Luke 23:28
But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus redirects the weeping women from personal grief for Him to a profound sorrow for their own future and that of their children, highlighting that the true tragedy is not His current suffering, but the impending devastation of Jerusalem. This unexpected shift reveals His ultimate focus is the spiritual and physical destruction the city will face due to its rejection of Him, not His own imminent death.
As Jesus is being led to his crucifixion, a group of women from Jerusalem follow, weeping and lamenting for him. Jesus, despite his own immense suffering, turns to them and redirects their grief, urging them to weep not for him, but for the impending destruction that will fall upon Jerusalem and their children due to their rejection of him. He foretells a time of terrible judgment, where the city will face devastation, emphasizing that his own suffering is a precursor to a far greater calamity for those who refuse to repent.
Jesus is on His way to the cross, enduring unimaginable pain and humiliation. Yet, His first words after leaving Pilate are not about Himself. What does this reveal about His heart?
In this moment, as Jesus faces His crucifixion, He demonstrates a profound depth of unselfish love. The women of Jerusalem are weeping for Him, likely out of sorrow for His perceived defeat and suffering. But Jesus redirects their focus, showing that His own pain, while real, is not the ultimate tragedy.
A Heart for Others
Jesus' concern is for the impending doom of Jerusalem and its people. He knows the destruction that awaits the city and the immense suffering its inhabitants will face due to their rejection of Him.
This is a powerful example of prioritizing others' eternal well-being even in one's own darkest hour. It challenges us to consider where our deepest affections and concerns truly lie.
Jesus tells the women to weep, not for His suffering, but for a future calamity. What specific judgment is He warning them about, and why is it so devastating?
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Jesus' command to weep for themselves and their children is a stark prophetic warning. He is not just speaking of His own impending death, but of the horrific destruction that will soon fall upon Jerusalem. This judgment is a direct consequence of the city's persistent rejection of God's messengers, and ultimately, His Son.
The Coming Devastation
Jesus foresees a time when the suffering will be so immense that people will long for death to escape it. They will curse barrenness and desire annihilation, a fate worse than any personal sorrow.
This warning underscores the severity of God's judgment against a people who refuse His grace. It calls us to recognize that rebellion against God carries devastating, long-term consequences, not just for individuals but for communities.
Jesus uses an analogy of trees to explain the severity of God's judgment. What does this comparison reveal about His own fate and the fate of those who reject Him?
Jesus employs a poignant analogy: 'If they do these things in the green tree, what will happen when it is dry?' (Luke 23:31). The 'green tree' represents Jesus Himself – full of life, innocent, and carrying the life-giving Spirit. Yet, even this 'green tree' undergoes a horrific ordeal under the judgment of men and God.
A Glimpse of Wrath
If the Son of God, the 'green tree,' suffers such intense judgment for the sins of the world, what can be expected for the 'dry trees'? The 'dry trees' represent those who are spiritually lifeless, hardened in sin, and ripe for judgment. Their fate will be far more severe than the suffering of Christ.
This highlights that Christ's suffering on the cross, while immense, was a unique sacrifice to avert ultimate judgment from those who believe. For those who reject Him, there is no such buffer, and the full force of God's wrath awaits.
Understand the original words
thygatēr Ierousalēm · Greek Noun
A title of endearment and address used by Jesus, identifying the women as belonging to the holy city; it carries a tone of compassion while preparing them for coming judgment.
Jesus' words to the 'Daughters of Jerusalem' weren't just about his immediate suffering, but a profound prophecy of the impending, devastating destruction of Jerusalem and the immense suffering that would befall its people, a fate that would indeed come to pass a few decades later.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is condemned by Pilate, mocked by soldiers, and crucified. He is then buried in a tomb.
c. 30-33 AD
Early Church Growth
Following Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the early Christian church begins to grow, spreading the gospel message.
c. 41-54 AD
Claudius Expels Jews from Rome
Emperor Claudius expels Jewish communities from Rome, potentially affecting early Christians who were often identified with Jewish groups.
c. 60-62 AD
Paul's Imprisonment and Writings
The Apostle Paul is imprisoned in Rome and writes several epistles, including those to the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.
c. 64 AD
Great Fire of Rome
A devastating fire sweeps through Rome, leading Emperor Nero to persecute Christians, whom he falsely accused of starting the blaze.
70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Roman army under Titus brutally crushes a Jewish revolt, destroying Jerusalem and its sacred Temple. This event fulfills Jesus' prophecy of coming judgment.
This passage prophesies the suffering servant being despised and rejected by men, paralleling the crowd's rejection of Jesus even as he shows compassion for them.
Zechariah 12:10This prophecy speaks of a future outpouring of grief 'on the house of David' and 'on the inhabitants of Jerusalem' for 'him whom they have pierced,' directly echoing Jesus' instruction to weep for themselves and their children, pointing to the spiritual devastation to come.
Luke 19:41-42Jesus also wept over Jerusalem in this passage, demonstrating his consistent sorrow for the city's impending judgment and their rejection of his offer of peace, similar to his concern in Luke 23:28.
Matthew 27:25The crowd's desperate cry, 'His blood be on us and on our children,' stands in stark contrast to Jesus' compassionate warning, highlighting the disastrous consequences of their chosen path that Jesus foresees.
pooleLuke 23:28: "But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children."
See Poole on "Luke 23:27"
barnesLuke 23:28: "But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children."
Daughters of Jerusalem - Women of Jerusalem. This was a common mode of speaking among the Hebrews. Weep for yourselves ... - This refers to the calamities that were about to come upon them in the desolation of their city by the Romans.
Jesus redirects the weeping women from personal grief for Him to a profound sorrow for their own future and that of their children, highlighting that the true tragedy is not His current suffering, but the impending devastation of Jerusalem. This unexpected shift reveals His ultimate focus is the spiritual and physical destruction the city will face due to its rejection of Him, not His own imminent death.
As Jesus is being led to his crucifixion, a group of women from Jerusalem follow, weeping and lamenting for him. Jesus, despite his own immense suffering, turns to them and redirects their grief, urging them to weep not for him, but for the impending destruction that will fall upon Jerusalem and their children due to their rejection of him. He foretells a time of terrible judgment, where the city will face devastation, emphasizing that his own suffering is a precursor to a far greater calamity for those who refuse to repent.
As Jesus is being led to his crucifixion, a group of women from Jerusalem follow, weeping and lamenting for him. Jesus, despite his own immense suffering, turns to them and redirects their grief, urging them to weep not for him, but for the impending destruction that will fall upon Jerusalem and their children due to their rejection of him. He foretells a time of terrible judgment, where the city will face devastation, emphasizing that his own suffering is a precursor to a far greater calamity for those who refuse to repent.
"But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children." — Jesus redirects the weeping women from personal grief for Him to a profound sorrow for their own future and that of their children, highlighting that the true tragedy is not His current suffering, bu…
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