Normally, I haven't been blogging such large sections of the text but on this occasion, the natural flow of the reading takes you through the whole chapter.
This passage has Jesus saying "Woe to you ... " seven times.
The previous passages had Jesus in a running verbal confrontation with the religious leaders and here he finishes off the confrontation by listing their shortcomings. The shortcomings boil down to self-importance, self-righteousness, ignorance and hypocrisy.
A few years back, I was sitting in on a class taught by Ralph Winter at Glendale Presbyterian Church where he was showing video clips from various movies that portray the life of Jesus.
Unfortunately, I can't remember which film clips he showed that recreated Matthew 23. In one of them, Jesus is angry and his voice is booming throughout. In the other, Jesus starts angry and as he goes through the litany of woe, he eventually begins to weep.
We simply don't know what the emotion of the moment was. However, if Matthew 23:37-39 was spoken immediately after the declaration of woes, the second cinematic interpretation might be right.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!For 36 verses, Jesus lands body blows against the errors of the ways of the religious leaders of the day. I don't doubt he would find churches today where he would say the exact same things.
In verses 37-39, it is clear, Jesus does not derive any savage glee from the faults of others. His desire is restoration.
Lord have mercy on me a sinner. Help me to see my sin but also to see that you can forgive and restore. Help me to live rightly in a sinful world with humility knowing it is not me at work but you working in me. Amen.
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