Listen To The Expert

Listen to the Expert

Luke 13:31-35

Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz

Luke 13:31 At that very time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him, “Go away

and leave this place, because aHerod wants to kill You.” 32 And He said to them,

“Go and tell that 1fox, ‘Behold, I am casting out demons and performing healings

today and tomorrow, and on the third day I 2areach My goal.’ 33 “Nevertheless aI

must go on My journey today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that

a bprophet would perish outside Jerusalem. 34 “aJerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that

kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted

to gather your children together, bjust as a hen gathers her 1young under her wings,

and you were unwilling! 35 “Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to

you, you will not see Me until you say, ‘aBLESSED IS THE ONE WHO COMES

IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”

In Luke’s Gospel, chapter thirteen, verses 31 to 35, Jesus offers an interesting response

to being told that Herod wanted to kill him. This is not Herod the Great, who reigned

over Judea when Jesus was born. This Herod is Herod Antipas, who was one of Herod

the Great’s sons. Antipas reigned over the kingdom, which included Galilee.

The author of Luke’s Gospel worked hard to prove to the reader/listener that Jesus is

the Messiah. The author used different stories and parables to make his proof. The

prophecies are there. The birth narrative is there. All that is necessary to prove Jesus

as the Messiah is there.

When I have to change physicians, I always ask about the medical school the doctor

attended. Where was the internship? Where was the residency? How did the doctor

meet the challenges that were placed before him or her? Then I have a discussion to

determine the experience of the doctor.

With a lawyer, I do a similar type of inquiry. People constantly do this. Then when they

go to the doctor for a medical problem, they listen to what the doctor says. If they

need legal advice, they go to the lawyer and follow the directions given. Why is it that

people come into church and they generally do not listen to what the pastor has to say?

An ordained pastor in the United Methodist church system has to have a bachelor’s

college degree, a master’s degree in divinity from an accredited seminary, 3 years of

experience working with a mentor, and finally two large position papers and

examinations. A very vetted pastor at a church, and yet the people would rather not

listen.

The congregation should vet the pastor. Does the pastor have the education and

experience to tell the people what the Bible says? If so, the pastor is the resident

theologian. Why not trust him or her?

A well-educated pastor can answer questions about the meaning and interpretation of

the Scriptures. However, if a person in the congregation does not want to change their

behavior, which was brought out in the sermon, they ignore the sermon. That person

generally will say that the pastor either is wrong or has no right to tell him what to do.

This happens every time a tithing sermon is offered. Because of this attitude, I offered

a tithing sermon once in twenty-five years. The church administrative board insisted

on it. The next week saw a giant drop in the weekly giving and a lot of complaining.

The Bible talks about ten percent. It is clear, yet most people would rather not hear

that. Instead they like Paul’s statement about giving from the heart. When I explain

that Paul was clearly referring to almsgiving and not tithing, those who give the least

complain the most.

The leadership of Galilee did not accept that Jesus was an expert of the Bible. So, they

tried to get him to leave by saying Herod wanted to kill him. This is echoed with the

prophet Amos, who found himself in the same situation 500 or so years earlier.

I believe that the leadership of the Galilee did not like what Jesus had to offer. History

says that prophets from the LORD with God’s message were rejected by the leadership.

This occurred because the leadership was violating the commands in the Torah. Usually,

the prophet was put to death so their message from God would be silenced. Therefore,

it is obvious why Herod Antipas wanted to kill Jesus.

Let me remind you that Antipas stole his brother’s wife and married her. This action is

a direct violation of the Torah. John the Baptist was a prophet sent from God to bring

the message of the need for reform of the leadership. Antipas arrested John and