Notes on Luke 11:44-52

Woe. See notes on 6:20-26. unmarked graves. Contact with death made a person ritually unclean under the Old Testament law (Num. 19:16). If a grave was unmarked, someone might walk over it without knowing it. Jesus said the Pharisees were such graves — unknowingly spiritually dead inside and unclean before God.

teachers of the law. See note on 5:17.

Woe. See notes on 6:20-26. burdens. By adding extra rules and traditions, the teachers of the law, made it hard and miserable to keep God's word. It should have been a joy (Ps. 119:97, 103, 165). Worse, as hypocrites they did not try to keep the burdens themselves.

Woe. See notes on 6:20-26. prophets. During Jesus' day, teachers went to the traditional burial places of the prophets and built memorials. It was supposed to be a sign of piety. But Jesus showed their hypocrisy. It was easier to pay empty tribute to a dead prophet than to listen to a living one. killed. All throughout biblical history, God's prophets were killed for speaking God's truth. The same spirit of hard-heartedness existed in the teachers of that day. They rejected Jesus, God's perfect prophet (Heb. 1:1). Eventually, they would kill him as well (9:22; 19:47; 22:2; Matt. 20:18).

this reason. That is, the sins laid out in vv. 39-48. God's wisdom. Is often contrary to human wisdom (1 Cor. 1:20-25). Though they will suffer, he sent prophets and apostles to preach to his people (1 Thess. 2:15; see Eph. 3:5; 2 Pet. 3:2; Rev. 18:20). These words of God are not quoted from the Old Testament.

The rejection of Jesus and his apostles is part of a history of persecution of God's prophets (see note on vv. 47-48). However, this generation's persecution of Jesus is especially wicked as all the prophets pointed to him (24:26-27, 44-47; John 5:39).

Abel's blood . . . Zechariah. Adam's son, Abel, was the first person killed for his faith in God (Gen. 4:1-12). According to the Hebrew order of the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles is the final book. There, Zechariah is the last person shown being martyred for his faith in God (2 Chron. 24:20-22). Jesus is saying that from the beginning to end of the Old Testament history, Satan has been at work to stop the plan of God. He did this in many ways, but especially through death (John 8:44).

Woe. See notes on 6:20-26. taken away the key. Those who claim to be teachers of the God's Law pervert that teaching. They keep people from understanding as they should. hinder. They claimed to preach a message of salvation but were only blind guides because they had not entered God's salvation themselves. They prevent people from entering the kingdom.