Description
In verses 37 to 39, Jesus speaks a lament over Jerusalem. He prophesies its coming destruction by the Romans, but then looks forward to his end-time triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Commentary
Judgment on Israel
In these verses, Jesus prophetically laments over Jerusalem, prophesying its future desolation.
In verse 37, he speaks as God-incarnate, "How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! " Jesus looks back to Old Testament times, when in his pre-incarnate state as the second person of the Trinity, he longed to heal and fully restore Jerusalem.
In verse 38, he proclaims the coming desolation of Jerusalem, as was fulfilled in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. In Daniel 9:26, Daniel had prophesied that the Messiah would be killed and then Jerusalem would be destroyed. In the end times, Jerusalem will fall once again to the Antichrist (e.g. Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14:2).
In verse 39, Jesus looks forward to his end-time triumphal entry into Jerusalem after the battle of Armageddon. According to Matthew's placement of these verses, Jesus was speaking some time during passion week, after his triumphal entry as recorded in Matthew 21:1-11. But he speaks of a yet-future triumphal entry, in further fulfilment of Psalm 118:26, and of Psalm 24.
These verses in Matthew are followed immediately in the next chapter by Jesus walking away from the temple and prophesying that it will be torn down, with not even one stone left on another.
In Luke's parallel account, Jesus' lament over Jerusalem is placed slightly earlier, when he is still on his way to Jerusalem (Luke 13:33-35). Then immediately after the triumphal entry, Luke records that he wept further over Jerusalem, and prophesied in more detail about Jerusalem's coming desolation, including his statement that not one stone would be left upon another (Luke 19:41-44).
In these verses, Jesus prophetically laments over Jerusalem, prophesying its future desolation.
In verse 37, he speaks as God-incarnate, "How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! " Jesus looks back to Old Testament times, when in his pre-incarnate state as the second person of the Trinity, he longed to heal and fully restore Jerusalem.
In verse 38, he proclaims the coming desolation of Jerusalem, as was fulfilled in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. In Daniel 9:26, Daniel had prophesied that the Messiah would be killed and then Jerusalem would be destroyed. In the end times, Jerusalem will fall once again to the Antichrist (e.g. Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14:2).
In verse 39, Jesus looks forward to his end-time triumphal entry into Jerusalem after the battle of Armageddon. According to Matthew's placement of these verses, Jesus was speaking some time during passion week, after his triumphal entry as recorded in Matthew 21:1-11. But he speaks of a yet-future triumphal entry, in further fulfilment of Psalm 118:26, and of Psalm 24.
These verses in Matthew are followed immediately in the next chapter by Jesus walking away from the temple and prophesying that it will be torn down, with not even one stone left on another.
In Luke's parallel account, Jesus' lament over Jerusalem is placed slightly earlier, when he is still on his way to Jerusalem (Luke 13:33-35). Then immediately after the triumphal entry, Luke records that he wept further over Jerusalem, and prophesied in more detail about Jerusalem's coming desolation, including his statement that not one stone would be left upon another (Luke 19:41-44).
Tags
Places: Jerusalem
Symbols: Mother hen and chicks
Tags: Jesus as God-incarnate, Jesus like a mother hen, End-time triumphal entry, Fall of Jerusalem
Symbols: Mother hen and chicks
Tags: Jesus as God-incarnate, Jesus like a mother hen, End-time triumphal entry, Fall of Jerusalem
Judgment on Israel
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate!
39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate!
39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
(NET)
