Breakdown of Luke 11:47-51

"Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I wil…" — Jesus isn't just pointing out their hypocrisy; he's revealing that by building tombs, they're actually endorsing their fathers' actions, not atoning for them. It’s like saying, "You claim to honor…

Luke 11:47-51 Meaning Explained

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Luke 11:47-51

Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus isn't just pointing out their hypocrisy; he's revealing that by building tombs, they're actually endorsing their fathers' actions, not atoning for them. It’s like saying, "You claim to honor the prophets you build monuments for, but your actions show you align with the ones who killed them."

What Luke 11:47-51 means

Jesus has been dining with a Pharisee, and in the midst of the meal, he begins to pronounce a series of "woes" against the Pharisees and legal experts for their hypocrisy. This verse highlights their practice of building and adorning the tombs of the prophets, a show of honor that Jesus declares is actually a testament to their own murderous lineage.

Building Tombs, Ignoring Truths

What does it mean to honor the past? Jesus confronts a stark reality: the religious leaders were meticulously building elaborate tombs for prophets, yet their hearts were far from the prophets' message.

Jesus levels a sharp accusation against the scribes and Pharisees in Luke 11:47: "Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them." This wasn't just about architecture; it was about a profound disconnect.

The Show of Piety

The religious leaders were outwardly honoring the prophets by beautifying their graves. This action, on the surface, seemed to suggest they revered these figures and their legacies. It was a public display of piety, designed to garner respect and approval from the populace. They were, in essence, saying, "We are not like our fathers who killed these holy men. We honor them!"

The Hidden Treachery

However, Jesus immediately exposes the hypocrisy. Their fathers had indeed killed the prophets, and by building these tombs, these leaders were implicitly endorsing their fathers' actions. They weren't genuinely honoring the prophets' message; they were merely decorating the graves of those they themselves would have likely persecuted had they lived in their time. Their actions were a testament not to their reverence for the prophets, but to their approval of their fathers' deeds. They were perpetuating the very spirit of opposition that led to the prophets' deaths, all while performing a ritual of remembrance.

The Testimony of Present Opposition

Jesus' accusation is more than a critique of empty rituals; it's a declaration that their actions prove their allegiance.

The act of building tombs for the prophets, while seemingly an act of honor, actually served as a damning testimony against the very people doing it. Jesus’ point is sharp and undeniable:

A False Witness

By decorating the graves of those their ancestors murdered, these leaders were inadvertently, or perhaps even intentionally, signing a document that condemned them. They were proclaiming, "We are the spiritual descendants of those who opposed God's messengers, and we are continuing that legacy."

Understand the original words

Original language

prophetsπροφήτης

prophētēs · Greek Noun

Inspired spokesmen for God who delivered His messages, warnings, and calls to repentance to Israel. They were often persecuted or killed for challenging the spiritual corruption of the people and leadership.

witnessesμάρτυς

martys · Greek Noun

Someone who testifies to the truth of an event or the character of a person. In this context, it refers to affirming or validating the past actions of others, effectively associating oneself with those past sins.

Wisdom of Godσοφία

sophia tou Theou · Greek Noun

A divine attribute personified in Jewish literature, often associated with God’s plan of salvation and His active intervention in history. In the New Testament, it is often identified with the person and work of Christ.

apostlesἀπόστολος

apostolos · Greek Noun

Historical context

Written: Likely written in the early to mid-60s AD.
Author: Luke the Evangelist, traditionally understood as a companion of the Apostle Paul.
Location: Written from an unknown location, likely reflecting Jesus' ministry in Judea and Galilee.
Genre: Gospel narrative, featuring direct discourse and prophetic pronouncements.

Historical background

Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees for building tombs of prophets they did not honor highlights their hypocrisy. They displayed outward reverence for past prophets while actively persecuting Jesus and his followers, mirroring the historical pattern of Israel's rejection of God's messengers throughout its history.

c. 875 BC
Death of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada
Zechariah, a priest, was stoned to death in the temple courts for rebuking the people for their sins. This event is cited by Jesus as an example of the bloodshed on God's people.
c. 605 BC - 597 BC
Babylonian Deportations
The first waves of Jewish exiles were taken to Babylon, marking a significant disruption and a period of reflection on past disobedience.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its sacred temple, fulfilling prophetic warnings and intensifying the sense of national crisis.
c. 440 BC - 400 BC
Prophetic Ministry
Prophets like Malachi ministered during the post-exilic period, calling the people back to faithfulness and warning against hypocrisy.

Key themes

01Hypocrisy of outward shows
02Inherited sin and rebellion
03Spiritual blindness and rejection
04Persecution of God's messengers

Cross-references

Matthew 23:29-31

This passage directly parallels Jesus' accusation, highlighting the hypocrisy of building tombs for prophets while continuing the murderous actions of their ancestors.

Luke 13:34

This verse shows Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's consistent rejection and killing of prophets, underscoring the historical pattern that the accusation in Luke 11:47 addresses.

Genesis 4:8

This passage describes the first murder of a righteous person (Abel) by his brother (Cain), setting the stage for the historical pattern of violence against God's messengers that Jesus condemns.

2 Chronicles 24:20-22

This account details the stoning of Zechariah, the prophet Jesus specifically mentions in Matthew 23:35, illustrating the violent end faced by those sent by God, and directly linking to the 'blood of Zechariah' mentioned in the broader context.

Hebrews 11:36-38

This chapter recounts the suffering of many faithful prophets and martyrs, providing a broader biblical narrative of persecution and sacrifice that resonates with Jesus' accusation against those who killed them.

Scholarly commentary

Luke 11:47-51: "Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them."

Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the sepulchers of the prophets and embellish the monuments of the righteous, 30. And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their associates in the blood of the prophets. 31. Thus you testify against yourselves, that you are the children of those who killed the prophets. 32. Do you also fill up t…

calvin

Luke 11:37-54: "And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat."

Lu 11:37-54. Denunciation of the Pharisees.
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What Luke 11:47-51 means

Original language

prophetsπροφήτης

prophētēs · Greek Noun

witnessesμάρτυς

martys · Greek Noun

Wisdom of Godσοφία

sophia tou Theou · Greek Noun

apostlesἀπόστολος

apostolos · Greek Noun

Historical context

Written: Likely written in the early to mid-60s AD.
Author: Luke the Evangelist, traditionally understood as a companion of the Apostle Paul.
Location: Written from an unknown location, likely reflecting Jesus' ministry in Judea and Galilee.
Genre: Gospel narrative, featuring direct discourse and prophetic pronouncements.

Historical background

c. 875 BC

Death of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada

Zechariah, a priest, was stoned to death in the temple courts for rebuking the people for their sins. This event is cited by Jesus as an example of the bloodshed on God's people.

c. 605 BC - 597 BC

Babylonian Deportations

The first waves of Jewish exiles were taken to Babylon, marking a significant disruption and a period of reflection on past disobedience.

c. 586 BC

Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple

The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its sacred temple, fulfilling prophetic warnings and intensifying the sense of national crisis.

c. 440 BC - 400 BC

Prophetic Ministry

Prophets like Malachi ministered during the post-exilic period, calling the people back to faithfulness and warning against hypocrisy.