Passage

Matthew 23

Verses 37–39 WEB Voices

After the woes, Jesus laments Jerusalem: prophetic killers whom He longed to gather as a hen gathers her chicks—yet they were not willing. The house is left desolate until the city blesses the Coming One.

Matthew 23:37

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!

Arminian

Double cry: Jerusalem, killer of prophets. “How often I would have gathered… and you were not willing!” Desire and resistance stand together—hen’s wings offered, brood refusing.

Wesley’s tradition hears sincere, repeated divine willingness met by human unwillingness. Grace yearns and gathers; the city’s “not! Behold” is culpable, not scripted theater. The image invites trust under Christ’s wings still.

Reformed

Jesus’ lament names prophet-killing and His oft-willingness to gather. The hen image shows tender purpose; “you would not! Behold” records Israel’s resistance.

Reformed readers hold Christ’s compassion with God’s sovereign counsel: the lament is true affection and true indictment. Unwillingness is their sin; gathering of the remnant proceeds by effectual grace even as judgment nears.

Key contrast Both take “would I… you were not willing” with full emotional and moral weight. Arminians emphasize a sincere, resistible gathering desire; Reformed readers stress true compassion and true human guilt within God’s sovereign purpose to save His people and judge persistent unbelief.

Matthew 23:38

38Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

Arminian

“See”—desolation announced. The house (temple/city) left to them empty of His protecting presence.

Refused wings lead to barren house. The warning aims at repentance before emptiness becomes final for that generation.

Reformed

Desolate house—judicial abandonment language. God withdraws the shelter they refused.

Ichabod hangs over the house by Christ’s word. Desolation is righteous consequence within redemptive history’s turn.

Matthew 23:39

39For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Arminian

Sight of Jesus paused until the Psalm 118 blessing. Hope remains: a future confession of the Coming One.

Those in Wesley’s line hear both severity and open future—Israel yet called to bless the One who comes. Grace keeps a door toward recognition and welcome.

Reformed

No seeing until the blessed confession. Psalm 118 frames return and recognition.

God reserves a day when the city (and His people) truly honors the Coming One. Christ’s absence and return sit under the Father’s timetable; the blessing will be when God grants it.

Key contrast Both hear judgment now and hope tied to blessing the Coming One. Arminians typically emphasize a future invitation to confess Him; Reformed interpreters typically stress the same hope secured in God’s sovereign timing of recognition and return.

Historic quotes

Voices from both camps

Classic Arminian and Reformed comment on Matthew 23:37–39, in the writers’ own words.

Arminian Notable voices

“These, as well as their phylacteries, the Pharisees affected to wear broader and larger than other men. The Jewish rabbis were also called father and master, by their several disciples, whom they required, To believe implicitly what they affirmed, without asking any further reason; To obey implicitly what they enjoined, without seeking further authority.”

John Wesley · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (on Matt 23:37–39)

Reformed Notable voices

“For you build the sepulchers of the prophets. An unfounded opinion is entertained by some, that the scribes are here reproved for superstition, in foolishly honoring the deceased prophets by splendid sepulchers, as the Papists now transfer the honor of God to departed saints, and even are so perverse as to adore their images.”

John Calvin · Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists (on Matt 23:37–39)

Quotations lightly abridged for length; wording follows standard English translations of the sources named.

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Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Matthew, John, Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John are live

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