Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
LUKE 13:35KJVWhat does Luke 13:35 mean?
Luke 13:35 means that Jesus is warning Jerusalem that their "house"—often understood as the temple or their city—will be left empty and abandoned because they have rejected him. He adds that they will not see him again until they welcome him with the words, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," a phrase of recognition and acceptance.
In this verse, Jesus is speaking to the people of Jerusalem, expressing sorrow over their unwillingness to accept him as the one sent by God. The setting is one of lament, as Jesus has just spoken about his desire to gather and protect the people, but they were not willing. The statement about their "house" being left "desolate" points to the consequences of this rejection, while the final words hint at a future time when they will recognize and welcome him.
The Greek behind Luke 13:35
- "Desolate" (ἐρημος, erēmos): This word means deserted, empty, or abandoned. It emphasizes the seriousness of what Jesus is saying—their house will not just be empty, but forsaken.
- "Blessed" (εὐλογημένος, eulogēmenos): This word means to be spoken well of or praised. Here, it is a quote from Psalm 118:26, a phrase used to welcome someone sent by God, showing that recognition of Jesus' true identity is key to change.
- "Cometh in the name of the Lord" (ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, erchomenos en onomati Kyriou): This phrase means someone who arrives with God's authority or as God's representative. Jesus points to a future moment of acceptance that has not yet come.
Why Luke 13:35 matters
- Luke 13:35 clarifies that Jesus' warning is not just about physical destruction, but about spiritual abandonment due to rejection of God's messenger.
- The verse connects to the larger theme in Luke of Jesus' sorrow over Jerusalem's resistance, showing his compassion even in the face of rejection.
- The reference to welcoming "he who comes in the name of the Lord" ties Jesus' mission to Old Testament hopes and points forward to a future recognition, giving both a warning and a hint of hope.