Jesus as God
Jesus Longs to Gather Jerusalem Under His Wings
Jesus speaks in the context of Jerusalem's long rejection of God's messengers and uses imagery repeatedly associated with refuge under God's wings.
How this passage contributes to the case:
The labels below identify the kinds of evidence for Jesus' divinity found in this passage.
Select a label for an explanation.
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
Jesus laments Jerusalem's history of killing prophets and says he has often desired to gather its children as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.
Old Testament Background
Psalms 17, 36, 57, 61, and 91 portray people seeking refuge under the LORD's wings; Israel's history also repeatedly features God sending rejected prophets.
Exposition
The temporal force of 'how often' is striking because Jesus speaks as the would-be gatherer of Jerusalem across its pattern of resistance.
Why This Points to His Divinity
The saying strongly suggests Jesus occupying the divine gathering role. We discuss its pre-existence implication without assigning the stronger 'Claims Eternal Existence' prerogative, since Jesus does not explicitly state pre-human existence here.
Response of the Hearers
Jerusalem is characterized as unwilling to be gathered.