“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you. How often I wanted to gather your people together, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.
But you didn’t want that.”
Matthew 23:37
Today’s chapter is one of those very few times when Jesus is just plain angry. What upsets Jesus the most is when people pretend to be good when they really are just plain bad. What makes it worse, these people ought to have known better, for they were the religious leaders. He confronts them with their harsh ways filled with pride and how they control God’s people with guilt and fear.
Once Jesus has expressed his anger, great sadness rises up from within him in the final three verses. Think in silence about what Jesus feels like—a hen longing to gather her chicks under her wings; but they just scramble away.
As you sit with your family, imagine that you are all covered by God’s love like great wings that embrace you. You’ll need some minutes of silence so that you can feel what your imagination is giving you. Don’t get up too soon—like those chicks that run away!
Examples of Bible Breaths Learn More…
Doing what I say I’ll do v. 3
The greatest as a servant v. 11
“What you see is what you get.” v. 23
Like a hen gath’ring her chicks v. 37
Check out Study Tools in BibleGateway.
I especially recommend the free resource
in Matthew Henry’s Commentary.‘s Commentary.
In Year A, we continue to read from the Gospel of St. Matthew.
These Firestarters are for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook. You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or table! Check the menu options at the site for more information.
The Bible Through the Seasons 