Luke 13:9 — Community Reflections

LUKE 13:9 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

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

Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her? — the daughter of Abraham designation recalls the promised inheritance of the covenant people and places the woman within the community the Sabbath was given to protect and liberate. Her healing is the Sabbath's deepest purpose made visible: the day of liberation liberates a bound daughter of the liberated people.

Church Fathers on Luke 13:9

The Jews were boasting, that while the eighteen had perished, they all remained unhurt. He therefore sets before them the parable of the fig tree, for it follows, He spoke also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard.
TITUS BOST ·

There was a vineyard of the Lord of hosts, which He gave for a spoil to the Gentiles. And the comparison of the fig tree to the synagogue is well chosen, because as that tree abounds with wide and spreading foliage, and deceives the hopes of its possessor with the vain expectation of promised fruit, so also in the synagogue, while its teachers are unfruitful in good works, yet magnify themselves with words as with abundant leaves, the empty shadow of the law stretches far and…
Ambrose · 4th century

The Lord Himself who established the synagogue by Moses, came born in the flesh, and frequently teaching in the synagogue, sought for the fruits of faith, but in the hearts of the Pharisees found none; therefore it follows, And came seeking fruit on it, and found none.
Bede · 8th century

Read all 18 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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