Woe to Chorazin and Bethsaida - Luke 10:13

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus sent out “seventy disciples” with the following instructions, “into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaves on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be you sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city”, and in chapter ten and verse thirteen of his book Luke shared how Jesus began to warn cities with the following words, “woe unto you, Chorazin! Woe unto you, Bethsaida” where we read:

Woe unto you, Chorazin! woe unto you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

The verse reads, “Woe unto you, Chorazin! woe unto you, Bethsaida!” Luke began with the words, “woe unto you” or “alas and great grief be toward the following city”, “Chorazin” which means “a furnace of smoke and was a town in Galilee”! “Woe unto you” or “alas and great grief be toward the following city”, “Bethsaida” which refers to “the city whose name means house of fish and was a small fishing village on the west shore of Lake Gennesaret”. Luke shared how Jesus gave a great warning to the people within the cities of “Chorazin and Bethsaida”.

The verse goes on to say, “for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” Luke continued with the words, “for if” which means “because, since and on account that whether” “the mighty works” or “strength, power and ability for performing miracles” “had been done in Tyre” which means “would have been performed and produced within the city of Tyre which means a rock and was a Phoenician city on the Mediterranean, very ancient, large, splendid, flourishing in commerce, and powerful by land and sea” “and Sidon” or “and Sidon which means hunting and was an ancient and wealthy city of Phoenicia located on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea less than 20 miles (30 km) north of Tyre”, “which have been done in you” which means “that were performed and produced within their city”, “they had a great while ago” or “the people within Tyre and Sidon would have a long before or ago” “repented” which means “changed their minds and heartily amended with abhorrence their past sins”, “sitting in sackcloth” or “while being seated with dark course cloth made especially from the hair of animals” “and ashes” which means “and ash which was placed on sackcloth as a token of grief”. Luke shared how “Tyre and Sidon” would have “repented in grief” if they had seen the “miracles and wonders” performed by Jesus within their cities.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus stated what the response of the cities of “Tyre and Sidon” would have been if they had seen all the “mighty works” He performed. “Tyre and Sidon” were spoken of by both the prophet Isaiah and Joel, and judgment was pronounced upon each of them. However, Jesus said they would have “repented” with “sackcloth and ashes” if they saw what He did. If people will carefully consider all Jesus did on the earth so they may have a relationship with His Father God, they too should respond in “repentance” and yield their lives to Him. If they choose not to do so, they will have aligned themselves with the cities who refused and rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and “woe” be to those who refuse Him.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".