Luke 13:32 Commentary and Bible Study

Christ had an answer for Herod, and as conveyors of the ruler’s murderous intentions to the Lord, they were well placed to carry a message back to him. Herod was an evil man and a crafty man, and the comparison with a fox was apt. The Pharisees for the moment had common cause with Herod; both of them wanted Christ gone. Hendriksen speculates that Herod, who had somewhat reluctantly murdered John the Baptist due to the scheming of his wife, and was feeling guilt about what he had done (Luke 9:7-9), was slow to act in a similar way against the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, he had sent this threat via his new-found friends. The Pharisees wanted to murder Christ, but it had to be done with a semblance of legal process to avoid troubling the people, many of whom admired Jesus, and therefore they waited for the right moment. It is a robust answer, but it is a fearless answer. If they intended to intimidate him, they have failed. He will continue with his ministry of casting out demons and healing the sick, because that is what the Father has commanded him to do. He is not afraid of his enemies, because of his supreme confidence in the providence of God. It was around this time that John’s Gospel records a conversation with the disciples: ‘Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. ⁸ His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? ⁹ Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him’ (John 11:7-10). While the Lord Jesus continued to do the will of the Father, however difficult the circumstances, he knew that he would not stumble. He would fulfil his commission and not die prematurely. How little his enemies knew about the stability of God’s purposes! He describes his ministry in terms that fulfilled prophecy, and which no one could object to, for it was a ministry that did good to the people and relieved them of their greatest suffering and burdens. These two things went together as part of his miraculous sign ministry. But the answer, though fearless, is enigmatic. There is a reference to Calvary in it, but they would not have understood it until later. He will cast out demons today, and heal sicknesses tomorrow, and he will be perfected on the third day. It is figurative language and not literal. He cast out demons and he healed every day, but he adapts the first part of the saying to fit with the last part. On the third day he would be perfected, because on the third day he would lay down his life voluntarily for those he came to save. He is going to give his life, but it will not be taken from him against his will by his enemies, but it will be according to the Father’s timetable. Is there here a reference also to his rising again from the dead on the third day?