Mark 13:17
But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Josephus' account of Jerusalem's siege (AD 70) records horrific suffering, particularly for women and children. Starvation drove cannibalism—mothers ate children. Josephus describes Mary of Bethezuba, who killed and ate her infant. Pregnant women miscarried from stress, starvation. Nursing mothers had no milk. Attempting escape with infants proved nearly impossible—Roman blockade, Zealot violence within city, terrain difficulty. Those who heeded Jesus' warning fled before siege tightened. Those who delayed faced unimaginable horror. Church history records similar patterns—Christians who delayed fleeing persecution (Roman, medieval, modern) suffered terribly. The lesson: immediate obedience spares suffering; delay invites tragedy. God's warnings are mercy—heed them promptly.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus' 'woe' (grief) over pregnant women and nursing mothers reveal His compassion even while prophesying judgment?
- What does this warning teach about timing—why is immediate response to God's warnings crucial?
- How might this apply spiritually to responding to gospel—why shouldn't people delay accepting Christ until circumstances seem better?
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Analysis & Commentary
Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! The Greek ouai (οὐαί, 'woe') expresses grief, not curse. Jesus mourns the hardship pregnant women and nursing mothers will face during Jerusalem's destruction. Fleeing urgently (vv. 15-16) proves especially difficult for those physically hindered—late pregnancy limits mobility; nursing infants require care. The practical difficulty intensifies suffering.
This reveals Jesus' compassion—He doesn't merely prophesy judgment but feels sorrow for those suffering it. He wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44). God takes no pleasure in wicked's death (Ezekiel 33:11) yet justice demands judgment. The 'woe' acknowledges human tragedy within divine judgment. It also warns hearers: flee immediately while physically able; don't delay until circumstances hinder escape. Spiritually, it teaches urgency—respond to gospel now, not later when conditions worsen. 'Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation' (2 Corinthians 6:2).