The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 2

in c,onnPCtion with the aqueduct to i:::? Ver. 7.-Behold, theae three yeara I aome rool of SiloRrn. Heking fruit on this fl.g tree, e.nd find none. Ver. 5.-Exoept ye repent, ye 1hBU all Some expositors see in this period of threo likewise perish. The words were indeed years an allusion to the storied pRst of prophetic to the letter. Thousands of Jews Hebrew life, and in the number 3 discern perished in the last terrible "·ar by the the three markecl. epochs, each lnsting swords of the Roman legionriries, like the feveral centuries, of the high priests, judg~s, GRlilrenns of ver. 1; not a few met their and kings. This, however, is e. very doubtful death in the capital among the ruins of the reference, owing to the impossibility of huming fallen honses. We ln1ow thst Jem- sepe.rnting the first two periods of the rulo l'1tlem in its entirety was destroyed, and the of high priests nnd judges, ns theso inter- loss of life in the siege, anu especially in its change and overlap ench other. Another dread closing scenes, was simply incalculable. school of interpreters sees o. reforenoe to the Within forty years all this happened. three years of tbo public ministry of Jesus. Ver. 6.-He spake also thill parable: A A better reference would be God's successive certain man had a fig tree planted in his calls to Israel by the Law, the prophets, and villeyard. And then, without any further by Christ. It is, however, safer, in this nnd prelude, Jesus spoke this parable of the in many of the Lord's parables, not to press barren fig tree, whicb contained, in lan- every little detail which was necessary for guage l!C&l'cely veiled at all, warnings to the completion of the picture. Here the Israel as a nation-the most sombre and period of three years in which the Lord of threatening he hn.d yet given utterance to. the vineyard came seeking fruit, represents " Hear, 0 people," said the Master. "In the by the number 3 the symbol of complete- vineyard of the Lord of hosts is a fig tree, ness-a period of full opportunity given to long planted there, but utterly unfruitful. the tree to have become fruitful and pro- It is now on its last trial ; indeed, were it not ductive. Cut it down; why cn.mbereth it for the intercession of the Gardener, the the ground 1 better rendered, why doth it Lord of the vineyard had already pro- mal;:s the ground useless 'i It is an unpro- nounced its final doom." "The very inter- ductive tree, and occupies the pince which cession, though, is ominous; the Vinedresser another e.nd a fertile tree might fill. shows his mercifulness by deprecating im- Ver. 8.-And he answering sa.id unto him, mediat.e cutting down, but the careful speci- Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall fication of conditions, and the limitation of dig about it, and dung it. The last year- the period within which experiments are to the year of grace they who listened to him be made, intimate that peril is imminent. ... then were living in. It was the last sum• The restriction of the intercession of the mons to repentance, the final reminder to Vinedresser for a single year's grace indi- the old covenant people that to their high cates ChriBt's own sympathy with this privileges as the chosen race there were Di\•ine rigour. . . . The Vinedresser knows duties attached. They prided themselves that, though God is long-suffering, yet his on the privileges, they utterly forgot the patience as exhibited in the hi.story of hie duties. The period, represented by this last dealings with men is exhaustible, and that in year included the preaobing of John the Isroel's CSBe it is now all but worn out. And Baptist, the public ministry of Jesus Christ. he sympathizes with the Divine impatience and the forty years of apostolio teaching with chronic and incurable sterility" (Pro- which followed the Cmcifix:ion e.nd Resur- fessor Broce). A fig tree planted in his vine- rection. The last chance was given, but in yard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, the Vinedresser's prayer to the Lord of the s.nd found none. It is not an uncommon prao• vineyard there is scarcely e. ray of hope. tice to plant fig trees at the corners of vine- The history of the world supplies the sequel yards, thus utilizing every available spot of to this parable-story. ground. Still the Lord's choice of a fig tree Vere. 10-17.-.A mirac1,e of mercy. Tllo as the symbol of Israel, the chosen people, Lord's t.eaching on oortain strict observanooa is at first sight strange. This image was no of the sabbath day then practised by the morll doubt selected to show those Pharisees and rigid Jews. other Jews, proud of what they considered Ver. 10.-And he waa teaohing in one of their uuassailable position as the elect of the synagogues on the sabbe.th. We hear the Eternal, that, after all, the position little of our Lord's public teaching in the they occupied we.a bnt that of a fig tree in synagogues of the towns and villages through the corner of the vineyard of the world- which he was then passing in this his last planted there and watched over so long as long journey. In the earlier months of the it promised to serre the Lord of the vine- ministry of Jesus he seems to have taught ye.rd' s purpose; if it ceased to do that, if it frequently in these houses of prayer, very gave no farther promise of fruit, then it possibly every sabbe.th day. It bas been would 1,e ruthleBBly cut down. auggested, with considerable probability, en. x111. 