Luke 13:33

33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following : for it cannot be * that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Luke 13:33 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 13:33

Nevertheless, I must walk
The Syriac version reads, "I must work", and so the Arabic: as going about doing good, casting out devils, and healing diseases:

today and tomorrow, and the day following:
a few days more in Galilee, and towards Jerusalem: all the Oriental versions read, "the day following I shall depart"; either out of this world; or out of Galilee, and go to Jerusalem, and there suffer and die:

for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem;
because the great sanhedrim only sat at Jerusalem, to whom it belonged to try and judge a prophet; and if found false, to condemn him, and put him to death; the rule is this F5;

``they do not judge, neither a tribe, nor a false prophet, nor an high priest, but by the sanhedrim of seventy and one.''

Not but that prophets sometimes perished elsewhere, as John the Baptist in Galilee; but not according to a judicial process, in which way Christ the prophet was to be cut off, nor was it common; instances of this kind were rare, and always in a violent way; and even such as were sentenced to death by the lesser sanhedrim, were brought to Jerusalem, and publicly executed there, whose crimes were of another sort; for so runs the canon F6;

``they do not put any one to death by the sanhedrim, which is in his city, nor by the sanhedrim in Jabneh; but they bring him to the great, sanhedrim in Jerusalem, and keep him till the feast, and put him to death on a feast day, as it is said ( Deuteronomy 17:13 ) "and all the people shall hear and fear."''

And since Jerusalem was the place where the prophets were usually put to death, it follows,


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 5. & T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 18. 2.
F6 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 10. sect. 4.

Luke 13:33 In-Context

31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out , and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
32 And he said unto them, Go ye , and tell that fox, Behold , I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected .
33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following : for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together , as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
35 Behold , your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you , Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say , Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The King James Version is in the public domain.