Luke 11:47-54
Chapter 11
So you approve and agree with what your ancestors did. Is it not so? They got rid of the prophets, and you build monuments to them!
For that reason, the wisdom of God also said: I will send prophets and apostles, and these people will kill and persecute some of them.
But the present generation will have to answer for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the Sanctuary.
Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will have to answer for them all.
A curse is on you, teachers of the law, for you have taken the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you prevented others from entering.”
As Jesus left that place, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to harass him,
asking him endless questions, setting traps to catch him in something he might say.
Commentaries
Invective Against the Pharisees and Doctors of the Law – Against Hypocrisy.
Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and scribes, warning them of the consequences of their actions. He condemns the Pharisees for focusing too much on external purification rather than inner transformation; their obsession with minor issues at the expense of justice and kindness; and their lack of self-awareness, as they do not realize they are ‘unmarked graves’ that, in effect, ‘contaminate’ others. Jesus also criticizes the scribes for imposing heavy burdens on the people without being willing to carry them themselves; for their arrogance; and for distancing themselves from the true God, making it hard for others to access Him. Due to these condemnations, it’s not surprising that his opponents are constantly seeking ways to eliminate him (53).