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Verses 34-36 Jesus Pronounces Doom upon the Nation

In His words (vs. 34-36), He lashes them with blistering statements that remind us of those used by John the Baptist in the wilderness: "Serpents, offspring of vipers," He cried, "you who are yourselves snakes by your own sinful motives, and offspring of your sinful ancestors, how shall ye be able to flee and escape from the judgment of the Hell of Torments (Gehenna)"

"See," He exclaimed, "I am going to send you prophets, wise men and scribes. Some you will kill and crucify; some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from city to city; that on you may come all the accumulated retributive punishment, for all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel, the righteous, to that of Zachariah, the son of Barachiah whom they slew between the temple and the altar."

By adopting the murderous ways of their forefathers, who killed the prophets, they would become heirs of all the blood of the martyred saints. The blood, it was said, would be avenged (Gen. 4:10) . The same was foretold of the blood of Zachariah. A Jewish legend said that the blood of Zachariah bubbled on the Pavement of the Temple Court for two centuries, until avenged by Nebuzar-adan. The legend shows that the murder was held as a notable crime; and Jesus cites these two incredible murders to point to the fact that men make the guilt of past ages their own, and thus bring upon themselves the penalties for the sins of their forefathers, which they could cut off by repentance. "Solemnly I tell you," Jesus says, "all these things shall come upon this generation." The hailstorm of His denunciation had fallen ever greater upon these hypocritical leaders of the Jewish nation, and its fury was greatest in this final pronouncement of doom upon the nation.