Think Wink.

Many a day over this last year at MBTS have I been engaged in a debate over Reformed theology and the precious doctrines of Grace. I am often asked about texts like 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; Matthew 23:37. It is this last verse I want to speak of in this post for something happens that is an exegetical blunder that those who wish to debate me may not realize they make, or do make but are so intent on refuting Reformed theology that omit certain parts of Scripture.

Jesus says in Matthew 23:37-39, “37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” As I have stated this verse is quoted to me often in refutation of election and effectual grace (TULIP). When cited they say see, Jesus wants to gather Jerusalem up but Jerusalem refuses to be gathered. It is possible to resist God’s call to salvation. And upon a quick glance, you might be inclined to take that position.

However, read Matthew 23:37 again, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” The italicized portion of this verse is very key. First of all, it is often omitted by those who opposed the doctrines of Grace. Written, edited, and published works by contemporary scholars (cough-Norman Geisler-cough!) leave out the Greek phrase ta tekna sou, literally translated as “the children of-you”, which the ESV translates as “your children.” This is irresponsible hermeneutics on their part. For what this text says is that those who Jesus wants to gather are not being gathered because someone else is in their way of Jesus. The children aren’t rejecting Christ, someone else is in between Christ and the children. Thus this text isn’t the quite so clear cut refutation of the Reformed doctrines.

Now I want to examine the parallel text in Matthew 23:13-15 that further illuminates Matthew 23:37-39 and ta tekna sou. Jesus says in Matthew 23:13-15, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” Jesus is giving the Seven Woe’s Discourse that leads into the Olivet Discourse. Seven woes he pronounces upon the Pharisees and Scribes of his day. (An interesting side note pertaining to the Olivet Discourse is that Jesus gives woes upon the Pharisees and then in th next chapter he explains the fall of their precious temple; an interesting context for the Olivet Discourse that many dispensationalists don’t notice) One of the woes Jesus casts upon the Pharisees is for their treatment of those who seek the kingdom: they oppose them from entering in. They shut the door of the kingdom shut in their faces and make them twice as much a child of hell as they themselves are. It is very interesting that Jesus tells the Pharisees that there is a group of people that is seeking the kingdom but are denied by the Pharisees. Then he tells Jerusalem that she denies the her children from coming to Jesus. But we must note that there is an elect people that Christ has chosen and the rest, namely the Pharisees and Scribes, he has rejected (cf Matthew 21:43; Matthew 23:1-36).

The question begs to be answered, how is it that the Pharisees are able to lead these people astray and interfere with the sovereign hand of Jesus Christ to call to himself, as a hen gathers her chicks, his elect people? I turn to two places for the answer. First look at Acts 4:27-28 where Luke records this prayer concerning the Pharisees that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 23, “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” The sovereign hand of God had predetermined, predestined, foreordained that the Pharisees would not accept Jesus and reject him. But not only them, “the peoples of Israel” also were with the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes. The Pharisees and Sadducees were predestined by God to lead Israel in rejecting her Messiah. Jesus was stayed by God’s sovereign plan to gathering his children. Jerusalem had the ability because it was given to her by God himself, not because of her own “free” and “libertarian” will.

Again turn to Matthew 11:25-27, “25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Who are the wise and understanding of Jesus day but the Pharisees and Sadducees and the Scribes/Teachers of the Law of Moses? God has not revealed it to them but to babes, infants, children. It was the Father’s good pleasure to do this and we see Jesus rejoices in this (cf. Luke 10:21). Thus we can almost see Jesus rejoicing in what he saw in Matthew 23 as much as we can see his sorrow and disappointment. He was sorrowful for he was denied in his desire to gather those whom he has chosen but rejoicing in the fact that the will of his Father in heaven is being carried out.

Thus the reason for Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37 and the Pharisees and Scribes’ ability to stop Jesus from calling his children is because it was the sovereignty of God, not the will of man, that prevented him from doing so. God had determined that the Pharisees be able to convince the crowds, the masses of people to reject her Messiah according to his sovereign will. Otherwise Jesus would have gathered them for it was to them that Jesus is pleased to reveal the Father.

It is my hope that if someone would like to discuss the doctrines of Grace that they would indeed bring texts like Matthew 23:37-39 to the table. However, it is my greater desire to see both sides of the issues read the whole text and not omit certain parts of the texts to fit their theology. Truth is not seen and thus the Father not glorified by such “tactics.” Let us rigorously debate in a way that displays the glory of Jesus Christ.

Related posts:

Matthew vs Mark

An Exegetical Insight

All, Some, or What?