The passage
      v31. The pharisees warn Jesus that Herod Antipas, who ruled Galilee and Transjordan, is uneasy about him. Probably Herod is a bit worried that he has another John the Baptist on his hands.
      v32. Jesus defiantly asserts the priority of his messianic mission, of his journey to Jerusalem, "day after day", and of its "completion" on that "final" day in his death, resurrection, ascension and enthronement. Jesus' mission, in words and signs, stands over and above the intentions of "that fox", a third-rate political hack. Jesus' goal is to follow the way set before him by the Father and thus achieve "his consecration and enthronement into the messianic office", Earle Ellis.
      The "today and tomorrow" just means "day after day", or "day by day"; it refers to the steady progress of time reaching its conclusion on the "third day." The "third day" means the "final day", the last day in the sequence of days. Jesus may be linking "the third day" with his resurrection, but it is more likely that this "final day" is his reaching Jerusalem and the "goal" of his high priestly consecration through death, resurrection and ascension, Heb.2:10, 5:9.
      v33. Jesus restates v32 underlining two points. First, his journey to Jerusalem is one determined by God, "it is necessary" and he cannot turn aside from it. Second, the journey will inevitably follow its course to suffering and death. Of course, prophets have died outside of Jerusalem, but Jesus ironically makes the point that it is "inappropriate" for a messenger from God, in particular this messenger, to be set upon and murdered outside of Jerusalem.
      v34. Jesus now utters a lament for Jerusalem. Although his words are directed toward Jerusalem, the city and its inhabitants are but representative of the people of Israel and of their rejection of the messiah. Jesus speaks as the prophet of the Lord, personalizing God's word to his people; his words are similar to Stephen's in Acts 6. The simple fact is that the people of Israel have continually rejected God's gracious kindness extended to them through his prophets, and now they reject this kindness in Jesus.
      v35. Jesus concludes with a prophetic word of doom for the people of Israel. The imagery Jesus uses is of the departure of the Shekinah glory (God's glorious presence) from his house (temple/Jerusalem/people). The final state of a rebellious people of God is the withdrawal of his Spirit from their midst. The disciples would soon symbolically affirm the kingship of Christ in the words of Psalm 118:26. These words were sung at the enthronement of David, along with the other kings of the Davidic line and they will be sung again for Jesus as he enters the throne room of the Ancient of Days for his coronation. There is a mystical sense where, not just rebellious Israel, but all mankind will witness this moment, will join in proclaiming the words, but will weep, for it is all too late, her house is "forsaken".

The way to glory
      Jesus, on our behalf, travelled the way to Jerusalem, of glory through suffering and death. In Jesus, we have completed that journey and so we sit in glory with him. Yet, as part of our preparation for rule in eternity, Jesus sets us on the pathway he once trod.

      Our passage for study gives us two insights into the journey:

i] Discipleship is governed by a Divine imperative.
      There is a "must" about it. We don't have to follow the pathway that Jesus has laid out, it does not effect our salvation. Yet, if we place ourselves in the center of God's will, our training toward eternity will be hastened through the interaction of applied Biblical truth and life's circumstances.
      For Jesus, the business of the moment was to "drive out demons and heal people". These were the messianic signs heralding the coming kingdom - the reign of God. The business of the moment was freedom, setting free those bound in sin and death, both the sinner and the self-righteous. The inevitable "goal" of this pathway is glory through suffering.
      This then should be our way - to strive for the freedom of the lost in the face of rejection and failure.

ii] Discipleship is governed by the danger of desolation.
      The Old Testament prophets, as well as Jesus, warned Israel that their failure to hear the Word of the Lord would bring desolation to their house. Jesus and the apostles warned the church of the same scenario. The Lord will gather a people to himself, but institutional power, ministerial approval and success, congregational survival, conformism, and above all, legalism, often deafen the hearing of God's people. This is the danger that all believers face.
      We are privileged to share in the life of the Christian church, but this should not lessen our critical view, nor our responsibility to constantly assess the danger of apostasy.

