O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets, and stones them that are sent unto you; how often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen does gather her brood under her wings, and you would not!
Read Chapter 13
Clement Of Alexandria
AD 215
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen her chickens!".
The expression, then, "How often "shows wisdom to be manifold; every mode of quantity and quality, it by all means saves some, both in time and in eternity. "For the Spirit of the Lord fills the earth.".
"For this is the end of foolish pleasure. Such, indeed, is the case. And when He says, "Be not much with a strange woman"
And vet He loved even those who hated Him, and wept over the unbelieving, and blessed those who slandered Him, and prayed for those who were enmity against Him.
“And I tell you,” he says, “you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” What does this mean? The Lord withdrew from Jerusalem and left as unworthy of his presence those who said, “Get away from here.” And after he had walked about Judea and saved many and performed miracles which no words can adequately describe, he returned again to Jerusalem. It was then that he sat upon a colt of a donkey, while vast multitudes and young children, holding up branches of palm trees, went before him, praising him and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Having left them, therefore, as being unworthy, he says that when the time of his passion has arrived, he will then barely be seen by them. Then again he went up to Jerusalem and entered amidst praises, and at that very time endured his saving passion in our behalf, that by suffering he might save and renew to incorruption the inhabitants of the earth. God t...
He shows that Jerusalem is guilty of the blood of many saints, declaring that it is not possible for a prophet to perish away from it. From this it follows that its people were about to fall from being members of God’s spiritual family, that they were about to be rejected from the hope of the saints and entirely deprived of the inheritance of those blessings which are in store for those who have been saved by faith. He showed them that they were forgetful of God’s gifts, and stubborn, and slothful to everything that might have profited them, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken.” He taught them through the most wise Moses, and ordained for them the law to direct them in their conduct, and to be their ruler and guide in a life worthy of admiration. Though this law was but as yet in sha...
And, without using a parable, the Lord said to Jerusalem, `O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest those that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens trader her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house shall be left unto you desolate."
