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Luke 13

Luke book home•Chapter 13 of 24•35 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Luke 13 Overview

Jesus rejects the assumption that victims of political violence or a tower collapse were worse sinners than others and calls hearers to repent. He gives the parable of the barren fig tree, heals a bowed woman on the sabbath, compares the kingdom to mustard seed and leaven, answers a question about whether few are saved by urging entry through the strait gate, laments over Jerusalem, and continues toward His appointed death.

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13Chapter

35Verses

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Before you read Luke 13

Coming from

Luke 12 established the immediate context: Jesus warns against Pharisaic hypocrisy, teaches fear of God rather than men, assures disciples of the Father’s care, and warns against denying Him.

In this chapter

Luke 13 confronts self-righteous comparison, delayed judgment, sabbath hypocrisy, kingdom growth, false confidence, and the urgency of responding to Jesus before opportunity closes.

Leads into

Luke 14 continues the account: At a Pharisee’s house Jesus heals a man on the sabbath, teaches guests not to seek the highest seats, tells hosts to invite those unable to repay, and gives the parable of the great supper where invited guests make excuses and the poor and outsiders are brought in.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Jesus does not say tragedies prove the victims were especially sinful. He turns observers away from comparison and toward their own need to respond to God.

Striving to enter the narrow door should not be turned into meritorious works-salvation. The context warns people who presume on familiarity with Jesus while failing truly to enter; urgency and genuine response are the point.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Tragedy is not a reliable scale of personal guilt

Jesus rejects the idea that those who suffered were uniquely worse sinners.

God’s patience is purposeful but not endless

The barren fig tree receives further cultivation, yet judgment remains possible.

Mercy fulfills the sabbath’s good purpose

Jesus calls the healed woman a daughter of Abraham and exposes selective compassion.

Kingdom beginnings can look small

Mustard and leaven imagery point to extensive growth/influence.

Religious proximity does not equal entrance

People can claim to have eaten and heard near Jesus yet remain unknown as workers of iniquity.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Exodus 20:8–11; Deuteronomy 5:12–15

Sabbath law provides the background to Jesus’ mercy argument.

Matthew 7:13–23

Matthew contains parallel narrow-way and false-profession warnings.

Isaiah 25:6–9

People from east and west sitting in the kingdom resonates with prophetic feast imagery.

Romans 2:1–4

Paul likewise turns those judging others back toward their own repentance under God’s patience.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use disasters to pronounce specific guilt without revelation

Jesus explicitly rejects that comparative logic.

Do not make repentance a work that purchases eternal life

The call is urgent turning to God; salvation is received by faith in Christ.

Do not make strive mean salvation is earned by effort

The warning attacks presumption and delay, not grace through faith.

Read Luke 13 watching for…

Two tragedies Jesus discusses.

The repeated call to repent.

The fig-tree owner and dresser.

The synagogue ruler’s hypocrisy.

Small-growth kingdom images.

The narrow-door warning and Jerusalem lament.

Chapter outline5 sections

1-9Jesus calls for repentance and gives the parable of the barren fig tree 10-17Jesus heals a woman bowed together on the Sabbath and answers his critics 18-21Jesus compares the kingdom of God to mustard seed and leaven 22-30Jesus teaches about entering through the narrow door and warns that many will be shut out 31-35Jesus responds to a warning about Herod and laments over Jerusalem

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?

It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

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Luke 13:19

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