Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus 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! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them— do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”
Gospel Trivia:
There are two different but related accounts in this Sunday's gospel -- first, the two incidents related to the death of some Galileans and another involving "eighteen people"; the second is the parable of the fig tree.
On the first:
- the Galileans were likely political rebels that were squashed by Pilate; the eighteen people were probably workers who figured in an accident while constructing a water tower;
- in both incidents, the victims were the poor and politically oppressed, and Jesus was telling his audience (who were also poor and politically oppressed) that conversion is required from everyone, including those who are victims of oppression.
- secondly, Jesus was going against the concept of retribution -- a common notion at that time (and even today), that misfortunes were God's retribution for one's bad behavior.
On the parable of the fig tree:
- the fig tree, like the vine, was also used as symbolizing Israel;
- the fruitfulness of the fig tree symbolizes the people of Israel who have not converted and the time to act is now;
- there is an urgency, a deadline to do so, as reflected in the caretaker's plea to give him a year; note also that fertilizing a fig tree is not usually done, which suggests an extraordinary measure was being resorted to.
Jesus came to preach not a life based on rules and laws, but a life based on conversion towards love of God through neighbor.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul Publications, 1987), p. 195-197.
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