Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 13:1 (New Living Translation)

13:1 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple.

Jesus is teaching about sin and repentance. He begins the lesson with this statement of fact that He uses as an illustration. Pause for a moment and consider this.

Pilate murdered some people in the Temple.

Note, this is not lawful execution for breaking ordinances. This is not after trial by a jury of peers. There is nothing right about this. Pilate simply murdered some people in the Temple. Pilate didn’t like some people, so he had them killed right in front of everyone else. Take that. See the power of Pilate? The rest of you better behave or you are next!

I have never seen a governor send someone into a church building and have people murdered. I pray that I never do. This is not a nut walking in and shootin’ up the place. This is the government murdering people. I cannot understand this. This is impossible, right? Wrong. This is possible. This happened with Pilate and this happens today in some parts of the world.

Thank you God that I live in a time and a place where this doesn’t happen. At least it hasn’t happened in front of me. Some say that such a thing would wake Christians from our complacency and cause something good. I don’t know about that. I don’t know what would happen. I am thankful for how God has blessed me. Please God, help me to live according to that thankfulness.