Perhaps that title is blasphemous. It is not meant to be.
Rather, I as I look at the end of this chapter, it is the last time Jesus is addressing them, that is until his trial. We see in 24:1 that he leaves the Temple, not to return.
Jesus’ words are both strong and tender.
Consider, he draws on John the Baptist’s language, calling them vipers (v. 33). Yet he also tells them he is sending them prophets and wise men (v. 34). Yes, they will kill them, but he is nonetheless sending them (v. 35).
Why? Why would Jesus send prophets and wise men if they are only to be killed? Because he loves the Pharisees and other religious—Jesus loves them all.
Jesus has many times been in the midst of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Chief Priest and Scribes. Certainly, there were lessons he was teaching to the wider audience—sometimes at their expense. Yet we know that some of these men actually began following Jesus. Some were saved! That is why Jesus will send more prophets—so that some might be saved.
Jesus has a heart for his Jewish brothers and sisters. He wants them to come to know God as Father, through the Son. Theirs is a rich inheritance (Romans 9:4-5).
His heart breaks for them:
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
And so should ours.
We should realize that that charge to “go into the world” includes those who are Jewish. Much damage has been done to the Jewish community at the hands of the church. Much anti-Semitism has flown into the world from the Church of Jesus Christ, himself a Jew.
Whenever we fail to realize that we, each of us, with our own sinful nature, nailed Jesus to the Cross, then we see others as the cause of Jesus’ death. We will see them as our enemy.
And we would be wrong for at least two reasons. First, the enemy are not other human beings, but rather Satan and his cohort. For we battle not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6:12).
Second, when we view others as our enemy, we are counting ourselves better than others, when in fact we all vie for the title, Chief Sinner.
Yes, we will have to make strong statements to those who have been captured by the spirit of this age—we will do battle (as it were) with them—but we must not hate them. We must love them, with the agape love of Christ.
Who is it in our own day that we are contending with? Who is it that are opposed to Christ? How do you and I “see these folks”.