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The Goodness of Repentance
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” Luke 13:1–3
In Jesus’ time, it was commonly believed that suffering and tragedy were signs of divine punishment. The incident mentioned above is one such example. Although neither the Scriptures nor other historical records provide details of this event, it can be reasonably inferred from the passage that Pilate had ordered the massacre of certain Jews, perhaps even in the Temple in Jerusalem during worship. To the people, this horrific event appeared to signify that God was displeased with those victims and had allowed their deaths as a form of divine justice.
Jesus then refers to another recent tragedy in which eighteen people were killed when the tower at Siloam collapsed on them. This, too, was interpreted by many as a sign of God’s judgment and disfavor.
Jesus, however, corrects this misconception and turns it into a personal call to repentance. He makes it clear that those who suffered were not greater sinners than anyone else. This would have been a sobering statement. No one wanted to share the fate of those killed by Pilate or crushed by the falling tower. By clarifying that they were no more sinful than the rest, Jesus would have caught His listeners’ attention and provoked serious introspection.
Instead of allowing His audience to focus on the faults of others, Jesus calls them to examine their own lives. “But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” In other words, the real tragedy is not physical death but spiritual death—the eternal loss that comes from an unrepentant heart. Jesus redirects the conversation from judging others to a sober recognition of our own need for conversion. He teaches that suffering in this life is not always the result of sin, but unrepented sin will ultimately lead to the far more serious and permanent suffering of separation from God.
Prayerfully sit with both of these tragedies and see yourself in them. Though unpleasant, imagine being one of those murdered by Pilate while offering worship to God in the Temple. Or imagine being next to the tower at Siloam when it fell on you. Such a thought is jarring. In modern times, we might imagine a sudden death in a car crash or being killed in a robbery. Why would we want to ponder such possibilities? Because Jesus contrasts these visible and imaginable sufferings with an evil that is far greater: the refusal to repent.
The point is straightforward: If we rightly shudder at the thought of experiencing one of these tragedies, how much more should we shudder at the idea of not repenting. By saying, “If you do not repent, you will all perish,” Jesus wants us to feel the urgency of repentance. He wants us to become so acutely aware of our sins that we flee from sin as one would flee from a collapsing tower. In fact, our urgency should be even greater and more decisive when it comes to turning away from sin.
Sometimes the term “repent” carries a negative connotation. It can feel harsh, judgmental, or condemning. Our fallen tendency toward pride tempts us to resist, rationalizing that we are not “serious sinners” and should focus only on the good. But that attitude is a grave mistake because one of the greatest goods we can do is, in fact, to repent and reunite ourselves with God’s love through His mercy.
Reflect today on how easily we can fall into the trap of self-assurance, focusing on the sins of others or dismissing our need for daily conversion. Ponder the urgency with which Jesus speaks. Let His words pierce your conscience and stir within you a holy fear—not of physical death, but of a hardened, unrepentant heart. Then run to the Lord with trust, humility, and sorrow for sin, confident that His mercy is always greater than our failures.
Lord of mercy, You desire not the death of the sinner, but that we turn back to You and live. Help me to see my sins clearly, to grieve them with a contrite heart, and to turn to You without delay. Make repentance my daily path, help me to see the goodness in it, and draw me ever more deeply into the joy of Your saving love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Christ the Rewarder, by Ary Scheffer
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