


Matthew 23:39
Bible Versions
For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of ADONAI.'"
For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
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Psalms 118:26
Blessed [be] he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. -
Matthew 21:9
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. -
Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. -
Luke 17:22
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see [it]. -
John 8:21
¶ Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. -
Hosea 3:4
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and [without] teraphim: -
John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.
Matthew 23:39 concludes Jesus' poignant lament over Jerusalem and His severe pronouncements against the religious leaders of His day. It is a powerful prophetic statement, looking beyond their immediate rejection to a future day of recognition.
Context
This verse immediately follows Jesus' heartbroken cry, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37). His declaration in verse 39 serves as a final, somber word to the city and its leaders, indicating that their rejection of Him will lead to a period of spiritual blindness and separation until a future spiritual awakening.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" is a direct quote from the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament translation of the Hebrew) of Psalm 118:26. In Greek, it is Eulogēmenos ho erchomenos en onomati Kyriou (εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου). This was a traditional greeting for pilgrims entering Jerusalem and, more significantly, a Messianic acclamation. Jesus' use of it here underscores His identity as the long-awaited Messiah, whose return will be met with the recognition He deserved but did not receive from the nation at His first advent.
Practical Application
For believers today, Matthew 23:39 offers profound lessons: