“Wherefore , behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 23:34 Mean?
Jesus announces that he will send prophets, wise men, and scribes — and predicts exactly what will happen to them: some will be killed, crucified, scourged, and persecuted from city to city. The sending and the suffering are announced together.
The prediction is specific and devastating: the religious leaders will do to Jesus' messengers what their ancestors did to God's prophets. The pattern of rejecting and killing the messengers continues.
The purpose: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth (v.35). The accumulated guilt of rejecting God's messengers across history is approaching a breaking point. This generation will be the one that fills the cup.
Jesus is not surprised by the opposition. He sends his messengers knowing what will happen to them. The sending is an act of grace — giving one more chance to hear — even knowing the response will be violence.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Why does Jesus keep sending messengers when he knows they will be rejected and killed?
- 2.How does the accumulated guilt of rejecting messengers across history apply today?
- 3.What does it mean that grace persists despite certain rejection?
- 4.How are you receiving or rejecting the messengers God is sending to you?
Devotional
I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes. Jesus keeps sending. After every rejection. After every murdered messenger. He sends more. The generosity of the sending is staggering.
And some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them shall ye scourge. Jesus knows what will happen. He sends them anyway. The messengers are not naive. The sender is not surprised. The grace continues despite the certainty of rejection.
That upon you may come all the righteous blood. The accumulated weight of generations of rejection is reaching a tipping point. Each murdered messenger adds to the account. And this generation — the one that will crucify the Son himself — will be the one where the account comes due.
The pattern is ancient: God sends. People reject. God sends again. People kill. God sends again. The persistence of grace against the persistence of rebellion is the central drama of the Bible.
And Jesus is still sending. Messengers still come. The truth is still offered. The question is whether this generation will respond differently — or fill the cup like every one before.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
That upon you may come all the righteous blood,.... Or "the blood of all the righteous men", as the Syriac: Arabic,…
I send unto you prophets ... - Jesus doubtless refers here to the apostles, and other teachers of religion. Prophets,…
I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes Marking the continuity of the Christian with the Jewish Church.
ye…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture