Mat 23:37-39 | PNT | STEP | Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets . The intense feeling that spoke in this utterance comes out first in the redoubling of the word Jerusalem; next in the picture of the sins of the city which he draws--a city so wicked that it was not content with rejecting the messengers of God, but even slew them. I know of nothing more touching than this apostrophe. How often would I have gathered thy children . Not only had the city been warned again and again by the prophets, but the Lord had visited it at least six or seven times, and had for months taught in its streets. Nor did his solicitude end with the cross. His long suffering, patience and love are shown by his charge in the commission to the apostles: "To preach repentance and remission in his name among all nations, 'beginning at Jerusalem'" ( ). Ye would not ! "Would not" explains the cause of the rejection of the gospel. It is not because God in Christ is not ready: he "would gather" them. It is not because men cannot come, but because they will not come. Christ wished that salvation of Jerusalem; his will was for them to be saved: he sought to influence their wills to make a choice of salvation, but they "would not". So God still "is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" ( ), but there are many "who will not come to Christ that they might have life" ( ). While God wills the salvation of men, he does not destroy free agency by coercing the human will, but says: "Whosoever will, let him come" ( ).

Matthew 23:37-39

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets. The intense feeling that spoke in this utterance comes out first in the redoubling of the word Jerusalem; next in the picture of the sins of the city which he draws--a city so wicked that it was not content with rejecting the messengers of God, but even slew them. I know of nothing more touching than this apostrophe.

How often would I have gathered thy children. Not only had the city been warned again and again by the prophets, but the Lord had visited it at least six or seven times, and had for months taught in its streets. Nor did his solicitude end with the cross. His long suffering, patience and love are shown by his charge in the commission to the apostles: "To preach repentance and remission in his name among all nations, 'beginning at Jerusalem'" (Lu 24:47).

Ye would not! "Would not" explains the cause of the rejection of the gospel. It is not because God in Christ is not ready: he "would gather" them. It is not because men cannot come, but because they will not come. Christ wished that salvation of Jerusalem; his will was for them to be saved: he sought to influence their wills to make a choice of salvation, but they "would not". So God still "is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2Pe 3:9), but there are many "who will not come to Christ that they might have life" (Joh 5:40). While God wills the salvation of men, he does not destroy free agency by coercing the human will, but says: "Whosoever will, let him come" (Re 22:17). Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. This was the consequence of refusing to come to Christ. The temple is the house meant. God will abandon it and leave it desolate. He will no longer accept its worship. Ye shall not see me henceforth. This seems to imply that the temple shall be deserted when he leaves it. With his departure the presence of God departs. He was the Lord of the temple.

Till ye shall say. These were his last words in the temple precincts, but they do not shut out all hope. Even yet when the Jews shall join in the hosannahs of those who, on the Sunday before, had sung his praises, and cry, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Mt 21:9), they may be permitted to behold their Messiah. Many have seen in this passage a promise of the final conversion of Israel. Zec 12:10 Ro 11:26 2Co 3:15 seem to favor the same view. When Christ abandoned the temple in Jerusalem, it was only fit for the destroyer. If we should drive him out of his spiritual temple, the church, it would be left as dead as the body without the spirit.