The Protection of God
03/16/2025
Today’s Gospel reading comes from Luke chapter 13 verses 31-35. If you would like to read it, and the other passages for today, you can find a link at the bottom of this article. This chapter is part of a long section of the Gospel of look where he is recounting events that took place as Jesus and his disciples moved about the region. This entire section is full of parables and instructions. Much of what Jesus said to the people was very challenging. Some of it was difficult to understand while other statements were clear but difficult for the hearers to accept and put into action. The crowds often included people both interested in and hostile towards Jesus’ teaching. In today’s passage Jesus is confronted with news of a physical threat from Herod. Jesus’ response showed that he had little concern at that time of threats from Herod. Instead, Jesus expresses his love and grief for the City of Jerusalem, and for all the children of Israel. Jesus goes on to express God’s true feelings. God’s desire, then and always, is to offer a covering of protection for his children.
The warning comes from a group of Pharisees. This group was often made up of people who were interested in Jesus as well as those looking to condemn him. We are not given any indication where the majority of this group fell, but we do know that they did not bring a hostile message from themselves. They came with a word of warning about a threat from Herod that they must have felt was serious and imminent. Herod is coming and you must flee, because he wants to kill you. A hostile group of Pharisees may have said “Herod is on his way, and he is going to take care of you”. But I read this as a warning in earnest, not a second hand threat.
Jesus responds by talking about his mission. He tells them to report back to Herod that “I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow and on the third day I finish my work.” His plan is to continue with his missions without regard to the threats of Herod. He then tells them that he must be on his way to Jerusalem, not because they also need to hear his message, but because that is where prophets are killed. So in the face of a threat he says he will continue his work, but soon will go to the city where prophets are put to death. This was not an idle statement, but a historic one. Jerusalem has a history of killing God’s prophets when they preach a message they can’t accept.
Now Jesus’ focus takes a turn. He is no longer thinking about Herod or any other threat against his life. He is thinking of Jerusalem, the great city of David. God anointed his King to rule in Jerusalem. God directed Solomon to construct the temple so that all of Israel could worship in Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is one of many cities occupied by God’s people, it was the center of the Israelite world. This is what Jesus has to say about Jerusalem in verse 34. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.” Strong words, but not spoken in condemnation, but in sadness. The second half of the same verse says “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under wings, and you were not willing.” That is a statement of love.
That is the good news for today. God is always looking for a relationship with humanity that protects them. That relationship is not just for the Israelites, but for all of humanity. We are all his creation and he seeks to draw us in as his beloved children. Several of the morning readings in the daily office came from the book of Deuteronomy. Each of these passages began with Moses calling the people in to hear what God had to say to them. In passage after passage Moses would remind the people what God had already done for them, and then give some instructions on how they were to live. These instructions were not given in order to control or condemn the people, but to guide them. God knows the world is a difficult and dangerous place. We are surrounded by threats and temptations from all sides. He has directed Moses to give his teaching to the people to empower them to live differently. We can live a life of higher purpose than just controlling the land and filling our bellies. God has given the land to us as a gift, just as he gives many gifts, but not for us to use for ourselves. God has given us rules and guidance so that we can be safe and successful for all our lives and not just when our bellies are full.
Jesus is reminding us of that love from God and that purpose for our lives. He is not wishing to gather us in a chicks who are defenseless forever, but as children who need protection and direction as we grow. He expects us to grow in our understanding of who he is and in our relationship to God, through him. In verse 35 he is trying to help the listeners how they must change. He says “See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’” What house? The houses that Moses helped to bring them into. The protection and blessing of God generations ago to the Israelites. They are living in those houses and holding on to their security, but have lost sight of the God who provided them. Jesus says that when they are able to recognize him that they will again be in relationship with God.
Our opportunity and challenge is to look beyond the provisions of our own hands. So often, we consider ourselves to be the provider of our safety. We work our jobs and buy our houses. We heat them and fill them with food from the fruits of our labor. But our houses and our food are only the temporal provisions of daily life. Jesus is inviting us into a relationship that offers provision beyond our basic needs. Needs that we may not even realize we have as we focus on the day to day living. But Jesus is not just talking about eternity. He is offering a relationship, a way of living, that provides for both our daily needs and our eternal protections.
Can we hear the call of Jesus to look beyond what we think we have control over, and seek his face? He is waiting and watching and working all around us, inviting us into his protection like a parent watches over a child, even like a hen gathers in her brood. We need only to enter into and hold fast to the offer of relationship that he has made to us.
Thanks for reading.
David
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