Church Fathers Commentary Luke 13:31-35

"In that very hour there came certain Pharisees, saying to him, Get thee out, and go hence: for Herod would fain kill thee. And he said unto them, Go and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third [day] I am perfected. Nevertheless I must go on my way to-day and to-morrow and the [day] following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. 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 13:31-35 (ASV)

St. Cyril of Alexandria: Our Lord's preceding words angered the Pharisees, for they perceived that the people were now deeply moved in their hearts and were eagerly receiving His faith. Fearing they would lose their office as rulers and their profits, they feigned concern for Him and tried to persuade Him to leave. As it is said, The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying to him, "Get out and leave this place, for Herod wants to kill you." But Christ, who searches the heart and mind, answered them meekly and figuratively: And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox..."

The Venerable Bede: He calls Herod a fox because of his cunning and stratagems. A fox is an animal full of craft, hiding in ditches to avoid snares, having a foul smell, and never walking in straight paths. All of which are characteristics of heretics, of whom Herod is a type, who tries to destroy Christ (that is, the humility of the Christian faith) in the hearts of believers.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: Alternatively, the discourse seems to change here, referring not so much to Herod's character, as some think, but to the lies of the Pharisees. For He speaks almost as if the Pharisees themselves were standing near when He said, "Go tell this fox." He therefore commanded them to say what would provoke the multitude of Pharisees. He said, "Behold, I cast out demons and I perform cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I shall be perfected." He promises to do what displeased the Jews—namely, to command evil spirits and deliver the sick from their diseases—until He Himself would undergo the suffering of the cross.

But the Pharisees thought that He, the Lord of hosts, feared Herod. He refutes this, saying, "Nevertheless, I must walk today and tomorrow, and the day following." When He says "must," He does not at all imply that a necessity was imposed upon Him. Rather, it means He walked where He pleased according to the inclination of His will, until He came to the end of the dreadful cross. Christ shows this time is now drawing near when He says, "Today and tomorrow..."

Theophylact of Ohrid: It is as if He says, "What do you think of My death? Behold, in a little while, it will happen." But the words "Today and tomorrow" signify many days, just as we are accustomed to say in common conversation, "Today and tomorrow such a thing will take place," not meaning that it happens in that exact interval of time.

To explain the words of the Gospel more clearly, you must not read it as, "I must walk today and tomorrow," but place a stop after "today and tomorrow," and then add, "and walk on the day following." We often do this when counting, saying, "The Lord's day and the day after, and on the third I will go out," using the first two to indicate the third. So also our Lord speaks as if He is calculating: I must do this today, and that tomorrow, and then afterward on the third day I must go to Jerusalem.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, these words are understood as spoken mystically by Him, referring to His body, which is the Church. For demons are cast out when the Gentiles, having forsaken their superstition, believe in Him. And cures are completed when, according to His commands, after renouncing the devil and this world, the Church is perfected at the resurrection. This resurrection, by which the "third day," as it were, will be completed, will bring the Church to angelic fullness through the immortality of the body.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Because they said to Him in Galilee, where Herod reigned, "Leave this place, for Herod seeks to kill you," He shows that it was not in Galilee, but in Jerusalem, that it had been foreordained for Him to suffer. Hence it follows: For it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. When you hear, "It cannot be" (or "it is not fitting") that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem, do not think that any violent constraint was imposed upon the Jews. He says this appropriately, referring to their eager thirst for blood.

It is just as if someone, seeing a most savage robber, were to say, "The road where this robber lurks cannot be free of bloodshed for travelers." So also, nowhere else but in the den of robbers must the Lord of the prophets perish. For, being accustomed to the blood of His prophets, they will also kill the Lord, as it follows: O Jerusalem, which kills the prophets...

The Venerable Bede: In calling out to Jerusalem, He is not addressing the stones and buildings of the city, but its inhabitants, and He weeps over it with the affection of a father.

St. John Chrysostom: The twice-repeated word signifies compassion or very great love. The Lord speaks, so to speak, as a lover would to his beloved who despised him and was therefore about to be punished.

Greek Expositors: The repetition of the name also shows the severity of the rebuke. For she who knew God—how can she persecute God’s ministers?

St. Cyril of Alexandria: He proves that they were forgetful of the divine blessings, as follows: "How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" He led them with all wisdom by the hand of Moses, He warned them by His prophets, and He wished to have them under His wings (that is, under the shelter of His power). But through their ingratitude, they deprived themselves of these precious blessings.

St. Augustine of Hippo: As for the many I did gather, it was done by My all-powerful will, despite your unwillingness—for you were always ungrateful.

The Venerable Bede: Now He who had aptly called Herod a fox for plotting His death compares Himself to a bird, for foxes are always lying in wait for birds.

St. Basil the Great: He also compared the sons of Jerusalem to birds in a net. It is as if He said: Birds that are used to flying in the air are caught by the treacherous devices of trappers, but you will be like a chick in need of another's protection. When your mother has fled, you are taken from your nest, too weak to defend yourself and too feeble to fly. As it follows: Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

The Venerable Bede: The city itself, which He had called the nest, He now calls the house of the Jews. For when our Lord was slain, the Romans came and, plundering it like a deserted nest, took away their place, their nation, and their kingdom.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Or by "your house," He means the temple. It is as if He says, "As long as there was virtue in you, it was My temple, but after you made it a den of thieves, it was no longer My house, but yours." Alternatively, by "house" He meant the whole Jewish nation, according to the Psalm, "O house of Jacob, bless the Lord," by which He shows that it was He Himself who governed them and delivered them from the hand of their enemies. It follows: And truly I say to you...

St. Augustine of Hippo: There seems to be no contradiction with St. Luke’s narrative in what the multitudes said when our Lord came to Jerusalem—"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"—for He had not yet arrived there, nor had this been said yet.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: For our Lord had departed from Jerusalem, as if abandoning those who were unworthy of His presence. He afterward returned to Jerusalem, having performed many miracles, at which point the crowd met Him, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

St. Augustine of Hippo: But since Luke does not say where our Lord went from there, only that He would not be seen until that time, he must be referring to His future coming. For when this was spoken, Jesus was still journeying toward Jerusalem. Therefore, He must mean that coming when He will appear in glory.

Theophylact of Ohrid: For at that time they will unwillingly confess Him to be their Lord and Savior, when there is no escape. But in saying, "You will not see me until..." He does not refer to that present hour, but to the time of His cross. It is as if He says, "When you have crucified Me, you will no longer see Me until I come again."

St. Augustine of Hippo: Luke, then, must be understood as either anticipating events here, before his narrative brings our Lord to Jerusalem, or as having Jesus give an answer while approaching the city to those who warned Him about Herod—an answer similar to the one Matthew says He gave after He had already reached Jerusalem.

The Venerable Bede: "You will not see me" means that unless you repent and confess Me to be the Son of the Father Almighty, you will not see My face at the second coming.