John Calvin Commentary Luke 13:33

"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." — Luke 13:33 (ASV)

It does not usually happen, etc. He next adds that it is an empty threat, presented by false and hypocritical advisers, because there is no danger of death anywhere else than at Jerusalem. In this second clause, he sharply attacks the Pharisees: “Is it you, who—I foresee—will be my executioners, that advise me to beware of Herod?”

The rebuke extends, indeed, much further. He says not only that preparations had been made for his own death in Jerusalem, but also that it could be said to have been, for a long period, a den of robbers in which almost all the prophets had been murdered. Many had, no doubt, been killed in other places, particularly when that cruel fury,²⁸² Jezebel (1 Kings 19:2), raged against them. However, because in no other place had the prophets ever been fiercely tormented, Christ justly brings this reproach against the ungodly inhabitants of the holy city.

It usually happened that the prophets were killed there, because not only was it the source of all the ungodliness which spread over the whole of Judea, but it was also the field on which God trained his prophets.²⁸³ We know that the more brightly the light of doctrine shines, pressing more closely on wicked men, the more they are driven to a greater pitch of madness. What a dreadful example it was that a place chosen to be the sanctuary of divine worship, and the residence of the Law and of heavenly wisdom, should be polluted not by one or two murders, but by a regular butchery of the prophets! It undoubtedly shows how obstinate is the rebellion of the world in rejecting sound doctrine.

The exclamation which immediately follows in Luke 13:34, appears to be connected in such a manner, as if Christ had used the present occurrence as an occasion to inveigh, at this time, against Jerusalem. But for my own part, I am more inclined to think that Luke, having said that Jerusalem had been previously stained by the blood of the prophets—indeed, had been, through many continuous ages, the place of slaughter where the prophets were cruelly and wickedly killed—immediately inserts, according to his custom, a statement which harmonized with that discourse. We have seen on previous occasions that it is not at all unusual for him to introduce into one place a collection of Christ’s sayings which were spoken at various times.

²⁸² “Cette cruelle diablesse;” — “that cruel female devil.”;” — “that cruel female devil.”

²⁸³ “Auquel Dieu a voulu que ses Prophetes ayent soustenu de grans combats et rudes alarmes;” — “on which God determined that his Prophets should sustain powerful combats and fierce alarms.”;” — “on which God determined that his Prophets should sustain powerful combats and fierce alarms.”