Luke Chapter 19
1 He entered and was passing through Jericho.
2 There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn't because of the crowd, because he was short.
4 He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way.
5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house."
6 He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully.
7 When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, "He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner."
8 Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much."
9 Jesus said to him, "Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost."
11 As they heard these things, he went on and told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that God's Kingdom would be revealed immediately.
12 He said therefore, "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
13 He called ten servants of his and gave them ten mina coins, and told them, 'Conduct business until I come.'
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent an envoy after him, saying, 'We don't want this man to reign over us.'
15 "When he had come back again, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by conducting business.
16 The first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.'
17 "He said to him, 'Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful with very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
18 "The second came, saying, 'Your mina, Lord, has made five minas.'
19 "So he said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.'
20 Another came, saying, 'Lord, behold, your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief,
21 for I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You take up that which you didn't lay down, and reap that which you didn't sow.'
22 "He said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant! You knew that I am an exacting man, taking up that which I didn't lay down, and reaping that which I didn't sow.
23 Then why didn't you deposit my money in the bank, and at my coming, I might have earned interest on it?'
24 He said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas.'
25 "They said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!'
26 'For I tell you that to everyone who has, will more be given; but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.
27 But bring those enemies of mine who didn't want me to reign over them here, and kill them before me.' "
28 Having said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29 When he came near to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the mountain that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,
30 saying, "Go your way into the village on the other side, in which, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, which no man had ever sat upon. Untie it and bring it.
31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' say to him: 'The Lord needs it.' "
32 Those who were sent went away, and found things just as he had told them.
33 As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34 They said, "The Lord needs it."
35 Then they brought it to Jesus. They threw their cloaks on the colt, and sat Jesus on them.
36 As he went, they spread their cloaks on the road.
37 As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen,
38 saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!"
39 Some of the Pharisees from the multitude said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
40 He answered them, "I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would cry out."
41 When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,
42 saying, "If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes.
43 For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side,
44 and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn't know the time of your visitation."
45 He entered into the temple, and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it,
46 saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of robbers'!"
47 He was teaching daily in the temple, but the chief priests, the scribes, and the leading men amongst the people sought to destroy him.
48 They couldn't find what they might do, for all the people hung on to every word that he said.
Footnotes
- Verse 13 (Mina)
- 10 minas was more than 3 years' wages for an agricultural labourer.
- Verse 29 (Bethsphage)
- Textus Receptus, Nestle-Aland/United Bible Societies critical text Greek New Testament read "Bethpage" instead of "Bethsphage"
- Verse 38
- Psalm 118:26
- Verse 46
- Isaiah 56:7
- Verse 46
- Jeremiah 7:11
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Luke Chapter 19 Guide
Zacchaeus was the last convert but one in the ministry of Jesus. Our Lord's method with him is very revealing. He asked for his hospitality, and after receiving it held an unrecorded conversation with him which resulted in the complete revolution of the man's outlook and his activity. It was in this connection that our Lord uttered that supreme word of His ministry, "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
In close connection He uttered the parable of the pounds. This, by the way, must not be confused with the parable of the talents. In the latter the gifts varied in amount. In this the value was identical. Not all had the same number of talents. All have the pound for trading. The people following Him to Jerusalem "supposed that the Kingdom of God was immediately to appear." In the parable He gave them the program of events. He was going to a far country to receive His Kingdom. During His absence His servants were to trade with His capital for His profit. At His return He would deal with those who had thus been responsible.
Going to Jerusalem, He entered the Temple. As He approached it, all the disciples broke into song. The song is remarkable as an answer to the song of the angels which had announced the birth of Jesus. They then sang, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth." These now significantly sang, "Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest." Surely it was an inspired song, with a fuller meaning than perhaps the singers understood. He was going to the death by which He would make a peace in heaven which would issue in peace on earth. Peace with God must precede peace among men.
Jerusalem had failed to learn the things belonging to peace, and this called forth Jesus' tears.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Luke Chapter 19 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The conversion of Zaccheus. -- (1-10)
- The parable of the nobleman and his servants. -- (11-27)
- Christ enters Jerusalem. -- (28-40)
- Christ laments over Jerusalem. -- (41-48)
Verses 1-10
Those who sincerely desire a sight of Christ, like Zaccheus, will break through opposition, and take pains to see him. Christ invited himself to Zaccheus' house. Wherever Christ comes he opens the heart, and inclines it to receive him. He that has a mind to know Christ, shall be known of him. Those whom Christ calls, must humble themselves, and come down. We may well receive him joyfully, who brings all good with him. Zaccheus gave proofs publicly that he was become a true convert. He does not look to be justified by his works, as the Pharisee; but by his good works he will, through the grace of God, show the sincerity of his faith and repentance. Zaccheus is declared to be a happy man, now he is turned from sin to God. Now that he is saved from his sins, from the guilt of them, from the power of them, all the benefits of salvation are his. Christ is come to his house, and where Christ comes he brings salvation with him. He came into this lost world to seek and to save it. His design was to save, when there was no salvation in any other. He seeks those that sought him not, and asked not for him.
Verses 11-27
This parable is like that of the talents, Mt 25. Those that are called to Christ, he furnishes with gifts needful for their business; and from those to whom he gives power, he expects service. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, 1Co 12:7. And as every one has received the gift, so let him minister the same, 1Pe 4:10. The account required, resembles that in the parable of the talents; and the punishment of the avowed enemies of Christ, as well as of false professors, is shown. The principal difference is, that the pound given to each seems to point out the gift of the gospel, which is the same to all who hear it; but the talents, distributed more or less, seem to mean that God gives different capacities and advantages to men, by which this one gift of the gospel may be differently improved.
Verses 28-40
Christ has dominion over all creatures, and may use them as he pleases. He has all men's hearts both under his eye and in his hand. Christ's triumphs, and his disciples' joyful praises, vex proud Pharisees, who are enemies to him and to his kingdom. But Christ, as he despises the contempt of the proud, so he accepts the praises of the humble. Pharisees would silence the praises of Christ, but they cannot; for as God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham, and turn the stony heart to himself, so he can bring praise out of the mouths of children. And what will be the feelings of men when the Lord returns in glory to judge the world!
Verses 41-48
Who can behold the holy Jesus, looking forward to the miseries that awaited his murderers, weeping over the city where his precious blood was about to be shed, without seeing that the likeness of God in the believer, consists much in good-will and compassion? Surely those cannot be right who take up any doctrines of truth, so as to be hardened towards their fellow-sinners. But let every one remember, that though Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he executed awful vengeance upon it. Though he delights not in the death of a sinner, yet he will surely bring to pass his awful threatenings on those who neglect his salvation. The Son of God did not weep vain and causeless tears, nor for a light matter, nor for himself. He knows the value of souls, the weight of guilt, and how low it will press and sink mankind. May he then come and cleanse our hearts by his Spirit, from all that defiles. May sinners, on every side, become attentive to the words of truth and salvation.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.