Empathic Compassion: Experiencing Your Pain In My Heart

Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, was the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea during the Herodian Dynasty. During his ministry, John the Baptist had rebuked Herod for marrying his brother's wife, Herodias. Herod had John the Baptist beheaded when Herodias persuaded her daughter to ask for John's head on a platter (Matt. 14:1-12; Mk. 6:14-29).

Herod wanted to get rid of him; he was afraid Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead. However, Jesus was not intimidated by Herod. Jesus refused to give Herod power over his mission.Luke uses this account to remind the reader that Jesus had decided to stay true to his mission; he had deliberately set his mind toward Jerusalem. Luke 13:34, 35 introduces us to Jesus' driving passion, a passion rooted in salvation, recovery, hope, for his people. Nothing would steer him from his goal.

Luke reminds us that the end of this journey to Jerusalem would result in Jesus giving his life for those who wanted to take it. Yet, no one could take away his passion to make the trip to Jerusalem, ultimately to the cross.

While Jesus is "on the way" to Jerusalem, He reveals His compassionate side. Luke, between Luke 13 and the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, records various teachings and miracles of Jesus. Each narrative illustrates Jesus' persistent love (e.g., healing a man with dropsy, Lk. 14:1-4; the "second invitation" people, Lk. 14:22-24; the lost sheep, coin and son, Lk. 15; ten lepers healed, Lk. 17:11-19; the persistent widow, 18:1-8). Luke uses several images to pronounce Jesus' empathy for the world.

Luke has carefully crafted a theological framework, one that reveals Jesus' true nature and his ultimate mission. He wants the reader to understand the importance of Jerusalem. In Luke 9:51 he reveals that Jesus has "set out for Jerusalem," the first of the passion narratives (e.g., Lk. 9:51; 10:38; 13:22; 17:11; 18:31 and 19:28 17:11; 18:31; 19:28). Setting out for Jerusalem incorporated more than a physical journey; setting out for Jerusalem would mean, rejection, death, and resurrection (Lk. 24).

The lament, as found in Luke 19:41-44, follows the Triumphant Entry; Jesus would now face the providential cross. People spread branches and their cloaks on the road before Jesus in pageant fashion, celebrating "all the miracles they had seen." Luke 19:37 (NIV) He had truly stirred their hearts, with the very acts that only God could perform.

To enter the story at this point, knowing the climactic end of the story, is to sense tragedy. The people failed to understand! To imagine, Jesus' entry points to his passionate death and they could only see in retrospect. The one with eyes to see the full meaning of Jesus' life, death and resurrection, could only wonder what would happen.

As the festive crowd celebrated the way Jesus could perform miracles, they missed something important. Yet, Jesus welcomed the fact His disciples sang praises that transcended their understanding of what was unfolding.