Luke 11:47Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The forebears of the Jewish people repeatedly executed the holy prophets when those prophets proclaimed the word of God and guided them in the truth; yet their descendants, recognizing these prophets as sacred and righteous, erected monuments over them as a sign of honor due to saints. Thus, while their ancestors took their lives, they, believing these prophets were holy figures, positioned themselves as judges over those who had perpetrated such acts. By choosing to honor those who had been slain, they effectively condemned their forefathers for their injustices. Ironically, they who rebuked their ancestors for such brutal acts were on the brink of committing the same, or perhaps more atrocious, offenses. For they had executed the Author of Life, the Redeemer of all, and to their wickedness toward Him they added further grievous acts. Stephen was stoned not for any wrongdoing, but for enlightening them with the truths found in the divinely inspired Scriptures. Other wrongs were also inflicted on every holy witness proclaiming the gospel of salvation. Therefore, the scribes and Pharisees faced reproof for their enmity towards God, their arrogance, and their preference for pleasure over divine will, demonstrating a consistent aversion to salvation. This is why Christ consistently appended the term ‘woe’ to His warnings regarding them: from whom, and with whom, may all praise and authority be to God the Father, alongside the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, Amen.

Those who, through the crucifixion of the Son of God—a transgression far worse—have exceeded the wickedness of their forebears cannot escape the legacy of sin. Consequently, it is fitting that He would declare elsewhere, “But add to the measure of your fathers” (Matthew 23:32). For no greater sin exists than the act of violence against God Himself. Therefore, Wisdom, who is none other than Christ, sends prophets and apostles to them. As stated in Matthew, "Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men" (Matthew 23:34).

