Giertz on Christmas I

God’s Lament Over His People (v. 34-36)

The text continues with a “therefore”, but the way it appears here in Matthew it is not clear what the context is. Luke’s version is more detailed: “Therefore, God’s wisdom says”. Apparently this is a well-known quote, whose origin we know nothing about. It is about what God will do with his people, and it says what many prophets already had said. God constantly sends new messengers to his people and the people kill them. The words are applicable also to Jesus and those whom he sends. It will continue like this until the end. Then the accounts will be settled and the blood of the martyrs will come on “this generation”. This could mean this generation or this people. And every sin against the witnesses of God, all the way from Abel to Zechariah, that is from the first to the last martyr in the Old Testament, will be accounted for. Zacharias is the Greek form for Zechariah, the last of the twelve minor prophets, who was Berekiah’s son (Barachias). However, there was another prophet named Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, who was killed in the outer court of the temple, as it is told in 2 Chronicles (24:20f), which at that time was the last book in the Jewish bible. Luke only talks about “Zacharias” and one of the oldest manuscripts does not here mention “Berekiah’s son” either. Apparently there has been some uncertainty concerning whom Jesus was talking about. Yet, the meaning is clear - in all its seriousness.

You Would Not (v. 37-39)

Why does any human being have to be damned? Why is not everyone saved? Even Jesus has been asked this question. Here he gives us the answer. God wanted everyone to be saved. He sent his Son to save man from the disaster that was threatening - as the hen gathers the brood under her wings when the hawk is approaching. But they would not.

“Your house is left to you desolate” most likely means that God will leave his temple. He will take his hand off that place which he had chosen. It might also mean: your home will be desolate and stand as ruins. Then no more prophets and messengers will be sent to Israel. God’s people will not see their Messiah before he comes in the clouds of heaven. They had greeted him when he rode into Jerusalem with the old words from the Psalm: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” If they rejected him now, they would not get a new opportunity to say this before his last coming.