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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 23:34 - 23:36
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_23:34-36
34"Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation."
Mat_23:34 "I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes" God (note Jesus uses "I") continues His activity of revelation through His chosen spokespersons (cf. Mat_21:34-36; Mat_23:37). The Jews were not ignorant of God's truth; they chose to reject it for their traditions (cf. Isa_6:9-13; Isa_29:13; Jer_5:20-29)! See hyperlink at Mat_11:9.
▣ "some of them you will kill and crucify" The prediction of persecution was dramatically fulfilled in the early days of Christianity. God's spokespersons often reap the hostility of fallen mankind, even religious mankind, against God's word and will.
Mat_23:35 "blood shed" See Special Topic following.
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▣ "Abel" See Gen_4:8 ff.
▣ "Zechariah" There has been much discussion here as to which prophet this referred. The only martyr known by this name is found in 2Ch_24:2-22, but his father's name is different from this reference. However the parallel in Luk_11:51 omits the father's name, as does the Greek MSS à in Matthew.
Zechariah, the post-exilic prophet, had this name but was not killed in this manner. There could be another prophet by this name that we know nothing about. However, since Abel is the first martyr in the OT then the Zechariah mentioned in 2 Chronicles 24 would be the last martyr because Chronicles is the last book of the Hebrew canon.
Mat_23:36 "all these things will come upon this generation" In one sense this showed the preeminence of Jesus (cf. Mat_10:23; Mat_23:36; Mat_24:34). He was God's ultimate spokesman. When the leaders and the general population rejected Him, there was no hope- only judgment. The new age of the Spirit has come!