Luke 13:31-35 (unique to Luke) (Year C, Second Sunday in Lent) contains sayings against Herod and the religious leaders in Jerusalem.
Luke 13:31-33 is a biographical story on Jesus and Herod.[1] Some Pharisees warn him to leave Galilee because Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee, whose official residence, and regional capital city, Sepphoris, was four miles north of Nazareth, wants to kill him. This is to be taken seriously. Luke 9:7-9 has Herod confused over hearing about Jesus, thinking that he had already rid himself of troublesome prophets when he executed John the Baptist. Herod could carry out a death sentence on his own, not needing approval from Rome.[2] Do the Pharisees warn Jesus out of respect for him? Do they warn him because they want him out of their territory? We do not know.
Jesus assumes these Pharisees are in the employ of Herod. His harsh words against Herod show Jesus is not politically innocuous.[3] In verses 32-33, Jesus offers his decisive word to them, Go and tell that fox, which in Judaism is a pictorial description of an unimportant man, but it could also refer to a sly man,[4]'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and, anticipating crucifixion and resurrection, but referring here to the short period of his ministry,[5] the third day I finish my course (τελειοῦμαι), suggesting Jesus will be made perfect through his suffering and crucifixion (Heb 2:10, 5:9). This shows how important his exorcisms and healings were to Jesus.[6] Nevertheless, giving the reason for his plan in the need to fulfill his divine mission as a prophet, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, referring to a brief period; for, it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem. Such a saying reflects on the way Jesus considered his fate.[7] His enemies have no power over him until the right moment arrives. The Gospel of John uses the phrasing that his hour has not yet come (7:30, 8:20). Jesus has a message for that city, and he will die there. Thus, a prophet is not welcome in his home country (Luke 4:24, Mark 6:4, Matthew 13:57, John 4:44), but Jesus also makes it clear that he will share the fate of other prophets before him. For the image of Jerusalem as the city that kills the prophets and stones those God sends to it, we can go to Matthew 23:37-39 as well. In Matthew 22:6 and Luke 7:52, Israel tends to kill the prophets. Jeremiah 26:20-23 has the story of Uriah, who managed to escape to Egypt, but whom King Jehoiakim brought back to the city to execute because he uttered a prophecy of which the king did not approve. Jesus understood his public utterances put his life in peril. Herod has already killed John the Baptism. Luke 11:50-51 (also Matthew 23:29-37) relate the execution of Zechariah in the courts of the temple, recording in II Chronicles 24:20-22. The king who executed Zechariah was Joash. Interestingly, the father of the prophet was the High Priest, Jehoiada, who saved the life of the king from the murderous Queen Athaliah. One can read of this intrigue in II Kings 11:1-21 and II Chronicles 22:10-23:21. Yet, Joash had Zechariah killed despite this. Among the parables of Jesus is that of the wicked tenants. Jesus likens the prophets to the servants of a vineyard owner whom the tenants kill. When the owner sends his son, they kill him as well. See Luke 20:9-19, Mark 12:1-12, and Matthew 21:33-41 for this story.
Luke 13:34-35 (Mat 23:37-39) is a prophetic threat to Jerusalem. Jesus includes himself as among the prophets.[8] It needs to be included in any consideration of whether Jesus forecast a violent death for himself.[9] The saying presents Jesus as a heaven-sent messenger and herald of the wisdom of God commenting on the sad condition of Jerusalem. As such, this saying links the idea of preexistence, which we find in Jewish wisdom speculation in Proverbs 8:22-23 and Sirach 24:3ff, to the figure of Jesus in the tradition concerning him.[10] 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem; the saying anticipates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem and final lament in Luke 19:41-44, the city that kills the prophets (I K 19:10-14, II Chron 24:20-22, Jer 26:20-23) and stones those whom God sent to it! The saying views the death of Jesus as a prophetic destiny known in advance from the Old Testament.[11] Jesus may consider that he would be stoned to death.[12] In an allusion to many visits to Jerusalem on which the synoptic gospels are silent, How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. Jesus is making his invitation to all. An acceptable image of his time, taken from Isaiah 31:5, God as a bird hovering protectively over Jerusalem. The image of the sheltering wings of God under which the people find refuge is one we find in Deuteronomy 32:11, Ruth 2:12, Psalm 17:8, 57:1, 61:4, and 91:4. Here is the only time Jesus uses a female image for himself. The harsh reality, however, is clear: and you were not willing! Jesus had such painful experiences in making his appeal that he was convinced that his call would be in vain.[13] This saying views the death of Jesus as a prophetic destiny known in advance from the Old Testament.[14] 35 See God has left your house to you. The house in question is the temple. With the coming catastrophe to fall upon Jerusalem, Jesus prophesied that God would leave the Temple.[15] Jeremiah 22:5 in the LXX has the additional word “desolate,” a word we also find in most manuscripts of the parallel in Matthew 23:38. I Kings 9:7, Jeremiah 12:7 and Tobit 14:4 focus on the coming destruction of the temple of Solomon. This brief statement reflects a prophecy concerning the besieging and destruction of Jerusalem as a judgment of God the people of God. Early Christianity saw a fulfillment of this prophecy in the siege and overthrow of the city by Titus in 70 AD.[16] Further, I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, in the words of Psalm 118:26, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” This refers to the triumphant coming at the end of time, where Jews will recognize in Jesus their promised Messiah. Thus, despite sin and judgment, it leads to restoration, anticipating the salvation of Israel. The saying presents Jesus as a heaven-sent messenger and herald of the wisdom of God commenting on the sad condition of Jerusalem. As such, this saying links the idea of preexistence, which we find in Jewish wisdom speculation in Proverbs 8:22-23 and Sirach 24:3ff, to the figure of Jesus in the tradition concerning him.[17] We will hear from this psalm again in Luke 19:38 and John 12:13. On Palm Sunday, Jerusalem greeted Jesus as the heir to the throne of David, riding into Jerusalem on a royal donkey, as did Solomon when he became king in I Kings 1:33-35. Zechariah 9:9 prophesied the coming Messiah in this way. Jerusalem spread its garments before Jesus as Samaria did before Jehu in II Kings 9:13 and five days later the city executed him.
The history of the covenant Israel had with God meant the presence of the Lord elects them in divine action and powerful work of faithfulness and goodness. Yet, Israel followed its ancestors in the wilderness in complaint and disobedience. The elect people of God will not be neutral in the face of what God said and did in Jesus. Israel had the possibility of Yes, but it also had the alternative of a No of the most radical rejection, repudiation, and resistance. He stresses they were not wicked. In many ways, they were much better than their Roman and Greek contemporaries were. Yet, everything was at stake. It was a matter of life and death. Israel understood the question that Jesus put to it and the situation that allowed it to arise. It could not accept it. It was inevitable that Jesus would meet repudiation and resistance.[18]
This passage makes clear a basic truth. It has never been easy to be a faithful witness to the truth of God. Human beings do not always respond well to the truth. We often set ourselves in opposition to the truth. When someone speaks the truth to us, our instinct is to defend our ground. When one commits oneself to the truth, one places oneself at danger and risk. After all, no one was more faithful than Jesus was, and his way was the way of the cross. Yet, human rebellion does not mean that God gives up. In fact, God keeps extending the possibility of receiving the truth into one’s heart and life. God makes this offer through faithful witnesses, who represent the extended arms and warm embrace of God. Such faithful witnesses become the tangible offer of God to rebellious humanity. God offers the sheltering care that a mother bird offers her children.
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[14] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 416.
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[16] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 342.
[17] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 368.
[18] Barth, Church Dogmatics IV.2 [64.3] 261.
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