Luke 13:31

In that very hour there came certain Pharisees, saying to him, Get thee out, and go hence: for Herod would fain kill thee. And he said unto them, Go and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I am perfected. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

THE WARNING FROM THE PHARISEES

Jesus was somewhere in the area of Trans-Jordan, or possibly still in Galilee, both being within the political jurisdiction of Herod; but the idea is rejected which would view this blunt word from the Pharisees as anything but a lie. As Russell said, "They were not telling the truth. There was no reason for thinking that Herod, although a man of base character, wished to kill Jesus."[32] When Jesus finally appeared before Herod Antipas (Luke 23:11), that ruler initiated no action against him, except to mock him and send him back to Pilate; and by including this in his record, Luke documented the Pharisees' falsehood. There is no ground whatever for supposing, as Geldenhuys thought, that "The Pharisees' warning may have been perfectly sincere and prompted by a concern for Jesus' safety."[33]

What the Pharisees really intended, of course, was to frighten Jesus into returning to Jerusalem, where of course, the Pharisees planned themselves to kill him.

Go tell that fox ... The Greek word used here means, literally, "she-fox," an epithet described by Spence as "perhaps the bitterest and most contemptuous name ever given by the pitiful Master to any of the sons of men."[34] By choice of a feminine word, Jesus might have intended a reference to Herodias, Herod's consort, whose wicked influence had caused the murder of John the Baptist. Childers noted that the Greek word for "fox" is basically a feminine noun, and that for that reason it cannot be known that the female sex was intended; "but at least it shows that Greek-speaking people regarded a fox as the opposite of bold and courageous."[35] Jesus' epithet evaluated the wicked Herod as a small, weak, sly, and cunning character, unworthy of honor and respect.

Today and tomorrow, and the third day ... This was relatively but a short while; and, by these words, Christ was saying that he did not plan to be in Herod's territory very long anyway. Although the Lord would not be frightened into leaving, his plans already called for his progression on to Jerusalem.

It cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem ... Jesus fully knew that going to Jerusalem would not procure safety for himself. On the other hand, he had repeatedly prophesied that his death would occur in that city; and, by these words, Christ signaled the Pharisees that he knew all about their wicked plans to murder him. The construction of his words here has the effect of saying that our Lord enjoyed greater safety anywhere other than in Jerusalem.

[32] John William Russell, op. cit., p. 174.

[33] Norval Geldenhuys, op. cit., p. 382.

[34] H. D. M. Spence, op. cit., p. 6.

[35] Charles L. Childers, op. cit., p. 545.