l Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And He answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate? 3 I tell you, no, but, unless you repeat, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
What the Lord is Saying: As I have read and studied these texts so far in John, I see that often Jesus is explaining something that is not immediately apparent, and yet as He explains the meaning it becomes apparent. Based upon uses of things in society, we are somewhat conditioned or trained to think of things a certain way. Some horrible acts have happened in history so where was God in these events? Luke 13:1 mentions Pilate attacking some worshipers and mixing their blood with the animal sacrifices they were offering. And then Jesus also mentions a nondeliberate act in which the tower in Siloam fell on 18 people, crushing them. Jesus responds then to people who think that the people did something wrong to merit this. Suffering and sickness may be due to a person's sin, but not always. These events are to wake us up to the need to repent and get ourselves right with God. This is what Jesus is saying in verse 5.
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Matthew 24:36 - But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
What the Lord is Saying: We are often focused on His return. We like figuring out the unknown, the discovery. And yet Jesus says, no one know, but how is that He includes Himself in this? We know Jesus lived fully man and fully God on this earth. His responses reveal this and this is one place where it seems His response to Him not knowing was Him speaking as a man. Much of what Jesus is trying to convey to people in the Gospels is that He has been sent from the Father to do the Father's will. And this is, in a way, another example.
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Mark 11:12-14
12 And on the next day, when they ha departed from Bethany, He became hungry. 13 And seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And He answered and said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" His disciples were listening.
What the Lord is Saying: How could a morally pure individual curse an innocent fig tree? Like the fig tree, the Jews were supposed to bear good fruit. However, in Jesus’ day, He could not find much spiritual fruit among the religious authorities and even many of the people (Mark 11:20–33; see Matt. 23). He cursed the fig tree to warn the people what would happen to them if they did not repent of their fruitlessness.
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Matthew 12:22-32
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. 23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
25 And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
30 He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
What the Lord is Saying: The unforgivable sin has troubled many. Blasphemy is a sin involving words, against God. The problem was the Pharisees were thinking that Jesus was acting by the devil. Thus, they were committing blasphemy, attributing sinful acts to God. Jesus was trying to prevent the Pharisees from carrying out this sin. We must all be careful of our intent toward God.
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