Articles
The Urgency Of Repentance
The Jewish people during Jesus’s day lived under the rule of the Roman empire. There were occasions in which Roman administrators used force and violence to maintain order. The Jewish historian, Josephus, recorded an event in which Jews were beaten so that many of them died (Josephus, Jewish War 2.9.4). It was within this context of Roman brutality that a specific incident was reported to Jesus. Luke wrote, “Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices” (Luke 13:1). The reason for the massacre is not provided; only the result. Jesus’s response to this brutal event was not a scathing political commentary against Rome. Rather, it was a spiritual message about the urgency of repentance.
Tragedies such as the one reported to Jesus were common. To emphasize the pervasive nature of these events, Jesus added another tragedy—a tower in Siloam had fallen and killed eighteen (Luke 13:4). People concluded that those who were killed in these ways were being judged by God. They must have been worse sinners than others, a conclusion that Jesus directly challenged. As Darrell L. Bock observes, “Jesus raises what would be a typical conclusion, only to reject it in his response.” Jesus said, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). Jesus’s response redirects the focus from those who perished in tragic deaths to a more fundamental issue of personal repentance. There is a fate far worse than being tragically killed by a Roman administrator or a natural event such as a falling tower—eternal separation from God.
The Galileans who were killed by Pilate and those who were killed by the Siloam tower were likely going about their daily lives. These events highlight the unexpected and irrevocable nature of death. That is why Jesus spoke about the urgency of repentance, because death can strike at any moment. He instructs us to “have a serious change of mind and heart about a previous point of view or course of behavior.” His instructions about repentance challenge us to examine our lives to determine if we are continually turning from sin. Will we heed his warning about the brevity of life and urgently change our attitudes and behavior, actively aligning ourselves with his ways?
Earthly tragedies are, for the most part, beyond our control. Nevertheless, we do have firm control over our response to Jesus’s urgent call to repentance. Therefore, let us not delay. The Lordship of Jesus and the brevity of life demands a decisive response. Let us examine our hearts, urgently repent of our sins, and actively pursue a life that is governed by our King.
