Luke 13:31 Commentary and Bible Study

(Synoptics: Luke 13:31-35)The Lord Jesus Christ was within three days' journey of Jerusalem, and he was heading toward the city, knowing all that would take place there, and ready to lay down his life for those he came to save. He was on the east side of Jordan, coming down through the region of Perea, over which – in addition to Galilee – Herod had jurisdiction. As he came down through Perea, he preached in the towns and the villages, and the local scribes and Pharisees were there too, though they hated him. They had been stung by his parables and realised only too well that he had them in mind when he said such cutting things.It was known that he was going up to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51)), and the scribes and Pharisees would have been aware of this. As he proceeds towards Jerusalem, they tried to move him out of Perea, and they used a cowardly and rather dishonest means. They said to him, ‘Herod wants to kill you. Leave Perea, and’ – by implication – ‘go to Judea where Herod has no authority.’ Were they trying to help him? Were they concerned for his safety? That is hardly likely given that in a short time they were going to take his life, and had already been plotting how they might arrest him without upsetting the people. No, this was some scheme intended to move him to territory where they had more power to do him harm. At the same time, they were intimidating him, and perhaps trying to do something that would make him appear to be afraid, so that he would lose face before the crowds. How did they know what Herod was planning? Was this just made up by them to put pressure on him? Probably not, for if so, Christ would not have sent them back to Herod with a message. But they made use of Herod’s murderous threats for their own purposes, and they were very glad to be able to deliver this message, because – though they were normally far from agreeing with Herod – they shared the same ill will towards the Lord.