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Luke 13:28 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

28 There will be weeping and cries of sorrow when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are shut outside.

Cross Reference

Matthew 8:11-12 BBE

And I say to you that numbers will come from the east and the west, and will take their seats with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: But the sons of the kingdom will be put out into the dark, and there will be weeping and cries of pain.

Matthew 22:13 BBE

Then the king said to the servants, Put cords round his hands and feet and put him out into the dark; there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.

Matthew 25:30 BBE

And put out the servant who is of no profit into the outer dark: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.

Psalms 112:10 BBE

The sinner will see it with grief; he will be wasted away with envy; the desire of the evil-doers will come to nothing.

Matthew 13:42 BBE

And will put them into the fire; there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.

Matthew 13:50 BBE

And will put them into the fire: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.

Matthew 24:51 BBE

And will have him cut in two, and will give him a part in the fate of the false ones: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.

Luke 10:15 BBE

And you, Capernaum, were you not lifted up to heaven? you will go down to hell.

Luke 14:15 BBE

And, hearing these words, one of those who were at table with him said to him, Happy is the man who will be a guest in the kingdom of God.

Luke 16:23 BBE

And in hell, being in great pain, lifting up his eyes he saw Abraham, far away, and Lazarus on his breast.

Luke 23:42-43 BBE

And he said, Jesus, keep me in mind when you come in your kingdom. And he said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you will be with me in Paradise.

2 Thessalonians 1:5 BBE

Which is a clear sign of the decision which God in his righteousness has made; to give you a part in his kingdom, for which you have undergone this pain;

2 Peter 1:11 BBE

For so the way will be open to you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:8 BBE

But those who are full of fear and without faith, the unclean and takers of life, those who do the sins of the flesh, and those who make use of evil powers or who give worship to images, and all those who are false, will have their part in the sea of ever-burning fire which is the second death.

Revelation 22:15 BBE

Outside are the dogs, and those who make use of evil powers, those who make themselves unclean, and the takers of life, and those who give worship to images, and everyone whose delight is in what is false.

Commentary on Luke 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 13

Lu 13:1-9. The Lesson, "REPENT OR Perish," Suggested by Two Recent Incidents, and Illustrated by the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.

1-3. Galileans—possibly the followers of Judas of Galilee, who, some twenty years before this, taught that Jews should not pay tribute to the Romans, and of whom we learn, from Ac 5:37, that he drew after him a multitude of followers, who on his being slain were all dispersed. About this time that party would be at its height, and if Pilate caused this detachment of them to be waylaid and put to death as they were offering their sacrifices at one of the festivals, that would be "mingling their blood with their sacrifices" [Grotius, Webster and Wilkinson, but doubted by De Wette, Meyer, Alford, &c.]. News of this being brought to our Lord, to draw out His views of such, and whether it was not a judgment of Heaven, He simply points them to the practical view of the matter: "These men are not signal examples of divine vengeance, as ye suppose; but every impenitent sinner—ye yourselves, except ye repent—shall be like monuments of the judgment of Heaven, and in a more awful sense." The reference here to the impending destruction of Jerusalem is far from exhausting our Lord's weighty words; they manifestly point to a "perdition" of a more awful kind—future, personal, remediless.

4, 5. tower in Siloam—probably one of the towers of the city wall, near the pool of Siloam. Of its fall nothing is known.

6-9. fig tree—Israel, as the visible witness of God in the world, but generally all within the pale of the visible Church of God; a familiar figure (compare Isa 5:1-7; Joh 15:1-8, &c.).

vineyard—a spot selected for its fertility, separated from the surrounding fields, and cultivated with special care, with a view solely to fruit.

came and sought fruit—a heart turned to God; the fruits of righteousness; compare Mt 21:33, 34, and Isa 5:2, "He looked that it should bring forth fruit"; He has a right to it, and will require it.

7. three years—a long enough trial for a fig tree, and so denoting probably just a sufficient period of culture for spiritual fruit. The supposed allusion to the duration of our Lord's ministry is precarious.

cut it down—indignant language.

cumbereth—not only doing no good, but wasting ground.

8. he answering, &c.—Christ, as Intercessor, loath to see it cut down so long as there was any hope (see Lu 13:34).

dig, &c.—loosen the earth about it and enrich it with manure; pointing to changes of method in the divine treatment of the impenitent, in order to freshen spiritual culture.

9. if … fruit, well—Genuine repentance, however late, avails to save (Lu 23:42, 43).

after that, &c.—The final perdition of such as, after the utmost limits of reasonable forbearance, are found fruitless, will be pre-eminently and confessedly just (Pr 1:24-31; Eze 24:13).

Lu 13:10-17. Woman of Eighteen Year's Infirmity Healed on the Sabbath.

11. spirit of infirmity—Compare Lu 13:17, "whom Satan hath bound." From this it is probable, though not certain, that her protracted infirmity was the effect of some milder form of possession; yet she was "a daughter of Abraham," in the same gracious sense, no doubt, as Zaccheus, after his conversion, was "a son of Abraham" (Lu 19:9).

