What does Jesus mean when he calls Herod "that fox"?

When Jesus calls Herod “that fox,” he is pointing to Herod’s sly, crafty way of working. Herod does not come openly against Jesus, but tries to scare him away through threats. Jesus is not insulting just to insult; he is exposing the kind of ruler Herod is, one who uses tricks and fear instead of truth. At the same time, Jesus shows he is not frightened. He will keep driving out demons and healing people until his work is finished, and Herod’s plots cannot change God’s plan or timing for his death.

What does "I cast out devils today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected" mean?

Jesus is saying that for a short, set time he will keep doing his work: casting out demons and healing people. When he speaks of “the third day” and being “perfected,” he is talking about finishing the work the Father gave him, especially through his suffering and death. To be “perfected” here means his mission will be completed and his offering of himself will be finished. He will not die one moment before that time. So these words show both his courage and his clear sense of purpose as he moves toward the cross.

Why does Jesus say a prophet cannot perish out of Jerusalem?

Jesus says, “It cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem,” to point at the sad history of that city. Jerusalem was meant to be the center of worship and truth, yet again and again it became the place where God’s messengers were rejected and killed. The main court that tried supposed prophets was there, so many who were condemned died there. Jesus is showing that it fits this long pattern that he, the prophet and more than a prophet, will be killed there too. His words also expose the hypocrisy of those who pretend to warn him while they belong to the city that kills God’s servants.

Why does Jesus cry, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets"?

Jesus repeats the name “Jerusalem” with deep sorrow. He thinks of how often God sent prophets to this city and how often they were rejected, beaten, or stoned. This city had great light and many chances to hear God’s word, yet it often answered with violence. Jesus is not cold when he says this; he speaks with grief and longing. He had again and again been ready to gather the people and protect them, but they would not come. His cry shows both the seriousness of their sin and the tenderness of his heart toward them.

What does the picture of a hen gathering her brood under her wings teach?

The hen gathering her brood under her wings is a gentle picture of how Jesus wanted to care for and protect the people of Jerusalem. Like a mother bird who shelters her chicks from danger and keeps them close, Jesus was ready to draw them near, keep them safe, and give them the blessings that come from staying close to him. The sad part is his words, “and ye would not.” The problem was not his lack of love or willingness, but their refusal. This shows that when people refuse his care, the loss is their own, not because he did not invite them.

What does Jesus mean by "your house is left unto you desolate"?

When Jesus says, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate,” he is speaking of Jerusalem and especially the temple. The people had turned the place of worship into something they boasted in while rejecting the One it pointed to. So Jesus warns that it will be left empty and forsaken. Even if the building remains for a time, a house without God’s presence is truly desolate. He is handing it back to them, in a sense saying, “You wanted it without me; now you have it without me.” This is a sober word about what happens when people push the Lord away.

What does "Ye shall not see me, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" mean?

These words look ahead. Jesus says that the people will not see him again until a time when they say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” This has been understood in more than one way. Some see it as pointing to a future turning of many from Israel to welcome him as the true Messiah. Others see it as words that will be fully felt when he comes again and all must acknowledge him. In any case, it warns that rejecting him now leads to a long separation, and only when he is truly welcomed as the Lord’s chosen one will that be healed.

What was happening when the Pharisees warned Jesus about Herod killing him?

Jesus was traveling and teaching in the region ruled by Herod. Some Pharisees came and told him to leave because Herod wanted to kill him. This warning was likely not sincere concern. Either Herod used them to send a threat, or they themselves used Herod’s name to push Jesus out, since many people in that area were starting to follow him. They hoped fear would silence him or move him away. Jesus saw through this. He sent a message back to Herod, made clear he would keep doing his work, and turned the whole moment into a warning about Jerusalem’s long resistance to God’s messengers.

What does this passage show about Jesus’ character in the face of threats?

This passage shows that Jesus is brave, clear, and tender all at once. He is not shaken by Herod’s threat. He knows his time to die is near, but he will not be driven by fear. He will keep casting out demons, healing, and walking toward the place where he will lay down his life. At the same time, he is not hard or cold. His heart breaks over Jerusalem’s history of killing the prophets and rejecting his care. So you see both his steady obedience to God’s plan and his deep compassion for those who turn away from him.

How can this passage speak to someone who feels far from God today?

The picture of Jesus here shows that he does not turn away easily. He had often wanted to gather the people of Jerusalem under his wings, but they would not come. If you feel far from God, this passage says the problem is not that he is unwilling. He continues his work, even through danger, so that people might be saved. His lament over Jerusalem shows that he is grieved when people refuse him. So if you sense you’ve been resisting him, this passage is an invitation: he is still the one who gathers, protects, and covers all who will come to him.

Luke.13.31

Luke 13:31

KJV

The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

Lament over Jerusalem

The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.