This bible study will focus on one scripture which can be found in both Luke 11:47-51 and Matthew 23:34-36
In Luke 11:47-51, Jesus says:
47 What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago. 48 But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! 49This is what God in his wisdom said about you:n ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others. 50 “As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world— 51 from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.”
Matthew 23:34-36 says 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you, may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah,whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
As a side note, Matthew mentions the wrong Zechariah in his gospel. The only Zechariah that was killed in the temple, was the son of Jehodiah, the priest. In error, Matthew says it was Zechariah, the son of Barachiah. The monument of Zechariah, son of Jehodiah (who was killed in the Temple), was being built during Jesus’ time. In Luke, Jesus explains that the people were building the monuments of the prophets. There was no such monument, nor has there ever been, for Zechariah, son of Barachiah, nor was he killed in the Temple.
To understand why Jesus mentions Abel and Zechariah specifically, we need to take a look at the stories of Abel and Zechariah.
Understanding Luke 11:47-51 & Matthew 23:34-36 Through Abel
The story of Abel can be found in Genesis 4:1-12
4 Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.” 2 Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 So it came about [d]in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 8 Cain [f]told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.”
Jesus refers to Abel as being righteous. Abel was righteous because he offered his dead, broken and repentant spirit to God. This was symbolized by the dead lamb which was Abel’s offering to God.
Psalm 51:16 – “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is b a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, O God, will not despise.”
God accepted Abel’s offering of a fully repentant spirit with the continued presence of the Holy Spirit in Abel’s life. The offering of the lamb represented Abel’s declaration of complete repentance and death to his own spirit; which consisted of death to his own ways, thoughts and philosophies.
Abel was declaring his own spirit as wrong and therefore his spirit was repentant. Instead he was declaring faith in God’s ways.
Hebrews 11:4 – “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did, and by faith he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith he continues to speak, even though he is dead.”
It was Abel’s complete acknowledgement that everything about him was wrong, that was pleasing to God. We cannot serve two masters. We must declare our own ethics, ways, thought patterns and morals as completely wrong in order to have faith in God’s ways.
This includes forsaking the ways, ethics, thought patterns and morals of all others such as (but not limited to) our parents, friends, mentors, profession (eg. doctors, lawyers, law enforcement, government), groups (eg. masons) and denomination. No single individual, group or association has the same teachings as Jesus.
Abel knew that his version of right and wrong would never be righteous. It would always be self motivated with a hidden agenda, and in so being, prejudiced, resulting in unrighteousness. Even his best thoughts would still have a hidden motive of selfishness. An example of this would be if he would forgive someone because they were kind to him when they were friends. Rather than just forgiving the person, even if they don’t deserve it, because it is according to God’s word.
Abel knew he had nothing to offer God but this admission and declaration against himself as being completely wrong; resulting in his complete surrender and submission to God.
Cain, on the other hand, offered God the best of his crop from the ground. The best crops represent the best of Cain’s philosophies, ways and thoughts that he had to offer. He was offering God his self righteousness. Cain’s offering to God was full of iniquity. He did not offer God any form of repentance or death to his own spirit/beliefs. So, God did not honor Cain’s sacrifice with the continued presence of the Holy Spirit in his life.
Titus 3:5 says “Not on the principle of works which have been done in righteousness which we had done, but according to his own mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
We are not saved by anything we do right in action, like Cain. We are saved by a regeneration and renewal; a change in spirit which can only be achieved by a death to our own spirit first. A declaration to yourself that your ways and philosophies are wrong, like Abel. So then, we can be rewarded with the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Cain did not die to his own spirit by declaring his own ways, philosophies and thoughts as wrong and then having faith in God’s ways. Instead, Cain rebelled and persecuted Abel. His rebellion and unrepentance resulted in Abel’s death. Cain lost the Holy Spirit and was driven from the presence of God, resulting in him committing blasphemy of the Holy Spirit; an unforgivable sin.
