Luke 13 Luke 13:1–5 Christ showeth that temporal calamities are no sure signs of sinfulness, but that others should take warning by them, and repent. Luke 13:6–9 The parable of the fig tree that was ordered to be cut down for being fruitless.

The Holy Scriptures giving us no account of these two stories to which our Saviour doth here refer, and those who have wrote the history of the Jews having given us no account of them, interpreters are at a great loss to determine any thing about them.

This parable very fitly coheres with the preceding discourse: there he had let his hearers know, that though God spareth some sinners, and hath a longer patience with them than others, though they be every whit as great transgressors, in expectation still that they should bring forth fruit; yet if…

Though the Greek be on the sabbaths, which might signify any day of the week, yet it is manifest by what followeth that this miracle was wrought upon the seventh day, which was the Jewish sabbath, else the ruler of the synagogue would not have quarrelled with our Saviour about it.

Answered here signifies no more than, he spake, as in a multitude of other places in the Gospels. The Jews were both very superstitious and very uneven as to the sanctification of the sabbaths: superstitious, because they would not do many things which by God’s law they might do, such as applying…

Our Saviour here calleth this ruler of the synagogue hypocrite, for his impudence in so severe a reflection on him for doing on the sabbath day a work of that nature which he himself did, and thought himself blameless in the doing of, and his friends ordinarily did, upon whom for so working he did…

It is one thing to be ashamed, another thing to be convinced, so as to confess an error; they were ashamed that they were so put to silence before the people, but we read of no confession of their error and mistake, and begging Christ’s pardon.

See Poole on “Matt. 13:31”, and following verses to Matt. 13:33. They are two parables by which Christ foretells the great success of the gospel, notwithstanding the present small appearance of the efficacy of it.

Still wherever we find our blessed Lord, we find him teaching, and that not by an exemplary life only, but by word of mouth. There are different opinions whether our Saviour was now journeying towards Jerusalem with respect to the passover, or some other great festival of the Jews.

Our Saviour hath told us, Matt. 7:14, that strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth to eternal life, and few there be that find it. Upon this this exhortation is founded.

Our Saviour in these verses doth represent himself by a man, who, having invited guests to his supper, stays till all those who were invited, and accepted the invitation, were Come in; then rising up, shuts the door; and after that is shut, turns a deaf ear to any that shall come knocking, let them…

We have the same Matt. 8:11–12, only he saith only from the east and west: See Poole on “Matt. 8:11–12”. Weeping and gnashing of teeth, are usual expressions by which the pains of the damned are expressed, especially by the evangelist Matthew, Matt. 8:12, Matt. 13:42, Matt. 13:50, Matt.

This is a sentence which our Saviour often made use of, and not always to the same purpose. See Poole on “Matt. 19:30”. See Poole on “Matt. 20:16”. See Poole on “Mark 10:31”. As to the sense of them here, it is plain.

It is plain from this text, that our Saviour was at this time in Galilee, for that was the tetrarchy or province of Herod Antipas, who is the Herod here mentioned. Whether these Pharisees came of their own heads, or as sent by Herod, is not so plain, nor so well agreed by interpreters.

See Poole on “Matt. 23:37–39”. These five last verses afford us much for our instruction. 1. We may from them learn the craft of the enemies of the gospel, as well as their malice; they are lions, and will, like lions, tear rand rend when they see an opportunity; but when they see it convenient,…