1--35.J 'fHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. a that owing to the poreietent enmity of the where the sick poor only woro concerned. hicrr.rchy ond dominant olass ot JernsRlcm, He vividly draws a contrast ootween the he wns excluded from some ot lee.et of the animal and the human bein:i;. The ox and eynngogucs by what was termed the "lesser the ass, though, were personal property ; the oxcornmunic11tion." afflicted daughter of Abraham was but a Vor. 11.-And, behold, there was a woman woman, friendless and poor. whioh he.d a spirit of infirmity eighteen Vers.18-21.-The Lord,in hto little prn- yeara, l\nd was bowed together, and could in phetic parables tells the people lunn ,trangely no wiao lift up hereclf. 'l'ho ,lescription of and mightily hia religion u,ou/.d ,pread over the sufferer, eo accumte in its clctails, marks the earth. the mcdice.l trnining of the compiler here. Ver. 18.-T'118n said he, Unto what is the The malady ,vas evidently n curvature of kingdom of God like t and where'llllto shall the spine of a very grave character. Her I re,emble it l In the seventeenth verse presence in the synngogue that day gives us -after the Lord's words spoken to his ene- a hint, at least, that this poor afflicted one mies, who took exception at his miracle loved communion with her God. Doubtless of healing worked for the poor woman who the faith and trust on her side r ecessary had been bent for eighteen years, because to the cure were there. Her first a :t, after he had done it on the sabbath day-we read she was sensible of the blessed change how "all bis adversaries were ashamed; aud wrought in her poor diseased frame, was an all the people rejoiced for all the glorious outpouring of de'l'out thanks to God. things that were ,done by him." This dis- Ver. 14.-And the ruler of the synagogue comfiture of tho hypocrites, and the honest answered with indignation, becaUlle that joy of the simple folk over e. noble and Jesus he.d healed on the sabbath day. The Divine deed of mercy, accompanied by brave, people, as usual, were stirred to enthusiasm kind words, seem to have suggested to the by this glo1·ious act of power and mercy. Master the subject of the two little parobles Afraid, before the congregation of the syna- of the mustard seed and the leaven, in which gogue, to attack the Master personally, the parables the growth of hiB glorious kingdom "rnler," no doubt influenced by members was foreshadowed from very small begin- of the Pharisee party who were present, at- nings. The very small beginning he coulu tempted to represent the great Physician as discern in what then surrounded him. a deliberate scorner of the sacred Law. The Ver. 19.-It is like a grain of mustard eabbnth regulations at this time were ex- seed, which a man. took, and cast ~to his cessively burdensome and childishly rigorous. ge.rden; and it grew, and waxed a great The Law, as expounded in the schools of tree ; and the fowls of the air lodged in the the rabbis, allowed physicians to act in branches of it. The simile was a well- cases of emergency, but not in chronic known one in the Jewish world. "As small disee.ses such as this. How deep an interest as e. grain of mustard seed" was e. proverh must such a memory of the Master's as current among the people in those days. this sabbath day's healing have had for In Eastern countries this little seed often that belo'l'ed physician who has given his becomes a tree, and stories e.re even told name to these memoirs we call the Third of mustard trees so tall that o man coulcl Gospel I Often in later yea.re, in Syrian climb up into their branches or ride beneath Antioch, in the gree.t cities of Ite.ly and them on horsebe.ck. Such instances ara Greece, would he, ns he plied 1is blessed possibly very rare, but it is a common sight craft among the sick on the sabbath de.y, be to see a mustard plant, raised from one of attacked by rigid Jews ns one who profaned these minute grains, grown to the height the day. To such would he relate this inci- of e. fruit tree, putting forth branches on dent, and draw his lessons of mercy aud which birds build their nests. It was with of love. so1TOwful irony the.t the great Teacher Ver. 15.-The Lord then answered him, compared the kingdom of God in those d~.ys and said, Thou hypoorite, doth not ea.eh one to this small grain. The kingdom of God of you on the sabbath loose his ox or hi11 :in earth then was compmod of J es11s and ass from the stall, and lead him away to his few wavering followers. To the eye of watering 1 The older authorities here rend seme it seemed impossible that this little "hypocrites," and thus join the cavilling movement oould ever stir the world, could synagogue ruler with the whole sect of men ever become e. society of mighty dimensions. who taught an elaborate ritual in place of "See," so.id the Master, taking up a little a high, pure life. 'fhe Lord, in e. few mustard seed; "does this seem as though master-touche8, exposes the hollowness of it would ever become e. tree with spreading such se.bbath-keeping. Every possible in- branches on which the birds might rest? dulgence wns to be shown in oases where The kingdom of God is like this seed.'' their own interests were involved; no mercy Ver. 21.-It is like leaven, whioh e. woma._11 or indulgence was to be thought of, though, took and hid in three measures of meal, till  THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [cu. xm. 1-3/i.