Luke 13:3: except ye repent

1710–1714 · Matthew Henry, Commentary on Luke 13.1-5

That repentance is the way to escape perishing, and it is a sure way: so iniquity shall not be your ruin, but upon no other terms. (4.) That, if we repent not, we shall certainly perish, as others have done before us. Some lay an emphasis upon the word likewise, and apply it to the destruction that was coming upon the people of the Jews, and particularly upon Jerusalem, who were destroyed by the Romans at the time of their passover, and so, like the Galileans, they had their blood mingled with their sacrifices; and many of them, both in Jerusalem and in other places, were destroyed by the fall of walls and buildings which were battered down about their ears, as those that died by the fall of the tower of Siloam. But certainly it looks further; except we repent, we shall perish eternally, as they perished out of this world. The same Jesus that calls us to repent because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, bids us repent because otherwise we shall perish; so that he has set before us life and death, good and evil, and put us to our choice.

1754 · John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on Luke 13.3

Ye shall all likewise perish - All ye of Galilee and of Jerusalem shall perish in the very same manner. So the Greek word implies. And so they did. There was a remarkable resemblance between the fate of these Galileans and of the main body of the Jewish nation; the flower of which was slain at Jerusalem by the Roman sword, while they were assembled at one of their great festivals. And many thousands of them perished in the temple itself, and were literally buried under its ruins.

1771–1772 · George Whitefield, Selected Sermons 32

Luke 13:3 — “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” When we consider how heinous and aggravating our offenses are, in the sight of a just and holy God, that they bring down his wrath upon our heads, and occasion us to live under his indignation; how ought we thereby to be deterred from evil, or at least engaged to study to repent thereof, and not commit the same again; but man is so thoughtless of an eternal state, and has so little consideration of the welfare of his immortal soul, that he can sin without any thought that he must give an account of his actions at the day of judgment; or if he, at times, has any reflections on his behavior, they do not drive him to true repentance: he may, for a short time, refrain from falling into some gross sins which he had lately committed; but then, when the temptation comes again with power, he is carried away with the lust; and thus he goes on promising and resolving, and in breaking both his resolutions and his promises, as fast almost as he has made them. This is highly offensive to God, it is mocking of him. My brethren, when grace is given us to repent truly, we shall turn wholly unto God; and let me beseech you to repent of your sins, for the time is hastening when you will have neither time nor call to repent; there is none in the grave, whither we are going; but do not be afraid, for God often receives the greatest sinner to mercy through the merits of Christ Jesus; this magnifies the riches of his free grace; and should be an encouragement for you, who are great and notorious sinners, to repent, for he shall have mercy upon you, if you through Christ return unto him.

1820 · John Tillotson, Works, Volume 10 253

I tell you, Nay.” And having thus anticipated their censuring of others, our Saviour proceeds to awaken them to a consideration and care of themselves: “I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” The general sense of which words is, that impenitency in sin will certainly be the ruin of men sooner or later: it will probably bring great mischiefs and calamities upon men in this world; however, it will infallibly plunge them into misery in the next. But besides the certain denunciation of misery and ruin to all impenitent sinners, which is the largest sense of the words, and agreeable to many other express texts of Scripture, it is probable enough, that they may more immediately and particularly refer to those temporal calamities which were to befal the Jews, and bespoken by our Saviour by way of prediction, foretelling what would be the fate of the whole Jewish nation, if they continued impenitent, πάντες ὁμοίως ἀπολεῖσθε, “Ye shall all perish in like manner;” that is, if ye do not repent, besides the vengeance of another world, a temporal judgment as sad as these I have instanced in, and not much unlike them, shall come upon this whole nation: and so indeed it came to pass afterwards.

1820 · John Tillotson, Works, Volume 10 253

Second thing I observed in the text, viz. The right use we should make of the judgments of God upon others; and that is, to reflect upon our own sins, and to repent of them, lest a like or greater judgment overtake us. This our Saviour tells us in the next words, “But except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” As if he had said, There is no reason at all, why ye should conclude from those terrible judgments of God, which have befallen those miserable persons, that they were greater sinners than your selves, who have for the present escaped those judgments; but, instead of censuring others, you should look into yourselves: the most proper reflection to be made upon such occasions, is, that you are liable to the like judgments, your sins have deserved that God’s providence should have dealt so with you, as it hath done with those Galileans, “whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices; “or with those eighteen persons upon whom the tower of Siloam fell; and for what reasons soever these judgments of God fell upon them, and passed by you, (which you are not at all concerned to inquire into) to be sure, if you continue impenitent, you have reason to expect the like or greater ruin.

1834 · Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible: Luke 13.2

Except ye repent - Except you forsake your sins and turn to God. Jesus took occasion, contrary to their expectation, to make a practical use of that fact, and to warn them of their own danger. He never suffered a suitable occasion to pass without warning the wicked, and entreating them to forsake their evil ways. The subject of religion was always present to his mind. He introduced it easily, freely, fully.

1856–1869 · J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke 13.1-5

Two things are absolutely necessary to the salvation of every one of us. We must repent, and we must believe the Gospel. Without repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, no man can be saved.

