Matthew 23:38Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But He asserts, indeed, look, your dwelling is forsaken. This signifies that it is devoid of My safeguarding. He had previously shielded them, upheld them, and safeguarded them, and He consistently disciplines them. Now, however, He warns them of a consequence they have always feared greatly, as it represents a complete disruption of their societal existence.

However, He declares that due to your unwillingness, I forsake the temple. Thus, it is evident that God resides in the temples for our benefit, and when we fall into despairing sin, He withdraws from them as well.

Previously, through the prophet Jeremiah, it was declared: I have abandoned my dwelling, I have forsaken my heritage; my heritage has become like a den of wild animals. We are fully aware that the Jewish temple, which once radiated glory, is now deserted, as it has been separated from Christ. In their fervent desire to reject their inheritance, they have brought about the death of the Heir.

The temple, referred to as your house, has been abandoned, for the grace of God no longer resides there. It is identified as their house since it was established in their city.

The proliferation of transgressions, dear friend, even compels the Divine and fervent essence to shift from inherent goodness to an unnatural wrath, which does not align with God’s nature but serves a purpose for our benefit. This is echoed by the Lord when He addresses the Jews, saying, “How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and ye would not!” Therefore, since you refuse to embrace humanity, you shall face the consequences of your punishment.

I will approach you now, and when I depart, I will forsake you—not out of hatred, but because you, in your animosity toward me, have apprehended me and my followers. Why have your offspring crafted a cross for me, when I have parted the sea like a garment with my staff before their eyes? Why do those who I have provided with a cloud for protection fashion a tomb for me? Yet I take joy, for I have come for their sake and endure suffering, seeking what is lost, so that those who are in need of me may proclaim, 'Blessed is He who comes to call upon Adam!'

How many blessings did the Lord bestow upon Jerusalem, the chosen people! Ultimately, He lamented, "Your house is left desolate." The implication is clear: the Jewish people remain in a state of displacement. Is the situation not similar for the soul? The Lord nurtures and disciplines it through every means available; the faithful follow the path He lays out, while the unfaithful resist His divine call. Yet, the Lord does not forsake the wayward soul; He employs various methods to guide it back to understanding. Perseverance deepens, as does God's influence. However, there is a limit to everything. When the soul becomes hardened, and the Lord perceives that no further guidance can be effective, He relinquishes it to its own demise, much like Pharaoh.

Behold, therefore your house is left unto you desolate. The Lord foretold this to the Hebrews. And they heard it and forgot it. But many later remembered these prophetic words—many of those who had lived through the Great Tribulation when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, plundered it, burned it, drove out its inhabitants, and scattered them throughout the world. But this prophecy applies not only to old Jerusalem, but to every heart that denies God entry. Every house that does not receive the Lord will be left desolate.

You chose not to accept the blessings I offered, turned your back on me, and must take responsibility for your own hardships: SEE, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT DESOLATE! I no longer regard this temple as my dwelling; I disavow it: henceforth, it belongs solely to you. I will no longer nurture it or sustain it; it will soon fall into ruin, be consumed by fire, along with Jerusalem and all your territory that God has abandoned.

Some readers of the Gospel believe that Jesus Christ confronted the scribes and Pharisees in anger. This is not true. His denunciation of these corrupt and hypocritical leaders of the Jewish community came from a deep sorrow, a profound grief that surpasses our understanding. This sorrow was evident during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where He wept over the fate of the holy city and God’s chosen people amid the national celebration. Just days later, it led Him to earnestly pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking for the delay of the fulfillment of God's will. To attribute anger to Christ in relation to the scribes and Pharisees is to misinterpret His nature.

The tempest of retribution was already brewing above them, poised to unleash its full wrath upon their sinful heads. Yet, amidst this storm, a voice that had been filled with righteous indignation was suddenly imbued with profound, compassionate sorrow for the unfortunate city: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. For 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,”’ which means you will call out just as the throngs did upon My entrance into Jerusalem, but it will be too late. This prophecy, in all its dreadful precision, came to pass during the siege and fall of Jerusalem, when indeed ‘the house of the Jews was left empty’ and became a mound of destruction and decaying bodies.

The dwelling, meaning the temple and the sanctuary of the Lord, serves as the most esteemed feature of Jerusalem. God's guardianship and nurturing will be removed from it, leading to its abandonment and desolation; as a result, the sacred city and the consecrated land will likewise lie in ruins, for the name of the Lord will be withdrawn from them. Thus, it came to pass: the temple and the city faced destruction at the hands of the Romans, leaving the land in desolation.