Matthew 23 39

Matthew 23:39 kjv

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.

Matthew 23:39 nkjv

for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' "

Matthew 23:39 niv

For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Matthew 23:39 esv

For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Matthew 23:39 nlt

For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!' "

Matthew 23 verses

Matthew 23 39 Meaning

Matthew 23:39 conveys a profound prophetic declaration by Jesus, serving as the conclusion to His strong rebuke of the religious leaders and lament over Jerusalem. It signifies His departure from Jerusalem and states a definitive condition for His return: the day Israel, as a nation, will acknowledge Him as their Messiah by welcoming Him with the cry, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" This indicates a future national repentance and recognition of Jesus's true identity, which will precede His second coming.

Matthew 23 39 Context

Matthew 23:39 concludes a pivotal discourse by Jesus, His final public address in the Temple before His passion. It directly follows His lament over Jerusalem (Mt 23:37-38), where He grieves the city's persistent rejection of God's messengers and declares that "your house is left to you desolate." "Your house" refers to the Temple and, by extension, the entire Jewish nation. This pronouncement of desolation highlights a spiritual abandonment, a withdrawal of God's presence from a nation that has consistently rejected Him and His prophets, culminating in the rejection of His Son. The historical context involves the leadership in Jerusalem having hardened their hearts against Jesus, fulfilling a pattern of rejecting prophets sent to them. Jesus's departure, marked by this verse, signals a period of absence and judgment upon the nation, which was tragically realized with the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. The condition for His return ("until you say...") sets the stage for a future reconciliation with Israel, pointing to a time when they will nationally acknowledge Him as their true Messiah, fulfilling the long-held prophetic hope of the Jewish people. This prophecy transcends His initial arrival during the Triumphal Entry where parts of this acclamation were shouted by some, as He clearly implies a future "seeing" that will be triggered by a genuine, collective change of heart by the nation, contrasting with the current state of rejection.

Matthew 23 39 Word analysis

• For I say to you (Λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν - Legō gar hymin): This emphatic opening highlights the divine authority and truth of Jesus's pronouncement. "Gar" (γὰρ) often denotes a causal or explanatory connection, linking this final declaration to His preceding lament and judgment on Jerusalem. It underlines the gravity of the statement.
• you will not see Me again (οὐ μή με ἴδητε ἀπ᾽ ἄρτι - ou mē me idēte ap' arti):
  • οὐ μή (ou mē): A powerful double negative in Greek, rendering the strongest possible negation: "never will you see Me." It underscores the certainty of His departure and absence.
  • με (me): "Me," referring to Jesus Christ, emphasizing His personal absence.
  • ἴδητε (idēte): From "horao," meaning "to see," but often implying "to perceive," "to understand," or "to experience." It's not just a physical sight but a recognition or discernment.
  • ἀπ᾽ ἄρτι (ap' arti): "From now on," "henceforth." This specifies the starting point of His departure and absence – immediately following this pronouncement. This signifies the end of His public ministry and prophetic warnings to the Jewish leadership of that era.
• until you say (ἕως ἂν εἴπητε - heōs an eipēte):
  • ἕως ἂν (heōs an): A crucial conditional particle. It sets a specific duration and defines the condition that must be met for the action to change. This clearly establishes that His return is contingent upon Israel's future acceptance. This is a divine pause, a time of Gentile inclusion, before Israel's future turning.
  • εἴπητε (eipēte): From "legō," meaning "to say," "to speak," or "to confess." This implies a corporate, national, vocal acclamation and recognition. It is a genuine acknowledgment coming from a repentant heart.
• ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ (Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου - Eulogēmenos ho erchomenos en onomati Kyriou): This is a direct quote from Psalm 118:26, a well-known messianic psalm, prophetically linked to the Messiah's coming.
  • Εὐλογημένος (Eulogēmenos): "Blessed." This signifies divine favor and approbation. It is an acclamation of honor and rightful sovereignty directed towards a revered figure.
  • ὁ ἐρχόμενος (ho erchomenos): "He who comes." This was a recognized Messianic title. It speaks of the One whose coming was eagerly anticipated according to Old Testament prophecies. In this context, it confirms Jesus's identity as the prophesied Messiah, though previously rejected by Jerusalem.
  • ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου (en onomati Kyriou): "In the name of the LORD." This phrase denotes authority, identity, and representation. The "LORD" (Κυρίου - Kyriou) in the Greek Septuagint typically translates the Hebrew divine name YHWH (Yahweh). Thus, the one "coming in the name of the LORD" is either Yahweh Himself or one fully commissioned by and embodying the authority of Yahweh. For Israel to confess this for Jesus means acknowledging His divine authority and identity as the promised divine King.

Words-group analysis:

• "you will not see Me again until you say": This phrase encompasses the entire duration of Jesus's physical absence from Jerusalem, extending through a significant historical period, culminating in a future turning point. It emphasizes a divine withholding of presence contingent upon a specific, national response. The "seeing" here is not just physical sight but also spiritual discernment and acceptance. This has far-reaching prophetic implications concerning Israel's future.
• "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!": This complete acclamation signifies a national shift in understanding and acceptance. It represents a full, unreserved embrace of Jesus as the true, divinely authorized Messiah. The reference to Psalm 118:26 highlights that this future welcome will align with prophetic expectation, signaling an end to the period of their national hardening and a renewed covenant relationship with God through Christ. It represents the recognition that He is the One whom God has sent, indeed, He is God.

Matthew 23 39 Bonus section

• This verse underpins much of New Testament prophecy regarding Israel's future, particularly their national restoration and a second coming of Christ. It implies a distinct role and destiny for the nation of Israel within God's redemptive plan.
• The "house" being left "desolate" (Mt 23:38) is intrinsically linked to Jesus's withdrawal from the Temple, prefiguring its destruction in 70 AD and the subsequent dispersion of the Jewish people. This long period of physical and spiritual desolation persists "until" the national spiritual awakening prophesied in this verse.
• This verse can be understood as an "inclusive-exclusive" statement: exclusive in its condition of national repentance for His full public return to earth to establish His kingdom, yet inclusive in its promise of grace to those (Jews and Gentiles alike) who repent individually during His absence.
• The emphasis is on Jesus's absolute sovereignty; His departure is a sovereign act, and His return will likewise be on His terms, when His specified condition is met by His chosen people.

Matthew 23 39 Commentary

Matthew 23:39 delivers a profound prophetic statement marking Jesus's temporary departure from His nation and Jerusalem, signaling an interim period of desolation due to their widespread rejection of Him as the Messiah. The phrase "you will not see Me again" points to His Ascension and subsequent absence, an absence for which He states a definite termination: "until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’" This "until" (ἕως ἄν) is critical, indicating a precise condition for His return. It's not a general call for individual conversion, but a specific promise connected to Israel's national repentance and corporate acknowledgment of Jesus as their divinely sent and sovereign Messiah. The quote from Psalm 118:26, previously partially cried out by the crowds during the Triumphal Entry (Matt 21:9), here awaits a future, full, and heartfelt national acclamation from Israel. This will usher in His second coming, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His covenant people, even after their long period of hardening (Rom 11:25-26). It’s a message of both judgment (for rejection) and ultimate hope (for restoration).