Luke 23:27-31 - Amazing Love

In verse 27 we are told that a large crowd, including women, followed Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, the Road of Sorrow. The women mentioned here were not those from Galilee who devotedly followed Jesus and faithfully stayed with Him to the end. These were devout women from Jerusalem who would usually attend and mourn at the execution of young man sentenced to death. These women would be providing drugs or wine to anaesthetize and ease the pain of the victim.

These kind, sympathetic and good intentioned ladies were caught up and totally absorbed in wailing and lamenting for Jesus. And what happened next was surprising. Jesus turned around to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children." What's amazing about this moment is this: even though in great agony, wreaking with pain and smeared with His dripping blood, Jesus thought of the women and the people. His concern was not what He Himself was going through but the ultimate plight of these women, who were a representation of the nation of Israel. What amazing grace! What amazing love!

In addressing the "Daughters of Jerusalem," Jesus was also addressing the nation. He gave them a damning prophecy in verses 29-30, and rounded up with a rhetorical question in verse 31. "Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

He was telling them that the coming judgment on Israel would be so horrible that even the barrenness of a woman, once considered a reproach, would be deemed a blessing. So unbearable would the coming calamity be, that there would be people who would call for mountains and hills to fall on them to cover them. But what is the Lord saying in His rhetorical question found in verse 31? If the Lord, the Righteous One, was not spared, how much more would Israel not be spared the divine judgment for their unrepentance.

In both the prophecy and the rhetorical question, Jesus was still showing God's grace. There would still be hope for those who would heed His warning. Think of Simon of Cyrene who was plodding right behind Jesus. What do you think would he be thinking now? God was in the process of redeeming his heart. Just think about His Amazing Love, His Amazing Grace!