| Luke 13:1-9 includes a warning from the apostle Paul | | | | dismantles the interpretation that suffering is to be |
| about becoming overconfident: "Even if you think you | | | | equated with sinfulness. To those with a self-righteous |
| can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall" (1 | | | | attitude, Jesus exhorts them to repent. His message |
| Corinthians 10:12, CEV). And this week's Gospel text | | | | harkens back to the preaching of John the Baptist |
| challenges the notion of false confidence. The text is | | | | (Luke 3:3) who warned the people to turn back to God |
| structured in two parts. The first part (verses 1-5) | | | | so that their sins would be forgiven. |
| focuses on repentance and includes two questions | | | | The parable of the fig tree helps us understand divine |
| posed by Jesus (verses 2, 4); the second part (verses | | | | patience and provides a context for suffering and sin. It |
| 6-9) calls our attention to God's merciful patience. | | | | normally takes a fig tree three years in which to |
| In the account of the Galileans who perished and | | | | mature and bear fruit. In this parable, the three years |
| those who were killed when a tower collapsed, Jesus | | | | have passed, and the tree has been unproductive. The |
| teaches that tragedy is not to be interpreted as | | | | tree is spared, even though it is fruitless, because of |
| evidence of sinfulness. Likewise, Jesus cautions those | | | | the patience of the gardener. The parable serves as a |
| who do not suffer tragedy not to be self-righteous and | | | | metaphor to teach us about the ways of God in |
| assume they are without sin. In Jesus' day, physical | | | | relation to sinful humanity. God gives us a second |
| suffering was viewed as a consequence of sin (see | | | | chance over and over again, even when we are |
| Luke 5:18-24; John 9:2, 3). Jesus refutes this notion and | | | | undeserving of such boundless grace. |