Excepts Of Jesus
Luke 13:3,5 "I tell you, Nay: but EXCEPT ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish." "I tell you, Nay: but EXCEPT ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
The language of these verses is so plain that it needs believing and application more than it does explanation. UNLESS (except!) the sinner turns from his wicked way, he will most assuredly be damned.
The context refers to two separate events from which Jesus teaches the necessity of repentance. Read verses one through five. Now, verse one doubtless refers to an event of recent occurrence. From the answer Jesus gave, it would appear that the "some (people) present" (v.1) supposed the Galileans deserved the slaughter and that they meant to pass a judgment on the character of those Galileans. This was a thing of which the Jews were exceedingly fond: passing judgment on others.
The answer of Jesus is a reproof of their habit of hastily judging the character of others — especially without looking to their own condition.
In the opening verses, the Lord repudiates the notion that earthly calamities are a true measure of character. The Jew's question seemed to be: "Were the men whom the Roman governor slew; or the men who had been killed by the Siloam tower; sinners above others?" Not necessarily! Jesus says to judge them not in that manner. See, rather that YOU yourself repent of your own sins, because if you do not TURN from your own evil, then you will perish.
The fact that men may come to sudden and violent deaths is not in itself proof that they are peculiarly wicked. So Jesus takes occasion, contrary to their expectation, to make a practical use of the historical facts of verses one and four, by warning them of their own danger. Our Lord never let a suitable occasion pass by without warning the wicked and entreating them to forsake their evil ways.
Primarily, Jesus is here teaching the absolute necessity of individual repentance. To "repent" means to make a change of mind which leads to a change of purpose, conduct and actions. It is a complete turnabout. UNLESS the ungodly changes his ways — he will certainly perish. This is as sure and inevitable as the fact that Christ rules and will judge.
— 1309 Chase St., Novato, California 94947