What does Luke 11:47 mean?

Explanation

The verse Luke 11:47, "Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them," is a condemnation from Jesus aimed at the religious leaders of His time, the scribes and the Pharisees.

In this verse, Jesus is rebuking these leaders for their hypocrisy.

On the surface, they show respect for the prophets of old by building and maintaining their tombs, yet historically, it was their ancestors who persecuted and killed those same prophets.

The deeper meaning here is a criticism of their superficial righteousness and an implication that they are no different from their ancestors who rejected the message of God's messengers, they, too, would go on to reject Christ himself.

Historical Context

The verse is part of a larger passage in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus is voicing a series of "woes" against the Pharisees and scribes, denouncing their behavior and practices.

This begins in Luke 11:37 and cludes with Luke 11:54.

During the time when this was spoken, the Jewish leaders held significant power and influence over religious life in Judea.

Building the sepulchres would have been seen as an act of piety and reverence for the prophets, yet Jesus sees through this act to the true condition of their hearts.

Theological Insights

Within Christian theology, this verse highlights the concept of genuine repentance and righteousness as opposed to false piety.

The Pharisees are traditionally seen as figures representing self-righteousness and hypocrisy, and this verse reinforces their role as an antithesis to the humility and authenticity that Jesus preached.

From this perspective, the verse serves as a warning against following in the footsteps of the Pharisees and instead calls for a sincere acknowledgment of past wrongs and a commitment to a life reflective of true righteousness.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Luke 11:47 can remind individuals to critically examine their own lives for inconsistencies between their actions and their professed beliefs.

It challenges people to avoid the trap of performative religion, doing things that look good on the outside while harboring a heart that is not aligned with God's teachings.

The verse can encourage believers to be congruent in their faith, seeking to honor God not just with external acts but with a genuine internal transformation.

Cross-References

• Matthew 23:29-32: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,"
• Acts 7:51-52: "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye."
• 1 Thessalonians 2:15: "Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:"

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text of this verse are:

• "Woe" (οὐαί - ouai): A pronouncement of judgment or condemnation, often indicating grief or denunciation.
• "Build" (οἰκοδομεῖτε - oikodomeite): In this context, to construct or repair, indicating the act of honoring the prophets by maintaining their tombs.
• "Sepulchres" (μνημεῖα - mnemeia): Tombs or memorials erected for the dead.
• "Prophets" (προφήτας - prophētas): Messengers or spokespersons for God, often associated with foretelling the future or conveying divine messages.
• "Fathers" (πατέρες - pateres): Ancestors or predecessors, in this case, referring to the previous generations of the Jews.

The understanding of these original Greek words can add depth to the interpretation of the verse, as it emphasizes the contrast between the outward show of respect and the historical actions against God's messengers.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, including within many traditions in Judaism, there was great emphasis on honoring the dead, particularly noteworthy figures like prophets or heroes.

By comparing the Jewish contemporary acts of honoring the dead prophets with their ancestors' persecution of these same figures, Jesus challenges the cultural norm of superficial veneration without true righteousness.

In other religious and cultural settings, acts of veneration to the deceased are often a way to connect with the divine or the sacred past.

However, Jesus radicalizes this concept by emphasizing that true honor comes from living out the truths that the prophets taught, not just by maintaining their graves.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives typically do not directly intersect with passages like Luke 11:47, which focus on moral teachings and religious hypocrisy.

However, a scientific study of behavioral psychology may provide insight into why humans may engage in activities that only give the appearance of morality, the concept of "moral licensing" wherein an individual's good deeds might give them the subjective license to perform less ethical actions without a sense of personal incongruity.

commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentators interpret this verse within the broader context of Jesus' criticism of the Pharisees and the scribes.

• John Gill, an 18th-century biblical scholar, refers to this practice of building tombs as "ostentation" and another way for the Pharisees to gain honor for themselves, noting the contradiction in their actions, where they pretended to respect the prophets while rejecting and being ready to persecute the messengers of the Lord.

• Matthew Henry's commentary acknowledges this verse as an indicator of humanity's tendency to honor the dead saints and prophets and neglect the living ones, showing more respect in their actions towards the memory of the deceased rather than the messages and values they taught.

• David Guzik's contemporary commentary emphasizes the point that the leaders acknowledged the prophets were sent by God since they honored their tombs, yet by their own actions, they would have done the same as their ancestors, rejecting and killing them, if they had lived in their times.