1 John 3:12 says “Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous”.
The deeds of Cain were evil because he did not repent and acknowledge that his ways cannot please God. They will always have exceptions like “I will not forgive this person because…” (you must forgive everyone no matter what they did – even if they murdered your own child, for example). Our philosophies, no matter how good we think they are, still fall short and have exceptions to God’s word within them.
Jesus is saying this generation is just like Cain when they persecute his prophets, teachers, sages, wise men and apostles today. The term “sage” is defined as “a person who has attained wisdom. A person wise through reflection and experience.”
When this generation rejects the interpretation of God’s word from a repentant prophet, teacher, sage, wise man or apostle due to being unrepentant themselves, they are guilty of the same persecution and reviling as their ancestor, Cain, and will receive the same punishment.
Jude 1:10-13 says “These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively. 11Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.”
Unrepentant people do whatever they can justify as ‘right’. When they are offended or angry, they hate and hold a grudge. When they are greedy, they deny and twist Jesus’ words to keep their money. They do what their spirit tells them to do which is what Jude means by ‘instinctively’.
A man of God does whatever pleases God. He does not operate according to his own spirit or instincts. Rather, he operates according to the teachings of Jesus and according to the Holy Spirit.
Understanding Luke 11:47-51 & Matthew 23:34-36 Through Zechariah
Zechariah also experienced the same type of persecution from unrepentant people. His story can be found in
2 Chronicles 24:17-22 17After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king [Joash], and he listened to them. 18They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. 19Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen. 20 Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest.
This is what Jesus is referring to in Luke 11:49 when he says
“This is what God in his wisdom said about you: ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.”
These people’s ancestors did the same thing in the past during the time of Cain.
There have always been groups of people who like in the time of Abel and Zechariah, have persecuted repentant men of God. They existed during the time of Abel and Zechariah and they existed during Jesus’ time when they crucified him and killed the Apostles. And they continue to exist today when you see unrepentant people persecute the repentant.
Continuation of 2 Chronicles:20-22: 20 He [Zechariah] stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’ ” 21 But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 22 King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”
Jesus used Zechariah and Abel as examples of what happens when repentant men of God face unrepentant, rebellious people; who claim to be of God. They face reviling and persecution. God never leaves this type of sin unpunished, as it is considered blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. This type of sin continues to cry out to God with no forgiveness.
God does not forget when unrepentant people reject a repentant man of God’s interpretation of His word.
2 Chronicles 24:23 to 25 – “23 At the turn of the year, the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people. They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus. 24 Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the Lord delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash. 25 When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.”
God executed judgment on King Joash, for ordering the death of Zechariah and for rejecting Zechariah’s and the prophets’ messages from God.
Genesis 4:10-11 – The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.” This is what God told Cain after he had persecuted and killed Abel. This type of sin can never be forgiven.
Hebrews 12:24 & 25 – “24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?”
Cain rejected Abel’s example of repentance and death to self and so could no longer have the Holy Spirit in his life. Cain had become a blasphemer of the Holy Spirit when he rejected the truth about what God finds acceptable and true. And as it says in Matthew 12:32, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven; either in this age or in the age to come.
Zechariah’s message to the people from the Lord is the same as Abel’s. His message was to stop violating the commandments by twisting and compromising them and rendering wrong actions as right. Covering up and compromising God’s word by adding exceptions to it, will result in a direct loss of the Holy Spirit. Out of rebellion and unrepentance, they reviled, persecuted and killed Zechariah.
Many Christians react the same way today. Upon hearing the truth from a repentant person’s interpretation, they persecute that person by kicking them out of their church or bible study group, isolating them from prayer meetings, church events and holding grudges against them. This kind of persecution and rejection only results in blasphemy of the Holy Spirit along with the unforgiveness from God that this sin brings.
