The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence

by John E. Remsburg

344

On his way to execution he made a speech to the women of Jerusalem who bewailed his fate. Alluding, as is alleged, to the coming destruction of Jerusalem, what did he declare they would say?

“To the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us” ([Luke xxiii, 30]).

Luke attempts to put into the mouth of Jesus a quotation from Hosea, but his memory was defective. What the prophet said was as follows:

“To the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us” ([Hosea x, 8]).

Renan pronounces this speech spurious. He says: “The speech to the women of Jerusalem could scarcely have been conceived except after the siege of the year 70.”