so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus highlights that the current generation is responsible for all the righteous blood shed, stretching back to the very beginning of human history with Abel. This isn't just about punishing recent sins, but about bringing to account the cumulative violence and rejection of God's messengers throughout Israel's entire story, with Zechariah's murder in the sacred space serving as a particularly egregious, though not chronologically last, example.
so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is in Jerusalem, delivering a scathing series of "woes" against the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He condemns them for their outward show of piety while inwardly being corrupt and persecuting the righteous. This verse is part of his concluding lament over Jerusalem itself, where he declares that the accumulated guilt for all the innocent blood shed throughout history will be charged to this generation.
Jesus paints a stark picture, linking the earliest act of murder to a recent one. What does this sweeping indictment reveal about the deep-seated sin of His generation?
Jesus isn't just listing historical events; He's drawing a direct line of accountability. By mentioning 'from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,' He’s encompassing all the innocent blood shed throughout Israel's history.
This isn't merely a historical recount; it's a testament to a pattern of violence. The generation Jesus speaks to has inherited and perpetuated this legacy of rejecting and killing God's messengers. They are, in effect, signing their names onto the same ledger of guilt as their ancestors.
Jesus declares that 'all the righteous blood' will 'come upon' this generation. What does this overwhelming judgment signify?
The phrase 'that upon you may come' signifies the culmination of guilt. It's not just that this generation is responsible for the blood shed by their ancestors; it's that they are poised to the cycle of violence.
Ask a follow-up
This isn't about God arbitrarily punishing people for their ancestors' sins, but about a persistent, hardening rebellion that leads to a final, sweeping judgment.
The specific location where Zechariah was killed – 'between the sanctuary and the altar' – is significant. What does this detail tell us about the spiritual state of Jerusalem?
The murder of Zechariah between the temple sanctuary and the altar of burnt offering was an act of ultimate sacrilege.
Understand the original words
dikaiou · Greek Adjective
One who lives in conformity to God’s will, justified by faith, and whose life bears the fruit of divine truth.
naou · Greek Noun
The innermost part of the temple, the holy place representing the dwelling of God’s presence among His people.
thysiastēriou · Greek Noun
The place of sacrifice where atonement is made; symbolically, it represents the meeting point between a holy God and sinful humanity.
Jesus’ accusation is rooted in a long history of violence against God's messengers. By referencing Abel, the first martyr, and Zechariah, martyred within the Temple itself, He highlights a persistent pattern of rejecting and killing prophets throughout Israel's story, culminating in His own rejection and the coming judgment on Jerusalem.
c. 1000 BC
David's Temple Built
King David prepared for the building of the First Temple in Jerusalem, which his son Solomon would later complete. This would become the central place of worship and national identity for Israel.
c. 922 BC
Temple Divided and Desecrated
Following the division of the kingdom, both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah saw corrupt practices and idolatry infiltrate the worship at their respective temples or altars. This set a precedent for religious compromise and corruption.
c. 830 BC— this verse
Martyrdom of Zechariah son of Jehoiada
Zechariah, a priest and prophet, was stoned to death in the temple court by order of King Joash, for rebuking the people's disobedience to God. This event, recorded in 2 Chronicles 24, is widely believed to be the incident Jesus refers to, despite the name difference.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of the First Temple
The Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple, marking a devastating exile for the Jewish people and a profound crisis of faith and identity.
c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
After returning from Babylonian exile, the Jewish people rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem. This Second Temple became the focal point of worship once again, though often under foreign rule.
c. 400 BC
Compilations of Scripture
The Hebrew Scriptures, including the books of Genesis and Chronicles, were largely compiled and canonized. This provided a fixed narrative of Israel's history and covenant relationship with God, from Abel to Zechariah.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army destroyed the Second Temple after a Jewish revolt. This event signified the end of an era of sacrificial worship and further dispersed the Jewish people.
This passage describes the very first instance of righteous blood being shed through murder, setting the precedent that Jesus references with Abel.
2 Chronicles 24:20-22This is the most likely historical event Jesus is alluding to, detailing the stoning of Zechariah, a prophet, in the temple courts for speaking God's word.
Luke 11:50-51This parallel passage from Luke echoes Jesus' pronouncement, emphasizing that the blood of all the prophets will be required from 'this generation,' reinforcing the theme of generational accountability for violence against God's messengers.
Matthew 27:25This verse shows the culmination of the rejection of God's messengers when the crowd calls for Jesus' crucifixion, famously declaring, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' demonstrating the same theme of collective guilt and consequence.
Hebrews 11:4This passage in Hebrews highlights Abel's sacrifice as speaking 'better things than Cain's,' emphasizing the enduring impact and divine reckoning that follows the shedding of righteous blood, directly connecting to Jesus' point.
vincentMatthew 23:35: "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar."
Temple (ναοῦ)Rev., rightly, sanctuary. See on Matthew 4:5. Zechariah was slain between the temple proper and the altar of burnt-offering, in the priests' court.
calvinMatthew 23:29-39: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,"
- 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 thos…
Jesus highlights that the current generation is responsible for all the righteous blood shed, stretching back to the very beginning of human history with Abel. This isn't just about punishing recent sins, but about bringing to account the cumulative violence and rejection of God's messengers throughout Israel's entire story, with Zechariah's murder in the sacred space serving as a particularly egregious, though not chronologically last, example.
Jesus is in Jerusalem, delivering a scathing series of "woes" against the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He condemns them for their outward show of piety while inwardly being corrupt and persecuting the righteous. This verse is part of his concluding lament over Jerusalem itself, where he declares that the accumulated guilt for all the innocent blood shed throughout history will be charged to this generation.
Jesus is in Jerusalem, delivering a scathing series of "woes" against the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He condemns them for their outward show of piety while inwardly being corrupt and persecuting the righteous. This verse is part of his concluding lament over Jerusalem itself, where he declares that the accumulated guilt for all the innocent blood shed throughout history will be charged to this generation.
"so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar." — Jesus highlights that the current generation is responsible for all the righteous blood shed, stretching back to the very beginning of human history with Abel. This isn't just about punishing recen…
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Last reviewed October 2026