Lament and Blessing

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Today’s passage begins with a stern warning. Some Pharisees tell Jesus to leave, or Herod will have him killed. And yet, Jesus remains steadfastly focused on his mission to cast out demons and perform miracles, bringing God’s restoration to a broken world. That “fox” Herod will not “outfox” Jesus. Nothing will deflect Jesus from his mission, because a prophet must perish in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem has always been the goal, and as Jesus “sets his face” towards Jerusalem, the reality of death is inevitable. Jesus’s suffering, while painful for him, will have even sadder consequences for Jerusalem. The city’s history, regrettably, is marked by the killing and stoning of messengers sent to it (2 Chronicles 24:20-21; Jeremiah 26:20-23).

Jesus addresses his emotional lament to this city, which is marred by a bloodied past. Using the first person, he laments that God repeatedly wished to protect Jerusalem by gathering the city under his wings, much like a protective hen. But the city was unwilling. Jesus puts forth the figure of a hen to show God’s desire to care tenderly for Israel, if only they will come.

The lament is felt. Jerusalem is in peril. Its house stands forsaken. Israel will not see the Lord in promised blessing until they acknowledge as a nation, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” The possibility of a future day for Israel not involving judgment is left open, if they will respond. The Lenten season reminds us that without the blessing of knowing “the one who comes in the name of the Lord,” we will find ourselves in the same peril of judgment—like a house forsaken, like Jerusalem. The blessing of Jesus is ours. Choose the blessing over the lament!

Jesus, I thank you that in our lament we found the blessing of salvation through you, as you gather us and sustain us through your kingdom work. Amen.

JOE RANGEL, PHD
Director of Truett Seminary in San Antonio
Truett Seminary