Mat 23:34-37 | MHM | STEP | God Sends Prophets, But Many Are Rejected In this section, Jesus continues his strong warning to the religious leaders. He tells them that God, in his mercy, will send prophets, wise men, and teachers to guide his people. However, these messengers will be rejected, persecuted, and even killed. Jesus explains that this continued rejection will bring judgment on that generation. He refers to examples from the past, showing that the sins of rejecting God’s messengers have built up over time. The section ends with a solemn warning that the consequences will soon come upon them. v. 34 : Jesus says, “I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.” Even though God sends messengers to help his people, the religious leaders will continue to reject them and treat them terribly. This shows the hardness of their hearts and their refusal to listen to God (Matthew 23:34 ).

‏ Matthew 23:34-37

God Sends Prophets, But Many Are Rejected

In this section, Jesus continues his strong warning to the religious leaders. He tells them that God, in his mercy, will send prophets, wise men, and teachers to guide his people. However, these messengers will be rejected, persecuted, and even killed. Jesus explains that this continued rejection will bring judgment on that generation. He refers to examples from the past, showing that the sins of rejecting God’s messengers have built up over time. The section ends with a solemn warning that the consequences will soon come upon them.

v. 34: Jesus says, “I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.” Even though God sends messengers to help his people, the religious leaders will continue to reject them and treat them terribly. This shows the hardness of their hearts and their refusal to listen to God (Matthew 23:34 ^a).

v. 35: Jesus continues, “And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” He explains that since they reject God’s messengers and do not repent, the guilt for all the innocent people killed in the past will fall on them. Jesus mentions Abel (Genesis 4:8 ^b) as the first righteous person murdered, and Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-21 ^c) as one of the last, covering all the history of Israel (Matthew 23:35 ^d).

v. 36: Jesus warns, “Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation.” Because of their continued rejection and violence against God’s messengers, judgment will come soon on that generation. This was fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed about forty years later. Jesus’s words are both a warning and a call to repentance (Matthew 23:36 ^e).

v. 37–39: Jesus ends with a lament for Jerusalem: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing (Matthew 23:37 ^f). He says their house will be left desolate, and they will not see him again until they say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:38-39 ^g). Jesus grieves over their rejection of him and the coming judgment on Jerusalem.

In summary, Jesus strongly warns against religious pride and hypocrisy. He teaches that true greatness is found in humility, and that God values sincere faith, justice, mercy, and service. He calls his followers to be different from the religious leaders of his day, living out what they teach and showing love to others.