Luke 23:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord advised them to refrain from mourning over His current sufferings, for those were not worthy of tears; instead, He urged them to save their lamentations for a time that truly warranted grief, when the city would be besieged, and suffering would reach such depths that those who had not borne children would be deemed fortunate. With this, He also alluded to the horrifying reality of consuming children, indicating that in those days, the womb that did not bear fruit would be celebrated. And where are those noble families now? Where is the temple? Where are the fortifications? Where are the citadels? Where is the kingdom of Israel? Scattered here and there, the Israelites are dispersed throughout the ends of the earth. With this devastation, the royal houses have been laid waste. It seems to me the Lord foresaw these events not merely for the sake of the events themselves—whether it would be beneficial for His listeners to know of what was destined to occur; they would discover it in due time through experience—but so that they might, through His words, strengthen their faith in the most critical matters. The evidence of one truth serves as a testimony to another. If a farmer speaks of the potency of seeds and someone unfamiliar with agriculture doubts him, it suffices for the farmer to demonstrate the vitality of one seed in the measure to validate the rest. Once one witnesses a single grain of wheat, barley, or any other seed sown in the ground yielding a fruitful ear, disbelief in the others will cease, owing to that singular example.

If only the earlier, noble perceptions of Jesus Christ could be reignited within the people—especially with the involvement of the most honorable among them—but such was not the case. In that moment, the chosen disciples of Christ were hiding in fear, while blasphemies against Him were being voiced from Pilate's Praetorium.

The long-awaited Messiah, the esteemed Prophet and Miracle-Worker, the Holy and Unsullied One, was headed towards a disgraceful death! Such a poignant and striking scene! Did this portrayal not also touch the hearts of those who accompanied Jesus to Golgotha? The Savior walked in silence along the path of suffering for an extended time. Yet, the Evangelist Luke recounts how the Savior addressed the mourning women of Jerusalem along the way. Let us pay attention to this remarkable instruction, offered at that moment. A multitude of men and women followed, weeping for Him. These women, despite the hostility directed at Jesus from His adversaries, cried with heartfelt sorrow. To claim that their weeping was devoid of moral worth would be a disservice to our conscience; it was more than a mere display of emotional turmoil. The fact that the Savior spoke to these grieving women shows that He recognized goodness within their hearts—a willingness to show compassion—and did not dismiss their tears as insignificant. In contrast, He remained silent before Herod and offered no reply to the accusations from the Sanhedrin, even though they sought His response. How could we not regard the display of compassion from these women favorably, especially when faced with such cruelty from others? While the tears of the women of Jerusalem may not have embodied the purity and spiritual depth of strong faith, they were still tears of grief for the undeserved suffering of the great Righteous One, whose life was marked by purity and goodness. Their tears reflected a profound respect for the Nazarene Master, a form of reverence that could not alter the tragic fate of the great Prophet, despite its desirability, like that expressed by Pilate's wife. In recognition of the sorrow of the compassionate women, the Lord turned to them and offered a message of repentance.

As some women of Jerusalem wept at the sight of His suffering, He addressed them, saying, "Weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children," and He foretold of the severe trials that would undoubtedly strike Jerusalem during the impending siege. For He remarked, "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (If the innocent endure such affliction, what can be expected for the guilty).

He warned that the inhabitants would face such dire straits that the joy of motherhood would be longed for no more, as people would seek even the most torturous yet swift deaths to escape the forthcoming tribulations. He exclaimed, if a blameless and holy individual such as Himself endures such grievous pain, what severe judgment awaits those steeped in sin?

It would be a mistake to view their sorrow as mere temporary emotional response typical of weak-hearted individuals, as noted by Theophilus. The Lord recognized their genuine sorrow and responded to them in a significant manner. Indeed, His words were directed specifically towards them, for they grieved for Him alone, the innocent sufferer, not for the two criminals who were being executed alongside Him. "Weep not for Me,” He told them, distinctly separating His suffering from their compassion for the others (v. 28). These women had personal knowledge of Him; they were followers of His teachings and believed in Him as the Messiah.

Regardless of their background, it is clear that the Lord was profoundly touched by their compassion. In response, and despite the trivial inquiries posed by King Herod, He chose to address these women in what would become His final discourse before the resurrection, as no further speeches are recorded in the Gospel during this time—only brief remarks. It is likely that this address occurred during a pause in the procession, coinciding with the moment when Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry Christ’s cross, as it is challenging to determine another appropriate time for this interaction.