A person filled with the Holy Spirit will never persecute anyone. We must remember this the next time we encounter someone that we don’t agree with. So we must not act in the same manner as Cain or the people who killed Zechariah. We must not persecute or revile other believers, no matter what. We can explain our perspectives to each other without any hate or grudge-holding, as these are sins.
When we hear the truth from an individual whose interpretation of the word of God may make us feel bad or wrong, we must repent. We should change instead of trying to cover up our unrighteousness and persecute those who made us feel wrong. Christians are guilty of the same today when they, like Cain and Zechariah’s murders, persecute others who have tried to speak the truth, which points out their errors.
We have failed to see these individuals as a brother or even a neighbor; which Jesus calls us to love. In fact, even if we see them as enemies, Jesus’ commandment is to love them still. It is compromises and exceptions like this that can easily slip into our philosophies. We must be aware and refrain from the temptation to do so.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says 9“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
The definition for reviling is: to address or speak abusively, to angrily criticize, to regard or treat as vile, to criticize in an abusive or hostile way, to spread negative information about, or to assail with abusive and scornful language.
Further, Galatians 5:19-21 also says“19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Other translations of this verse mention the following terms: hatred, hostility, quarrelling, fits of rage, outbursts of anger, enmity, discord, contentions, disputes and rivalry.
We must not consent to or imitate the deeds of Cain or the people who killed Zechariah. Otherwise, we will pay for this in the same way as they did. We will receive the punishment of being blasphemers of the Holy Spirit; which is an unforgivable and unpardonable sin.
In Luke 11:48 Jesus says: 48 But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building their monuments!”
The statement “do not speak ill of the dead” is not in the bible. We are meant to identify the mistakes and wrongdoings of our parents, ancestors and forefathers, so that we do not repeat their mistakes.
Each of us must examine our parents’ philosophies and ways. If they do not align or agree with the teachings of Jesus, we must declare them as wrong and not follow them but instead, follow Jesus’ ways.
We are meant to glorify Jesus, not our forefathers. You glorify Jesus by believing and obeying his teachings and ways, not our ancestors ways, cultures, traditions.
An excellent example of what all followers of Christ should be doing can be learned from King Hezekiah when he tells the people of Judah in 2 Chronicles 29:6-7,
“6 Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him. 7 They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel.”
King Hezekiah had no problem admitting the truth about how his parents, forefathers/ancestors acted wrongly. He refused to think the same way they did and by doing so, he did not commit their same wrong actions. He changed his way of thinking so as not to receive the same punishment.
Again, Hezekiah says in 2 Chronicles 30:7 & 8 – Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.”
Oftentimes, when a man of God speaks a message from the Lord, the truth can be harsh, abrasive and discomforting. The message can expose our shortcomings and make us become defensive instead of repentant. This can cause us to want to reject and persecute the messenger so that we can continue following our own twisted and compromised ways.
However, we must not agree with or imitate our ancestors’ wrong ways of persecuting and reviling people who speak the truth. As Christians, we must not twist the truth so that we do not feel bad. It is important to be honest, examine ourselves, repent and admit that we cannot see the truth because we lack faith. Instead of running from church to church looking for a Pastor who will tickle our ears, telling us things we want to hear and not causing us to repent and change.
If our actions towards others are of persecution, reviling and rejection, we will receive the same punishment as Cain and the people who killed Zechariah. Our actions must reflect that of Jesus Christ if we want to keep the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus never persecuted, rejected or isolated anyone; not even Judas
John 6:37 – “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them”, John 6:64 “But some of you do not believe me. (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.”
Mark 3:14-19 – “Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, 15 giving them authority to cast out demons. 16 These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter), 17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), 19 Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him.”)
Anyone who isolates, excludes or persecutes other believers because they don’t agree with their interpretation, is a reviler and does not have the Holy Spirit.
“But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.”
Romans 2:8
READ NEXT:
What Does The Bible Say About Racism, Prejudice and Discrimination?