v32
      This verse is descriptive of Jesus' mission, of the divine imperative to undertake his messianic journey, his exodus, to Jerusalem with its inevitable conclusion, namely, his death.
      poreuqenteV (poreuomai) aor. pas. part. "go" - having gone. Obviously these Pharisees are Herod's messengers, so "go back to Herod."
      th/ alwpeki (x ectos) dat. "fox" - to this fox. An insignificant creature, but cunning and vicious, so prompting three possible insults: i] insignificant; ii] deceiver; iii] destructive, or all three together.
      ekballw pres. "I will drive out" - Futuristic present tense, as NIV. Irrespective of Herod, Jesus intends to continue his ministry, again summarized in messianic terms: exorcisms and healings. Yet, why no mention of Jesus' preaching ministry?
      apotelw (apotelew) "heal people" - produce, complete, finish [healings].
      shmeron kai aurion "today and tomorrow" - Most likely an Aramaic phrase which can literally mean "two days", but here more likely an indefinite period "day by day", Black.
      th/ trith/ "on the third day" - on the third. The general "day by day" ministry of Jesus will progress to a final day at a future undefined, but specific moment. Possibly spacial, the conclusion of Jesus' healing ministry, so Manson, or his death, his resurrection, or even ascension. Christ's death seems the best spacial choice, but the mention of "third" certainly hints at the resurrection. None-the-less, a theological, rather than earthly spacial goal may be intended. Jesus' ministry proceeds, irrespective of the ravings of political tyrants, until his messianic enthronement; "day by day, until that last day when I complete my mission."
      teleioumai (teleiow) pres. pas. "I will reach my goal" - I am completed, made perfect, brought to an end. Probably a theological passive identifying God as the agent of Jesus' completion. "I am brought to the end/goal of my work", Fitzmyer. On that final/third day Jesus will "complete" his mission, namely, "his consecration and enthronement into the messianic office", Ellis. "I finish my work", NRSV.

v33
      "A Lukan reiteration of v32 in a form that accommodates it to the journey context", Nolland.
      plhn "in any case" - nevertheless, but. Here as a conjunction. Usually a strong adversative, so expressing a contrast with "I am completed" - "but / nevertheless ...." Sometimes continuative, so "moreover / and indeed", Marshall, so developing the thought of v32, namely, that Jesus intends pressing on with his ministry to the end. This seems best; "and indeed, I must press on", "because it is unthinkable that a prophet should die anywhere else than in Jerusalem", Barclay.
      dei "I must" - it is necessary. Usually of divine necessity.
      poreuesqai (poreuomai) pres. inf. "keep going" - to go. The infinitive is epexegetic, explaining what is necessary and the present tense is durative, expressing continuation, so NIV. Presumably, the going is the messianic mission of Jesus = his journey to Jerusalem, in words and signs, with inevitable death as its conclusion.
      th/ ecomenh/ (ecw) pres. mid. part. "the next day" - on/at the one having. A stereotypical phrase of the period meaning "the immediately following day", "the next day", as NIV. Presumably the whole clause restates the similar clause in v32, and thus again describes the mission of Jesus, of setting his face toward Jerusalem and its "completion" there.
      oJti "for" - because. Here expressing cause or reason.
      ouk endecetai (endecomai) pres. "surely" - it is not possible, imaginable, thinkable, right. Possibly reflecting the divine imperative; "it is impossible", Fitzmyer. Possibly a touch of irony here; of course, prophets have died outside Jerusalem, but it would be inappropriate for Jesus, the messiah, someone greater than a prophet, to die outside of Jerusalem.

v34
      This verse serves as a lament over Israel's rejection of God's gracious kindness revealed through his messengers, particularly through Christ. We would assume that the speaker is Jesus, although he my be prophetically uttering a divine word in much the same way as the prophets proclaimed a word from the Lord, albeit with the introduction, "thus says the Lord." Jesus use of the first person supports this view.
      Ierousalhm voc. "O Jerusalem" - Repetition adds force. Jerusalem is the heart of Israel and thus representative of the people of Israel.
      hJ apokteinousa (apokteinw) pres. part. "you who kill" - the one killing. The present tense expressing the constant murdering and stoning of God's messengers, ie. violently rejecting. Israel is "ever ready to kill and stone", Marshall.
      liqobolousa (liqobolew) pres. part. "stone" - stoning. "Pelt to death by stoning", TH.
      touV apestalmenouV (apostellw) perf. pas. part. "those sent" - the ones having been sent. The perfect tense referring to the prophets sent in the past to Israel through into the present. Unlikely to refer here to the apostles as sent ones.
      authn pro. 3rd. sing. "you" - her. A direct address to Jerusalem as "her", rather than "you" is Semitic.
      posakiV adv. "how often" - As already noted, Jerusalem is representative of Israel as a whole, and also, it seems likely that the expressed desire to gather in Israel is that of the Godhead rather than just Jesus. It is rather simplistic to read these words as if referring to Jesus' feelings on previous visits to Jerusalem.
      episunaxai (episunagw) aor. inf. "to gather" - to gather together. Colloquial 1st. aor. form. The infinitive is epexegetic, direct object of the verb "I have longed / willed." "How often have I yearned to gather", Williams.
      ta tekna "children" - the children [of you]. The children of Jerusalem are her inhabitants = the children of Israel. "Your people", CEV.
      oJn tropon (oV) "as" - which in manner [a hen]. An accusative of respect. ouk hqelhsate (qelw) aor. "you were not willing" - "And you refused", RJB.

