It Rains on the Just and the Unjust

Jesus Spins a Parable on Mercy, Grace, and Repentence

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There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” – Luke 13:1-9

There is, I think, a parallel to Job in this passage from Luke. Job’s friends were all but certain that Job’s misfortunes had to do with his behavior. The crowd Jesus was talking to seemed to have a similar “bad things happen to bad people” way of thinking.

But just as God told Job’s friends they’d jumped to the wrong conclusion, Jesus also sets his audience straight, telling them that the executed Galileans and those who perished under the fallen tower were no worse sinners than anyone else. In our sin-stained world, it rains on the just and the unjust. Jesus seems eager to talk about the mercy and grace that he offers. In typical Jesus fashion, he uses a parable to do so. And as with any story, you’d do well to read to the conclusion. Otherwise, you’ll miss the warning about what happens when you wait too late to repent.

What’s the difference between showing mercy and showing grace? Showing mercy is not giving someone the punishment he or she deserves. Showing grace is giving the person favor he or she did not earn. As disciples of Jesus, we are to abide in him and bear fruit. When we don’t, we are being disobedient. You could say we are like the fig tree, using up the ground we’ve been planted in. Yet Jesus doesn’t instantly condemn us. That’s mercy.

Instead, he took our disobedience upon himself, dying for our sins so that we can have eternal life – something we could never achieve on our own. That’s grace.

Like the man showed patience with the fig tree, the Lord is also patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish. That’s also grace. But Jesus is coming back. We may not know the day or the hour, but we should take him at his word. The time for adopting a posture of repentance is now.

Or did you think that those who aren’t followers of Jesus are worse sinners than those of us who follow him?

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.