Gathering Desire – Luke 13:31-35

Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, followed in his father’s footsteps.  Herod the great tried to kill Jesus soon after Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2).  Herod’s son, Herod Antipas, also apparently tried to kill Jesus.  HerodAntipas killed John the Baptist because he was threatened by him.  And he somehow came to think that Jesus might be John resurrected (Matthew 14:1-2; Mark 6:14-16).  We know that Herod’s followers plotted to kill Jesus (Mark 3:6).  Jesus seemed to know of the threat Herod posed to him before being told by the Pharisees.  When Herod beheaded John we’re told Jesus withdrew to a lonely place (Matthew 14:13).  The Herods were not Jesus-friendly.

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”  (Luke 13:31-35 ESV)

Jesus uses the reported threat of Herod’s desire to kill him as an opportunity to both lament and denounce Jerusalem.  It is not unlikely that Herod wants to kill Jesus, but it is just as likely that these Pharisees are saying this in order to scare Jesus and make him look cowardly if he flees.  But Jesus asserts that he will continue his work without changing course.  And he asserts that he must go to Jerusalem and must die there rather than at Herod’s hands because Jerusalem has always been where prophets are killed.

Despite this rebuke of Jerusalem Jesus has great compassion for the holy city and would happily embrace her and protect her.  But her rejection of him means that he will be killed and go away, and will come again only if the city blesses his name, a veiled indication of his resurrection and second coming to establish the kingdom.

I don’t care how great a sinner you are, Jesus would gather you like a chick under his wing.  All you need do is say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”