The Life Of Jesus Christ In Its Historical Connexion

Christ answered the Pharisees that there was no occasion for such craft and stratagem; he should stay in Galilee a few days, but would not leave it sooner; he had nothing to fear during the time fixed by God for his labours there; at Jerusalem was his career to terminate, and thither he should go to meet his fate. "Go tell that fox, behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow (i. e., but a short time), and the third day (shortly) I shall be perfected (find the end of my labours). Nevertheless, I must go on with my labours [594] to-day and to-morrow; [595] and the day following I go away, for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem." [596]

The extent of this last declaration may appear strange, as John the Baptist, whom Christ called the greatest of prophets, did perish out of Jerusalem. But obviously he did not mean to express a general and inevitable law, but only to characterize strikingly the persecuting spirit of the hierarchical party in the metropolis, to which the witnesses of the truth must always fall victims. And although Jerusalem itself was not the seat of John's labours, still the city -- i. e., the ruling party there -- was the cause of his death. [597]