Tragically, from our ancestral line came those who turned against the royal martyr, while the most honorable among our ancestors, guided by God's providence that honors the innocent sufferer, prepared his resting place. You adorn the plots of the righteous with reverence and praise. But can you be certain that you are not under the same ‘woe’ directed at the children of those who struck down the prophets and who honor their tombs? (Matthew 23:29) Let us pause and reflect on what wrongdoing the Lord’s words charge the scribes and Pharisees with, and what warning they extend to all of us. ‘Woe to you, who build the sepulchers of the prophets, while your forefathers persecuted them.’ It was not a fault attributed to the scribes and Pharisees that their ancestors killed the prophets. The word of the Lord through the prophet Ezekiel clearly absolves them from this guilt: ‘The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him’ (Ezekiel 18:20). Even less can we attribute guilt for constructing, adorning, or honoring the tombs of the prophets or the holy men from earlier times. Was it not in respect for these holy ancestors that Jacob swore to Joseph, saying, ‘Let me lie with my fathers; carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their grave’ (Genesis 47:30)? Did not the Israelites carry Joseph’s bones out of Egypt (Numbers 24:32)? Furthermore, when the body of a deceased was cast upon the unguarded remains of the prophet Elisha, it revived upon touching Elisha's bones (2 Kings 13:21). Shouldn’t it be deemed not only permissible but commendable to distinguish the prophet’s sepulcher, ensuring the sacred is not desecrated and that seekers of purification can readily find it? What fault has the prophets’ tombs incurred? What ‘woe’ threatens them? Their transgression is one of hypocrisy; thus, woe befalls them for their pretense. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you build the sepulchers of the prophets.’ A hypocrite is one who outwardly displays piety and virtue but does not embody such qualities internally; or as the Apostle states, one who possesses ‘a form of godliness, but denies its power’ (2 Timothy 3:5). A hypocrite professes to serve God but acts contrary through their actions (Titus 1:16). They may zealously adhere to the faith publicly, while living carelessly, resembling pagans; they seek to instruct others without practicing their own teachings; their good deeds spring from selfish motives rather than righteousness. Outwardly, they proudly perform the rituals of piety while, like the Samaritan woman, they engage in disputes over the external aspects of divine worship, showing no understanding of ‘worshiping God in spirit and truth’ (John 4:24). The scribes and Pharisees reflect a shared hypocrisy and are subject to God’s judgment—not for their kinship to the prophets but for their unwillingness to embrace divine virtues. The question posed by those confused about God’s ways has long been: ‘Why does the son not bear the iniquity of the father?’ God answers through His prophet: ‘When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes, he will surely live’ (Ezekiel 18:19). Thus, if one poses the contrary question—why does the son bear the iniquity of his father?—the same response follows: he has not done what is lawful and right, nor has he upheld the commandments; by freely inheriting the unrighteousness of his ancestors, he inevitably inherits their sorrows. The Lord’s judgment on the Jewish hypocrites stems from this very principle. The Lord warns them, saying, ‘Take heed to your actions in relation to your forefathers’ (Luke 11:48); your inner disposition is akin to theirs. He foretells: ‘I will send you prophets, wise men, and scribes; and some of them you will kill and crucify, and scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city’ (Matthew 23:34). By discerning their inner dispositions and foreseeing their behavior, He laments and condemns them: ‘Woe to you, for all righteous blood will come upon you!’ (Matthew 23:29-35). With such ungodly intentions, what worth is their outer façade, no matter how appealing? They construct impressive tombs for the slain prophets; yet what value do these actions hold when their hearts are filled with animosity towards the living saints, when ‘their throat is an open grave’ (Psalm 5:10), pouring forth slander against the innocent? They outwardly beautify the graves of the righteous; but what merit is there if they lack the inner spirit of righteousness? It is not merely a matter of lacking benefit, praise, or dignity; indeed, woe to them for undertaking such insincerity—it would be better had they not done so. Had they overlooked honoring the deceased prophets and saints, it could have been deemed ignorance for failing to honor the living, and thus they might be excused; but when the reverence shown to the dead is met with contempt for the living, then ‘woe’ befalls them as accusers and unaccusable! In human terms, those who offer false love or respect are often more reviled than those who simply disregard. How can one who feigns reverence to the divine and holy—while holding disdain in their heart—escape condemnation? ‘Woe to you, hypocrites, for you build the sepulchers of the prophets!’ Those who today venerate the tombs of prophets, apostles, martyrs, and other holy figures should take heed of what they must guard against in their sincere and holy reverence, as affirmed by sacred tradition. If you pursue the graves and remains of holy prophets or apostles with physical zeal while lacking profound inner desire for the living word and spirit of faith in their teachings—especially when opportunities abound—beware lest you encounter the ‘woe’ directed at the hypocrites. If you honor the tombs of martyrs who have endured suffering for the faith, yet lack the spirit of perseverance and willingness to endure trials for the truth, beware; this mindset will not cultivate the joy the saints found in suffering but will instead lead to the ‘woe’ reserved for those mimicking the prophets who persecuted them. If you outwardly adorn the graves of the righteous with reverence while harboring wickedness and iniquity within your heart, beware—‘woe’ awaits! However, may God’s blessing rest upon you, genuine worshipers of the righteous dead, who approach these sacred tombs with the sincere desire to draw forth the spirit of truth and holiness for your own justification and sanctification; who, as you near these incorruptible bodies, strive to connect with the blessed spirits that animated them through adherence to their pure teachings, imitation of their virtuous lives, and participation in the grace bestowed upon them by God. With heartfelt love, as you kiss the remains of the holy departed, may you equally embrace all that is good and holy still present among the living. May we all be spared from the ‘woe’ of hypocrisy! May we be graced with the true blessing of sincere reverence and love for all that is holy! Amen.

The woe proclaimed against the Pharisees extends to all false teachers: Woe unto you also, O lawyers, for you impose burdens on others that are unbearable, yet you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. Woe unto you, for you build the tombs of the prophets while your ancestors persecuted them. Your actions will stand as a testimony to your forefathers' injustices as you construct these sepulchers. Therefore, the wisdom of God has declared, 'I will send prophets and apostles, and they will be killed and treated with disdain, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be avenged—from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Woe unto you, O lawyers, for you have taken the key of understanding; you will not enter in yourselves, and you will prevent others from doing so."