, fails to produce fruit. Earlier in Luke, John the Baptist had said to "bring forth fruits worthy of repentance" (3:6) and "every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down" (3:9). Under God's rules--"produce or else"--his unproductive fig tree certainly qualifies for demolition.
If God is the owner of the vineyard, then Christ is the gardener. He replies, "Lord, let it alone"--kyrie aphes auten. Aphes also means "forgive." It is a word Jesus will use from the cross--"Father, forgive them (aphes autois, 23:34).
In other words, the gardener says, "Lord, forgive that dumb fig tree. Turn it over to me for awhile. I'll tend to it and see it we can coax some fruit out of the thing. If it works, great! If not, you will have to be the one to cut it down. I won't be cutting it down myself because I'm in the saving business, not the cutting down business." Joel Green:
Not incidentally, the parable also holds for the possibility of fruit-bearing in spite of a history of sterility--or, in human terms, the possibility of change leading to faith expressed in obedience to God's purpose. If it announces a warning of judgment, then, it also dramatizes hope. (p. 515)
God is, of course, quite correct. It's God's vineyard, and he doesn't want unproductive fig trees taking up space. When it comes to running a vineyard, you have to figure that God knows what he's doing. But Christ protests. Turn it over to me. Let me try some forgiveness on that tree. Who knows? It might work. If it doesn't, I'll forgive it again from the cross. In no case, however, will I ever go back on the forgiveness I have pronounced on the world.
Thanks as always for this John. The first thing I thought about with this week's reading was the fig tree in Mark and Matthew. Do you think Luke is commenting on/criticizing their accounts? That Mark and Matthew are saying Israel isn't bearing fruit, so Jesus has pronounced it's withered; while Luke is saying that Israel is still redeemable, despite the fact that it's not bearing fruit?
Posted by: Brother Bartimaeus | March 06, 2010 at 08:27 PM
Bro. Bart, your comments always make me think for a couple of days before responding. I think you are exactly right. I don't know what Matthew's take on this is, but, for Mark, the fig tree is utterly incapable of renewal. In Luke, not so much.
Posted by: John Petty | March 10, 2010 at 01:20 PM