Sepulchers for Prophets and Killing Them - Luke 11:47

The beloved physician Luke wrote concerning Jesus, “then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying you reproach us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, you lawyers! for you lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers”, and in chapter eleven and verse forty-seven of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “you build the sepulchers of the prophets” and “killed them” where we read:

Woe unto you! for you build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

The verse reads, “Woe unto you! for you build the sepulchers of the prophets, ...” Luke began with the words, “woe unto you” or “nevertheless, notwithstanding and moreover alas as a word of warning”! “for you build” which means “because, since and on account that you lawyers erect, construct, found and establish” “the sepulchers” or “the memorials, monuments, graves and tombs” “of the prophets” which means “belonging to the men who were moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman and solemnly declared to men what they have received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation”. Luke shared how Jesus warned the “lawyers” concerning their “erecting” of “graves and monuments” which were dedicated to the “prophets” of old.

The verse continues, “... and your fathers killed them.” Luke added the words, “and your fathers” or “and the religious leaders and lawyers' progenitors and male ancestors” “killed them” which means “inflicted mortal death upon, extinguished, abolished and destroy the prophets”. Luke shared how the “ancestors” of the “lawyers” also “abolished and destroyed” the “prophets” of old.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus referred to the way the “religious leaders” known as “lawyers” commemorated and honored the “prophets” in the Old Testament by erecting “gave sites and memorials” to them, but their “ancestors” had “killed” them. Jesus knew the heart of these “religious leaders”, and though outwardly they honored the “prophets”, their own families had destroyed them. God knows that all people are in need of His Son Jesus to be their “Savior and Lord”, and regardless of how they commemorate the past “prophets”, their hearts are known before God.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “you bear witness that you allow the deeds of your fathers”, 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".