The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 5

in thiB Rnnonncement of comen to the gTMt and tell that fox; literelly, that she-fox. banquet of heRven from all the four qu!\rten Tho Lo1·d saw through the elmllow device, of the globe. This oompletes the e.nswer and, in reply to hie t'alee friends, bado them to the que~tion. It forbids any limitRtion go to that intriguing and folso court with I\ to the 11umbers of the saved. It distinctly message which he would give them. The includes in those blessed ranks men from epithet "she-fox" is perhnps tho bitterest all parts of the far isles of the Gentiles. and most contemptuous no.me ever givon by Yer. 80.-And, behold, there a.re lallt tho pitiful Master to any of the sons of men. whioh shall be :first, and there are first which It is pos•ible it might have been intended ■he.11 be last. This expression, which for HcrodiM, the influence of that wicked appo.rently was more than onoe used by the princess being at that time all-poworful at Lord, in this ple.ce clearly has an historical court. Behold, I cast out devils, and I do reforence, and sadly predicts the rejection of cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third Limel, not only in this present world. day I shall bo perfected. " Tell Herod or "There above ( on earth) Herodias thnt I have a work still to work How many hold themselves for mighty here; a few more evil spi.i-its to cast out, a kings, few more sick folk to heal. I am going on Wlio l.lere like swine shall wallow in the e.s I have begun; no message, friendly or mire, unfriendly, will tum me from my purpose. Leo.rag behind them horrible dispraise I" I have no fears of his royal power, but I shall (Dante, • Inferno.') not trouble him long; just to-day and to- morrow-this was merely (as in Hos. vi. 2) a Vers. 81----35.-The mf8Bage of JestLB to proverbinl expression for a short time-and Herod A ntipas, and the 1.ament 011er the loi,ed on the third day I complete my work." This city of Jeruaal.em, the destined place of hi.a completion some have understood by the own death. crowning miracle on dead Lazarus at Ver. 31. -The se.me day there came Bethany, but it is far better to understand aertain of the Pharisees, aayillg 'llllto him, it as referring to the Passion, as including Get thee out, and depart henoe : for Herod the last sufterings, the cross, and the re- vill kill thee. Very many of the older surrection. The .,.,>...,oiiµa., here was supple- authorities read here, instead of " the same mented by the utterance with which the de.y," "in the.t very hour.'' This incident blessed life came to its close on the cross- connected with Herod Antipas, which is only T,.,.,>..eu.,.a.& I T,>...C,.,u,s became a recognized related by St. Luke, not improbably was term for martyrdom. communicated to Luke and Paul by Manaen, Ver. 33.-Neverthelesa I must walk to- who was intimately connected with that day, and to-morrow, e.nd the day following: prince, and who was a prominent member of for it oannot be that a prophet perish out of the primitive Church of Antioch in those J'eruse.lem. He reflects, "Yes, I must go days when Paul was beginniDg his work for on with my journey for the little space yet the cause (see Acts :riii. 1). This curious left to me;" and then turning to the false message probably emanated from Herod Pharisee friends, with the saddest irony bids and Herodias. The tetrarch was disturbed them not be afraid. Priest and Sanhedrin, e.nd uneasy at the Lord's continued pre- the unholy alliance against him of Sadducee sence in his dominions, and the crowds who and Pharisee, would not be balked of the thronged to hear the great Teacher oc- Victim whose blood they were all thirsting CMioned the jealous and timorous prince after. Their loved city had ever had one grave disquietude. Herod shrank from melancholy prerogative. It had ever been laying hands on him, though, for tbe memory the place of death for the prophets of the of the murdered friend of Jesus was a Lord. '.l'hat sad privilege would not be t.errible one, we know, to the superstitious taken from it in his case. tetrarch, and he dreaded being forced into Ver. 34.-0 Jerusalem, J'erusalem, whioh a repetition of the judicial murder of John killest the prophets, and stonest them that tLe Baptist. It is likely enough that tbe a.re sent unto thee! This exquisite and enemies of the Lord were now anxious for moving apostrophe was uttered in similar him to go to Jerusalem and its neighbour- language in the Passion-week, just as Jesus hood, where he would be in the power of was leaving the temple for the last time. the ISadducean hierarchy, and away from the It was spoken here with ra1·e appropriate- protection of the Galilman multitudes, with neBB in the first instance after tile promise whom his influence was still very great. of sad irony that the holy city should not be The Pharisees, who 11,11 e. party hated the deprived of the spectacle of the 'feacher- Master, willingly entered into the design, Prophet's deo.th. "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem(" and under the mask of a pretended friend- It wee a farewell to the holy city. It was ehip warned him of Herod's intentions. the sorrowful summing-up of the tenderest Ver. 32.-A.nd he nid 'llllto them, Go ye, love of centuries. Never hall earthly city Oil. xm. 1-86.J 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING 'l'O S'r. LUKE. 7