Luke 13:33

33 Nevertheless, it is necessary [for] me to be on the way today and tomorrow and on the next [day], because it is not possible [for] a prophet to perish outside 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,

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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 At [that] same hour some Pharisees came up [and] said to him, "Go out and depart from here, because Herod wants to kill you!"

32 And he said to them, "Go [and] tell that fox, 'Behold, I am expelling demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third [day] I will complete [my work].'

33 Nevertheless, it is necessary [for] me to be on the way today and tomorrow and on the next [day], because it is not possible [for] a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem.

34 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together {the way} a hen [gathers] her own brood under [her] wings, and you were not willing!

35 Behold, your house has been left to you! And I tell you, you will never see me until [the time] will come when you say, 'Blessed [is] the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'"