O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou who murderest the Prophets and stonest those who have been sent to thee, how often have I desired to gather thy children just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not come!
»`All these years,' replied the son, `I have been slaving for you, and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders, and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me to enjoy myself with my friends;«
This led the Pharisees and Scribes of their party to expostulate with His disciples and ask, »Why are you eating and drinking with these tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?«
Noticing this, the Pharisee, His host, said to himself, »This man, if he were really a Prophet, would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him–and would know that she is an immoral woman.«
But the Jews influenced the gentlewomen of rank who worshipped with them, and also the leading men in the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the district.
But now a party of Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and, having won over the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, believing him to be dead.
But again, did Israel fail to understand? Listen to Moses first. He says, »I will fire you with jealousy against a nation which is no nation, and with fury against a nation devoid of understanding.«
On Christ's behalf therefore we come as ambassadors, God, as it were, making entreaty through our lips: we, on Christ's behalf, beseech men to be reconciled to God.
for they still try to prevent our preaching to the Gentiles so that they may find salvation. They thus continually fill up the measure of their own sins, and God's anger in its severest form has overtaken them.