Lukas 19:13

19:13 And he summoned ten of his slaves, ¹  gave them ten minas, ²  and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’

Lukas 3:9

3:9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, ³  and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be ⁴  cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Lukas 6:46

6:46 “Why ⁵  do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ ⁶  and don’t do what I tell you? ⁷ 

[19:13]  ¹ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

[19:13]  ² sn That is, one for each. A mina was a Greek monetary unit worth one hundred denarii or about four months’ wages for an average worker based on a six-day work week.

[3:9]  ³ sn Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees. The imagery of an “ax already laid at the root of the trees” is vivid, connoting sudden and catastrophic judgment for the unrepentant and unfruitful. The image of “fire” serves to further heighten the intensity of the judgment referred to. It is John’s way of summoning all people to return to God with all their heart and avoid his unquenchable wrath soon to be poured out. John’s language and imagery is probably ultimately drawn from the OT where Israel is referred to as a fruitless vine (Hos 10:1-2; Jer 2:21-22) and the image of an “ax” is used to indicate God’s judgment (Ps 74:5-6; Jer 46:22).

[3:9]  ⁴ tn Grk “is”; the present tense (ἐκκόπτεται, ekkoptetai) has futuristic force here.

[6:46]  ⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[6:46]  ⁶ tn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.

[6:46]  ⁷ sn Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you? Respect is not a matter of mere words, but is reflected in obedient action. This short saying, which is much simpler than its more developed conceptual parallel in Matt 7:21-23, serves in this form to simply warn and issue a call to hear and obey, as the last parable also does in vv. 47-49.