Luke 13:34 Disturbs my Calvinism
Question
I am confused. Romans 8 and 9, Ephesians 1, and many other more isolated passages in the bible teach unconditional election and a lack of libertarian free will. I understand and agree with Calvinistic election very strongly. What I don't understand is how this falls in line with passages such as Luke 13:34? Doesn't this seem to point toward some sort of "resistible grace?" I don't understand this.
Answer
There are several texts of Scripture that appear to speak of universalism (Ezek 18:23, 32; 33:11; I Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9), however when properly studied it is seen that they are in fact not universal texts. Neither do these verses imply that the saving grace of God is resistible fully and finally by God’s elect.
In Luke (and Matthew’s account in 23:37) here, there is no hint in these verses that God’s divine decree can be successfully resisted fully and finally just because someone is "unwilling." The Bible is clear on the teaching that, if someone is “unwilling,” that they are acting according to their depraved nature to hate God (John 3:18-20; 7:7; 15:8, 23; Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 1:30; 8:3-8; and add, John 12:40; Romans 9:18, 11:7), and if someone is willing, it is because God makes him willing (John 6:44, 65). No one that God makes willing can stay away (John 6:37). God’s grace for the elect is irresistible!
Let’s look at the verses in question:
Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.First, we must ask, what is meant by “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem?” Without taking into account the rest of the context of Matthew 23 or Luke 13, it looks as though Christ is addressing every person in Jerusalem. However, the context does not bare witness to this. Note that this “Jerusalem” is said to, ‘kill the prophets and stone those who are sent.’ Who are these that have done these atrocious crime(s)?
Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
This is akin to the parable of Christ in Matthew 21:33-46 (c.g. Isa. 5:1-7; and probably reflects Psa. 80:8-18 – Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible). Here there is a landowner who is God (v. 33). The vineyard is the Kingdom of God (v. 43). The servants are the prophets which were beat, stoned, and killed (v. 35-36) by the tenants. The son of course is Jesus (v. 37-39). The tenants are the Jews opposed to the prophets and Jesus (v. 34-40). They murder the son as they mistreated the prophets of the past. The tenants have done these atrocious crime(s).
The context of our text parallels this. Jesus begins with his own explanation, “The teachers of the law [scribes] and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.” (Matt. 23:2 — the tenants). Then in verse 13 and following, Christ begins with the “woes” of the leaders of Jerusalem and ends with, “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?” (Matt. 23:33). Thus, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” refers to the leaders of Jerusalem (i.e. the tenants of Matt. 21).
Also, note in our two texts above that Jesus states he desires to have gathered the “children,” not the “Jerusalem.” It is not God’s elect resisting, rather it is the seed of the serpent (the leaders of Jerusalem, the tenants) waging war with God’s servants (Gen. 3; Rev. 12), whom Christ is gathering. Thus, this “Jerusalem” was preventing the children from being gathered at this time. It is these unregenerate ones that are resisting the proclamation of the Gospel because it is in their nature to do so (John 12:40; Romans 9:18; 11:7; Acts 7:51). How were they doing the preventing? By killing the prophets and stoning them, etc.! They even crucify the very Son of God!
In this passage, Jesus is wrapping up his final rebuke of judgment against the leaders (seed of the serpent) who opposed him (the seed of the woman). They were trying to keep the children of Jerusalem (chicks) from coming to salvation; but, as Matthew 23:38 states, their house will be left to them “desolate.” In other words, as much as the leaders of Jerusalem desire to prevent the elect of Israel from be gathered to Christ, he will gather them despite their resistance.
Thus, these verses prove the irresistibility of God’s grace and sovereignty rather than in any way challenging it.
Answer by: Joseph R. Nally, Theological Editor, on behalf of the staff at IIIM.