Herod the Fox
(It's not a compliment.)
Honestly, these last five verses of Luke 13 could seem to be a bit of a mess. I’m reflecting through what I’ve written about these verses before.
(Did the Pharisees warn Jesus because they cared for his life or because they didn’t want anything to disturb the peace of Rome?)
Jesus calls Herod a fox. This isn’t to say Herod is cunning or cute. Jesus is calling him small and sneaky. And he’s comparing and contrasting what Herod cares about and does with the work of the Kingdom. Herod is interested in spectacles. Jesus, the restoration of Israel’s people. Herod is supposedly to be overseeing Israel’s people. Jesus is doing it.
Jesus’ response to him is as if to say, “The true Kingdom doesn’t have time for the pettiness of puppet kings.”
Jesus is not making a geographical statement about Jerusalem. Indeed, he’s really kind of on a roll with the sarcasm and tragic irony here. The city that prides itself on being closest to God, the center of worship, and the place of the Temple, is also the very place that silences God’s messengers. It doesn’t seem to be mockery as much as grief and exasperation. You can almost hear the ache in his voice: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you…
It’s the pain of a parent watching a child opt for violence and danger, over and over again. Jesus longs to gather them together in solidarity and community, but they refuse, choosing violence instead of being the “City of Peace.” This is the consistent story of God’s people, a God who draws near, a people who resist, and yet still God keeps reaching.
This feels close to this current moment for many of us. There’s no shortage of claims for Christ all around. But who Christ is - and how faithful all the noise is to his prophetic voice - is the real question. The challenge for us is not simply to call his name, but to recognize and follow his way as he taught and exemplified it.
Luke 13:31-35
At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus and said, “Go! Get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”
Jesus said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m throwing out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. However, it’s necessary for me to travel today, tomorrow, and the next day because it’s impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather your people just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you didn’t want that. Look, your house is abandoned. I tell you, you won’t see me until the time comes when you say, Blessings on the one who comes in the Lord’s name.”
Prayer
God,
I’m a parent of seven at this point. My children have a collective 93 years with me. I believe I’m a bit of a calmer parent than I was 21 years ago, and yet, I also have some anxieties and frustrations. I continue to resonate with my psychologist friend’s mantra that having children is quite the risk. It’s one thing as a mantra and a whole other thing in reality. So true.
How do you do it, all these years? Your grace and compassion truly is endless. To watch child after child choose terrible things. I can’t imagine how much you’ve seen.
But we don’t get frustrated with those people and situations we don’t love, right? So help my love to be coupled with grace and long patience. Give me wisdom. Help me to hold my tongue when it’s best. And when it is right to speak, give me the best words possible.
By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.