12, 13. said … Woman … and laid—both at once.

14. with indignation—not so much at the sabbath violation as at the glorification of Christ. (Compare Mt 21:15) [Trench].

said to the people—"Not daring directly to find fault with the Lord, he seeks circuitously to reach Him through the people, who were more under his influence, and whom he feared less" [Trench].

15. the Lord—(See on Lu 10:1).

hypocrite!—How "the faithful and true Witness" tears off the masks which men wear!

his ox, &c.—(See on Mt 12:9-13; and Lu 6:9).

16. ought not, &c.—How gloriously the Lord vindicates the superior claims of this woman, in consideration of the sadness and long duration of her suffering, and of her dignity notwithstanding, as an heir of the promise!

Lu 13:18-30. Miscellaneous Teachings.

18-21. mustard seed … leaven—(See on Mr 4:30-32). The parable of "the Leaven" sets forth, perhaps, rather the inward growth of the kingdom, while "the Mustard Seed" seems to point chiefly to the outward. It being a woman's work to knead, it seems a refinement to say that "the woman" here represents the Church, as the instrument of depositing the leaven. Nor does it yield much satisfaction to understand the "three measures of meal" of that threefold division of our nature into "spirit, soul, and body," (alluded to in 1Th 5:23) or of the threefold partition of the world among the three sons of Noah (Ge 10:32), as some do. It yields more real satisfaction to see in this brief parable just the all-penetrating and assimilating quality of the Gospel, by virtue of which it will yet mould all institutions and tribes of men, and exhibit over the whole earth one "Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ." (See on Re 11:15).

23. Lord, &c.—one of those curious questions by talking of which some flatter themselves they are religious.

said unto them—the multitude; taking no notice of the man or his question, save as furnishing the occasion of a solemn warning not to trifle with so momentous a matter as "salvation."

24. Strive—The word signifies to "contend" as for the mastery, to "struggle," expressive of the difficulty of being saved, as if one would have to force his way in.

strait gate—another figure of the same. (See on Mt 7:13, 14).

for many … will seek—"desire," that is, with a mere wish or slothful endeavor.

and shall not be able—because it must be made a life-and-death struggle.

25. master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door—awfully sublime and vivid picture! At present he is represented as in a sitting posture, as if calmly looking on to see who will "strive," while entrance is practicable, and who will merely "seek" to enter in. But this is to have an end, by the great Master of the house Himself rising and shutting the door, after which there will be no admittance.

Lord, Lord—emphatic reduplication, expressive of the earnestness now felt, but too late. (See on Mt 7:21, 22).

26, 27. See on the similar passage (Mt 7:22, 23).

eaten and drunk, &c.—We have sat with Thee at the same table. (See on Mt 7:22).

taught in our streets—Do we not remember listening in our own streets to Thy teaching? Surely we are not to be denied admittance?

27. But he shall say, &c.—(See on Mt 7:23). No nearness of external communion with Christ will avail at the great day, in place of that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Observe the style which Christ intimates that He will then assume, that of absolute Disposer of men's eternal destinies, and contrast it with His "despised and rejected" condition at that time.

28, 29. (See Mt 8:11, 12). Also see on Mt 13:42.

Lu 13:31-35. Message to Herod.

31. and depart hence—and "go forward," push on. He was on His way out of Perea, east of Jordan, and in Herod's dominions, "journeying towards Jerusalem" (Lu 13:22). Haunted by guilty fears, probably, Herod wanted to get rid of Him (see on Mr 6:14), and seems, from our Lord's answer, to have sent these Pharisees, under pretense of a friendly hint, to persuade Him that the sooner He got beyond Herod's jurisdiction the better it would be for His own safety. Our Lord saw through both of them, and sends the cunning ruler a message couched in dignified and befitting irony.

32. that fox—that crafty, cruel enemy of God's innocent servants.

Behold, I cast out devils and I do cures—that is, "Plot on and ply thy wiles; I also have My plans; My works of mercy are nearing completion, but some yet remain; I have work for to-day and to-morrow too, and the third day; by that time I shall be where his jurisdiction reaches not; the guilt of My blood shall not lie at his door; that dark deed is reserved for others." He does not say, I preach the Gospel—that would have made little impression upon Herod—in the light of the merciful character of Christ's actions the malice of Herod's snares is laid bare [Bengel].

to-day, to-morrow, the third day—remarkable language expressive of successive steps of His work yet remaining, the calm deliberateness with which He meant to go through with them, one after another, to the last, unmoved by Herod's threat, yet the rapid march with which they were now hastening to completion. (Compare Lu 22:37).

I shall be perfected—I finish my course, I attain completion.

33. it cannot be that a prophet, &c.—"It would never do that," &c.—awful severity of satire this upon "the bloody city!" "He seeks to kill me, does he? Ah! I must be out of Herod's jurisdiction for that. Go tell him I neither fly from him nor fear him, but Jerusalem is the prophets' slaughter-house."

34, 35. O Jerusalem, &c.—(See on Mt 23:37; Mt 23:39).