Albert Barnes Commentary Luke 13:34-35

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen [gathereth] her own brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you [desolate]: and I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." — Luke 13:34-35 (ASV)

From the message which Jesus sent to Herod we may learn:

1. That our lives are safe in the hands of God, and that wicked men can do no more to injure us than he will permit. Compare to John 19:11.
2. That we should go on fearlessly in doing our duty, and especially if we are doing good. We should not regard the threats of men. God is to be obeyed; and even if obedience should involve us in difficulty and trials, we still should not hesitate to commit our cause to God and go forward.
3. We should be on our guard against crafty and unprincipled men. They often profess to seek our good when they are only plotting our ruin. Even those professedly coming from our enemies to caution us are often also our enemies, and are secretly plotting our ruin or endeavoring to prevent our doing good.
4. We see here the nature of religion. It shrinks at nothing that is duty. It goes forward trusting in God. It comes out boldly and faces the world.
5. How beautiful and consistent is the example of Christ! How wise was he to detect the schemes of his foes! How fearless in going forward, in spite of all their machinations, to do what God had appointed for him to do!