Luke 23:28-31
But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus redirects the women's sorrow from his suffering to the impending doom of Jerusalem, highlighting that their weeping should be for the spiritual and physical devastation about to befall them and their children, not for him who is on his way to glorious triumph. This reveals Jesus' profound selflessness, even in his darkest hour, as his concern remains for the souls and futures of those who would reject him.
As Jesus is led away to be crucified, a crowd follows, including women from Jerusalem who are openly weeping for him. Jesus, despite his own intense suffering and the surrounding mockery, turns his attention to them and speaks for the first time since leaving Pilate. He tells them not to weep for him, but instead to weep for the impending destruction that will soon fall upon Jerusalem and their children, a consequence of their nation's rejection of him.
Jesus is hours from death, enduring unimaginable pain and mockery. Yet, His first words after leaving Pilate are not about Himself, but about others.
This moment reveals Jesus' profound, unwavering compassion. Even as He faces the ultimate agony, His heart is turned outward.
The Master's Focus
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Jesus tells the women to weep, not for His impending death, but for a future devastation far worse. What does this reveal about His perspective on sin and judgment?
Jesus' words point to a future calamity that overshadows even His own crucifixion. This isn't just about His suffering, but about the devastating consequences of rejecting God's Messiah.
The Reason for Tears
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.
steira · Greek Adjective
In a biblical context, it refers to a woman unable to conceive; throughout Scripture, barrenness was often seen as a source of social shame, making the reversal of this sentiment in judgment particularly shocking.
idou · Greek Interjection
A prophetic declaration of impending disaster or divine judgment; often used in the OT to describe the 'Day of the Lord' and echoed here by Jesus to signal the destruction of Jerusalem.
kalyptō · Greek Verb
The act of shielding or hiding from wrath; here, it refers to the desperate desire to be crushed by creation rather than face the terror of impending divine judgment.
xylon chlōron · Greek Noun phrase
A metaphor for the state of a person or nation; 'green wood' implies vitality and life, while 'dry wood' implies deadness and ripeness for judgment or burning.
Jesus' words to the 'Daughters of Jerusalem' were not just a moment of compassion, but a prophetic warning. He foresaw the immense suffering that would soon engulf their city and families, a direct consequence of their collective rejection of God's Son, which tragically came to pass decades later in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion
Jesus is condemned by Pontius Pilate, scourged, mocked by soldiers, and led to Golgotha to be crucified between two criminals. A crowd follows, including women who lament.
c. 30 AD
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is crucified. The women of Jerusalem weep as they watch. Jesus, despite his own suffering, speaks to them, urging them to weep for themselves and their children.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Death and Burial
Jesus dies on the cross and is taken down and buried in a tomb.
c. 49 AD
Roman-Judean Tensions
Growing unrest and tensions between Jewish populations and Roman rule simmer, which will eventually lead to open rebellion.
66-70 AD
First Jewish-Roman War
A major rebellion of the Jews against Roman rule begins, leading to widespread destruction and loss of life.
70 AD
Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman legions under Titus besiege and ultimately destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy of imminent judgment.
This passage speaks of a future day when Israel will look on the one they have pierced and mourn. It parallels Jesus' instruction not to mourn for Him, but for themselves, implying a deeper, future sorrow connected to their rejection of Him.
Matthew 27:25The women weep for themselves and their children, echoing the people's cry, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' This highlights the immense national tragedy and the inherited consequences of rejecting the Messiah.
Luke 19:41-42Earlier in Luke, Jesus wept over Jerusalem, lamenting the destruction that would come upon the city. This earlier weeping shows Jesus' own deep sorrow for the city's fate, which He now directs others to understand and share.
Hosea 10:8This prophetic word describes a future day when people will cry to the mountains to cover them and to the hills to fall on them. Jesus' words about weeping for yourselves and your children directly allude to this intense future judgment that He foresaw.
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 women's sorrow from his suffering to the impending doom of Jerusalem, highlighting that their weeping should be for the spiritual and physical devastation about to befall them and their children, not for him who is on his way to glorious triumph. This reveals Jesus' profound selflessness, even in his darkest hour, as his concern remains for the souls and futures of those who would reject him.
As Jesus is led away to be crucified, a crowd follows, including women from Jerusalem who are openly weeping for him. Jesus, despite his own intense suffering and the surrounding mockery, turns his attention to them and speaks for the first time since leaving Pilate. He tells them not to weep for him, but instead to weep for the impending destruction that will soon fall upon Jerusalem and their children, a consequence of their nation's rejection of him.
As Jesus is led away to be crucified, a crowd follows, including women from Jerusalem who are openly weeping for him. Jesus, despite his own intense suffering and the surrounding mockery, turns his attention to them and speaks for the first time since leaving Pilate. He tells them not to weep for him, but instead to weep for the impending destruction that will soon fall upon Jerusalem and their children, a consequence of their nation's rejection of him.
"But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the b…" — Jesus redirects the women's sorrow from his suffering to the impending doom of Jerusalem, highlighting that their weeping should be for the spiritual and physical devastation about to befall them and…
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