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NASB | Matthew 23:37 ¶ "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 23:37 ¶ "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. [Luke 13:34, 35] |
Subject: Matt. 23:37 Calvinism or Arminianism? |
Bible Note: Greetings John! Greek is able to make some abrupt breaks, as opposed to English, simply because its forms are so precise. But, whether you see the 'ye' as referring to the Pharisees or to the children, either way, God was not able to gather the children because someone was unwilling. So, we have two choices: a) God wanted to gather the children of Jerusalem, but could not because they were not willing. or, b) God wanted to gather the children of Jerusalem, but could not because the Pharisees were unwilling. Of course, then the question arises, "How could the Pharisees prevent God from doing anything He wanted to do?" If it were the individuals themselves who were unwilling, then one could say that God was not able because He would not vilolate their free choice. However, if the Pharisees were not willing for God to gather the children together, on what basis would God have been unable to do so? One more note about Mt. 27:31. That verses does not accuse the Pharisess of stoning the prophets, but of being sons of those who stoned the prophets. Thus, Mt. 27:37 would seem to stretch back in time to their fathers and forward to those in the present - or to all of the children of Jerusalem! :-) |