Luke 13:1

CHAPTER XIII.

Christ preaches the necessity of repentance, from the

punishment of the Galileans massacred by Pilate, 1-3.

And by the death of those on whom the tower in Siloam fell,

4, 5.

The parable of the barren fig tree, 6-29.

Christ cures a woman who had been afflicted eighteen years,

10-13.

The ruler of the synagogue is incensed and is reproved by our

Lord, 14-17.

The parable of the mustard seed, 18, 19;

of the leaven, 20-21.

He journeys towards Jerusalem, and preaches, 22.

The question, Are there few saved? and our Lords answer, with

the discourse thereon, 23-30.

He is informed that Herod purposes to kill him, 31, 32.

Predicts his own death at Jerusalem, and denounces judgments on

that impenitent city, 33-35.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII.

Verse Luke 13:1. At that season] At what time this happened is not easy to determine; but it appears that it was now a piece of news which was told to Christ and his disciples for the first time.

Whose blood Pilate had mingled] This piece of history is not recorded (as far as I can find) by Josephus: however, he states that the Galileans were the most seditious people in the land: they belonged properly to Herod's jurisdiction; but, as they kept the great feasts at Jerusalem, they probably, by their tumultuous behaviour at some one of them, gave Pilate, who was a mortal enemy to Herod, a pretext to fall upon and slay many of them; and thus, perhaps, sacrifice the people to the resentment he had against the prince. Archelaus is represented by Josephus as sending his soldiers into the temple, and slaying 3000 men while they were employed in offering sacrifices. Josephus, War, b. ii. c. 1, s. 3, and ii. c. 5. Some suppose that this refers to the followers of Judas Gaulonites, (see Acts 5:37,) who would not acknowledge the Roman government, a number of whom Pilate. surrounded and slew, while they were sacrificing in the temple. See Josephus, Antiq. lib. 18: but this is not very certain.