v35
      Serving as a word of prophecy: the inevitable consequence of Israel's rejection of God's mercy, exhibited in the messiah, is judgment. Difficulties exists in understanding the intended meaning of v35b. The emphatic "you will never see me again", qualified by an indefinite temporal clause indicating that they will see him again at a future time when they join in the coronation hymn of the Davidic messiah, is enigmatic to say the least. It is possible, although unlikely, that the Jews, or Pharisees, won't get to see Jesus for awhile until he enters Jerusalem in some months time to the words of the coronation hymn, Psalm 118. Yet, it is likely that Jesus' words are more eschatological than temporal. As for the future "seeing" of Jesus, it is more than likely that it is a seeing in the imagination, in the mind's eye. An actual "seeing" at Christ's coronation and the great assize, by those who have rejected Jesus, is possible, but only if we posit a literal judgment of the damned. When it comes to identifying this eschatological event, there is, as one would expect, numerous interpretation. The majority of commentators posit an eschatological welcome of Jesus at his second coming by a repentant Israel, see Bock, Marshall and Nolland, although it seems more likely that the welcome is proclaimed at Christ's coming to the Ancient of Days at the moment of his enthronement - a coming to heaven, not earth. Danker's suggestion that the welcome refers to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is rejected by most commentators. Ellis opposes the idea that the prophecy has anything to do with Jesus' triumphal entry to Jerusalem, but leaves "open the question whether the prophecy anticipates that Jerusalem will 'see' Jesus in a future conversion, or in a recognition of his Lordship, too late, in the final judgment." Manson, in his work Sayings, opts for the second possibility. Jerusalem will, in the end, proclaim the blessing, but then it will be too late. Plummer suggests that the prophecy concerns "the conversion of the Jews throughout time." For myself, I think Manson is on the right track. So, Israel's house is now forsaken, she is condemned, God's mercy in Christ is withdrawn from her, and so, all she can do now is watch (in the mind's eye?) from a distance as the messiah "comes", with his saints, to the Ancient of Days for his heavenly enthronement. In his dying moments, this was Stephen's vision. For Israel, it's all too late, for she is abandoned to her enemies and inevitably, to her enemies, she will fall. See note below on the issue of eschatology and time. "I have sought to gather you to myself, but you would have none of it. So, you are forsaken people. The next time you see me will be at my enthronement, but as you sing the enthronement hymn, 'God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord', know that you have no part in any of it."
      idou "look" - pay attention.
      oJ oikoV "[your] house" - Some translators opt for "temple", and indeed, the people of Israel is the Lord's house, come Temple. None-the-less, it is more likely that "the people of Jerusalem" is intended = "the people of Israel."
      afietai (afihmi) pres. pas. "is left [to you]" - [the house of you] is left [to you]. The sense is, God abandons the house of Israel, taking away his protection etc., so leaving the people to look after themselves. "Israel is forsaken"; "Now it's too late", Peterson; "God no longer has his home among you", Barclay. erhmoV "desolate" - This varient, accepted by NIV, is probably an assimilation to Jr.22:5, Metzger.
      ou mh idhte (eidon) aor. subj. "you will not see" - you may never see. The subjunctive with the double negative forming an emphatic negation; "you will never see me again", Williams; "you will not see me at all", Berkeley.
      eJwV + subj. "until [you say]" - until [you may say]. The conjunction with the subjunctive forming an indefinite temporal clause. Note the variant "until the time / day when you will say ..."
      euloghmenoV (eulogew) perf. pas. part. "Blessed" - having been blessed. As a statement, "blessed of God is he ....", or hortatory, "God bless him who ....", Barclay.
      oJ ercomenoV (ercomai) pres. part. "he who comes" - the one coming, the coming one. A descriptive of Christ's enthronement.