Luke 11:49 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’

NIV: Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’

NASB: For this reason also, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill, and some they will persecute,

CSB: Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’

NLT: This is what God in his wisdom said about you: ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’

KJV: Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:

NKJV: Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’

According to Jesus, Pharisaical lawyers of His era were complicit in the murders of God's prophets from the Old Testament period. In the previous verse, this guilt was metaphorical. While the Pharisees' ancestors killed the prophets' bodies, the generation surrounding Jesus destroys the prophets' words by denying them and teaching the people a gospel of works.

Soon, however, their guilt will be literal. Later, Jesus will tell the disciples that the lawyers claim, "If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets" (Matthew 23:30). The crucifixion of Jesus proves otherwise. In addition, their murder of Stephen will set off a wave of violence against Jesus-followers that will eventually catch the apostle James in its wake (Acts 7:54–60; 8:1–3; 9:1–2; 12:1–3). When Paul, an architect of this violence, turns and becomes God's prophet as well, he, too, will be persecuted (Acts 21:27–36).

The phrase "Wisdom of God" is interpreted in various ways. Some think it refers to an Old Testament prophecy or an allusion to unscriptural apocalyptic literature, but there is no known parallel. Some translations capitalize the word as "Wisdom," suggesting the Holy Spirit or Jesus. It could also simply mean God's plan has been put into motion and is as sure as if it had already happened.

Jesus' parable of the wicked tenants is a similar indictment (Luke 20:9–18). Matthew 23:34 gives a more vivid description of what the Jewish religious leaders will do: "Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town."

Luke 11:45–52 comes after descriptions of the cruelty and pride of the Pharisees (Luke 11:39–44). Now, Jesus turns to the lawyers—the experts in the Mosaic law. Greed and wickedness revealed the Pharisees to be like tombs: clean on the outside and filled with death on the inside. The lawyers are said to fill tombs by rejecting God's prophets. In response, the scribes and Pharisees conspire to destroy Jesus (Luke 11:53–54). In the next section, Jesus gives His disciples instructions on how to reject the world and persevere for the sake of the kingdom of God (Luke 12:1—13:9). Jesus will cover this judgment again in Matthew 23.

Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray and explains God's intent to give "good" to those who ask. He then exorcizes a demon and refutes the claim that His power is satanic. Jesus explains that unreasonable skeptics will only see the "sign of Jonah." He then criticizes the superficial legalism of the Pharisees. In response, they plot against Him.

In what some scholars refer to as "The Travelogue to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51—19:27), Jesus prepares His disciples for His crucifixion and resurrection and the establishment of the church. The description begins with Christ teaching the disciples how to spread the news of the kingdom of God and reaffirming how they will be blessed, culminating in the Lord's Prayer (Luke 9:51—11:13). Luke 11 finishes with accounts of leaders who reject Jesus. The remainder of the travelogue gives a pattern of teaching on the kingdom of God, miracles, and explanations of salvation. Then Jesus enters Jerusalem to face the cross.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.