If your path is leading to destruction, doesn’t it make sense to have a change direction?
As Jesus heads towards Jerusalem, he’s warned that other Galileans, like himself, were killed by Herod.
Beware!
However, perhaps those Galileans deserved their fate.
But, Jesus doesn’t let this sort of thinking stand: “No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts you will all perish likewise.”
But, contrary to how most people understand this, he isn’t talking about what happens after death. He’s not talking about burning in hell.
The people of both Galilee (where Jesus grew up) and the people of Judea (where Jerusalem is) were living under Roman occupation, and many of them were willing to take up arms against the Romans.
But, Jesus summons them to change paths, to abandon this crazy rebellion against Rome, or suffer the consequences. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.
Jesus offers a different way of life.
Sometimes, we also find ourselves on destructive paths. Sometimes, our churches are on destructive paths. Jesus also summons us to repent, to change our hearts, and head in a new direction.
This wisdom may apply to us as much as it did to those he originally addressed.
The Reading
Now some were present at that time who told him about the Galilaeans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And in response he said to them, “Do you think that these Galilaeans surpassed all Galilaeans as sinners, because they suffered these things? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts you will all perish likewise. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they surpassed all men dwelling in Jerusalem in guilt? No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts you will all perish likewise.” And he spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and came seeking fruit on it, and did not find any. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find nothing; cut it down. Why does it even waste the soil?’ But in reply he says to him, ‘Leave it this year too, until I can dig around it and spread manure, And see if indeed it produce fruit in future; but if not, you will cut it down.’” (Luke 13:1-9)