NOTES for Luk 13:1-9
When we picture God as this world's executioner, we usually suppose that He deliberately sends specific disasters in order to punish particular people. This idea was widespread in the days of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ as well. When people told Him about the Galileans killed by Pilate, those who told Him most certainly asked (or implied) the question: why? In the same way, after the healing of the man born blind, the disciples ask who sinned, this man or his parents. Why did people die when no specific guilt is known against them, greater than that of others?
And the Lord has to repeat again and again what had already been said more than once through the prophets of Israel: "unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way." Strictly speaking, the fact that the cause of our disasters lies in our not needing God is fairly obvious, but in our own time, when thousands of ordinary people die as a result of terrorist attacks and catastrophes, it is very important for us to take this well to heart. God is not an executioner, but our Defender, our Savior. But in order to take refuge in that protection, we must trust Him, seek Him with all our heart, and turn to Him.