OK, it’s the second week of Lent, that time of journeying with Jesus, as he is on the way to Jerusalem, to suffer, or with passion (its meaning is not just desire). For some folk, those within Ukraine, parts of Russia, Syria, and parts of America, they are suffering at the moment. Probably all because of factions not agreeing, or seeking to enforce power upon those within their society for they own gain. As Amy-Jill Levine (Jewish Professor and biblical scholar) suggests: “Sin is to violate community welfare for the sake of gain“- it just depends upon how you see that community, to whether you find this possible definition acceptable or not.
In our passage this week, a relatively short one from Luke 13: 31-35, we have the Pharisees offering some advice. Prior to this – it is important not to selectively focus in one just 3-4 verses but consider the overall context of what the author was writing about – Jesus in on his way to Jerusalem and questions whether all can enter the ‘narrow door’ (Luke 13: 23). But ends with folk from all of the cardinal directions of the compass, coming to sit with God. All? Can we welcome that?
Interestingly, the verses Luke 13:-31-33, are only found in Luke’s Gospel. The Author writes that ‘at that very hour’, the Pharisees tell Jesus that he should “get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you“. Recall that Jesus is often eating with the Pharisees (7:36-50, 11:37-54, 14:1-21) and the Pharisees are possibly one of the first to move towards believing in Jesus (Acts 15:5: “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”, said the Pharisees in the authors follow up work). Have we mis-portrayed the Pharisees as the enemy?
Jesus respond to them “Go and tell that fox“…just a minute, where did that come from? Albeit in the Song of Songs 2:15 where there’s mention of foxes who might ruin a vineyard (love), what might the reference to a fox mean? Iain Provan (NIV Application Commentary) suggests: “the foxes are presumably men intent on sexual conquest.” Was this a reference to Herod’s sexual antics, marrying the niece of his son – considered incestuous, also killing a previous wife and many others from within his family, and (slyly) killing John?
Jesus then describes what he has been doing: you know, the ordinary stuff like casting out demons, performing cures, but on the third day “I will finish the course“. The third day?
Was the author referencing the resurrection? Written half a century after the event,
it could be a way of re-emphasising that event to the believers.
Luke 13:33Then both Matthew and Luke seemingly agree on the next 2 verses (Luke 13:34-35) in every word, bar for Matthew adding, annotated in bold, that the “house is forsaken and desolate“. In these verses, there are accusations that prophets are killed and stoned by those in Jerusalem (other than Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who died many miles from Jerusalem). There is a tone of rejection here but concludes with the familiar verse about “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19)
What does this mean to us today?
When Jesus finally enters Jerusalem on ‘Palm Sunday’ (Luke 19:39), the Pharisees seek to silence the people. They can offer advice, but when the rubber actually hits the road, they go all quiet: will we? When the temperature of the talk becomes heated, and people look to scapegoat others (not merely Christians), will we also remain quiet?
When a politician openly mocks a women for acting like a child because she spoke up for the rights of others, or criticises parents for bringing up children without a specific gender, what might we say?
Rejection is part of life, mainly due to the inability of others to see people as diverse, that our society can be inclusive. We can all play our part in standing up for others, so that others hear our protests, and can identify that our faith is not something that is kept for Sundays, but drives us forward, each and every day.