1856–1869 · J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke 13.1-5

The repetition of this sentence shows the general importance of repentance and the great need in which the Jews in particular stood of it. Ford quotes a saying of Philip Henry's which is worth reading: "Some people do not like to hear much about repentance. But I think it is so necessary, that if I should die in the pulpit, I would wish to die preaching about repentance; and if I should die out of the pulpit, I would wish to die practicing it."

1871 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 17 (1871) 1003

You have said, “Farewell” to those beloved ones, eternally farewell, unless you yourselves believe in Jesus. And if any of you have heard of persons who have lived in sin and died in blasphemy, and are lost, I pray you think not of them carelessly lest you also suffer the same doom: for what saith the Savior: “Suppose ye that these were sinners above all the sinners?” “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” It seems to me as if everything on earth and everything in heaven, and everything in hell, yea, and God himself, calls upon you to seek “your own salvation,” first, and foremost, and above all other things.

1872 · John Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions 130

I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” It therefore behoves us to consider our own sins; — the cause of all our sufferings. It behoves each of us to say, “Lo, I have sinned; I have done wickedly.”

1897 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 43 (1897) 2547

I tell you, no, but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think you that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No, but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Here, then, is a word of warning to those who have seen others die, all of a sudden, and who have wrapped themselves up in the robe of self-conceit, saying to themselves, "no doubt these people were much worse than we are. They have been taken away, but we still live." Take heed, Sirs, for God's justice is equal and unerring, and He will deal with you even as He has dealt with others!

1897 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 43 (1897) 2547

If my blood must be spilt through an act of Divine vengeance, let it fall anywhere but on my religion, for that would seem a doubly dreadful thing—to die at the altar and to let one's blood be mingled with his sacrifice! Yet I do really fear that this must and will, in the necessary order of things, be the lot of some here who never forsake the gatherings of God's people and yet, at the same time, who have never yielded their hearts to God. Then, think of those on whom the tower in Siloam fell—how did they die? Christ says, "Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." Why, they were destroyed by their own defenses—the tower was built to defend the place—yet it fell upon 18 of the inhabitants and slew them! It is an awful thing when a man's self-righteousness damns him, when that which is his confidence becomes his condemnation, when the very thing in which he trusted shall totter to its fall and bury him beneath its ruins!

1930–1933 · A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament: Luke 13.5

Except ye repent (εαν μη μετανοησητε). First aorist active subjunctive, immediate repentance in contrast to continued repentance, μετανοητε in verse 3, though Westcott and Hort put μετανοητε in the margin here. The interpretation of accidents is a difficult matter, but the moral pointed out by Jesus is obvious.

1930–1933 · A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament: Luke 13.3

Except ye repent (εαν μη μετανοητε). Present active subjunctive of μετανοεω, to change mind and conduct, linear action, keep on changing. Condition of third class, undetermined, but with prospect of determination.

306 · Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle (On Penance) 3

But as for those who have suffered none of these things, and have shown no fruit of faith, but of their own accord have gone over to wickedness, being betrayed by fear and cowardice, and now come to repentance, it is necessary and convenient to propose the parable of the unfruitful fig-tree, as the Lord says: “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.” Keeping this before their eyes, and showing forth fruit worthy of repentance, after so long an interval of time, they will be profited.

391–430 · Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (Sermones 51-147) 22.3

Of this ax does John speak, saying, “Now is the ax laid unto the root of the trees; every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire.” With this ax does the Householder in the Gospel threaten, saying, “Behold these three years I come to this tree, and find no fruit on it.” Now I must clear the ground; wherefore let it be cut down. And the husbandman intercedes, saying, “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 Thou shalt come and cut it down.” So the Lord hath visited mankind as it were three years, that is, at three several times. The first time was before the Law; the second under the Law; the third is now, which is the time of grace.

1865 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 11 (1865) 650

Even thus, speaking after the manner of men, it is natural that the great Maker of all should look for the good fruit of obedience and love from the men who are the objects of His providential care and be grieved when He meets with no return. Man is very much more God's property than a tree can ever be the property of the man who plants a vineyard. And as God has spent so much more skill and wisdom in the creation of a man than a farmer can have spent in the mere planting of trees, it becomes the more natural that God should look for fruit from His creature, man.

1865 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 11 (1865) 650

It is only a matter of time as to whether or not the vineyard shall be cleared of the encumbrance of its barren trees. And it is but a matter of time as to when the world shall be delivered from the burdensome presence of barren souls. It stands to reason that barren trees, which soon become the haunts of all sorts of mischievous creatures, should be a nuisance to the vineyard. Neither can sinners be permitted forever to become the dwelling places of evil spirits and the dens of iniquity— a thorough riddance must be made of impenitent sinners as well as of rotten trees. There is a time for felling fruitless trees, and there is an appointed season for hewing down and casting into the fire the useless sinner.

1910 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 56 (1910) 3195

I tell you, No, but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. There would come upon them, also, because of their sin, a sudden and overwhelming calamity. When we read of the most dreadful things happening to men, we may conclude that something similar will happen to us if we are impenitent—if not in this world, yet in that which is to come!