The Gospel Of Luke
Chapter 19
(V1-4) Jericho was an ancient and important city, and as Jesus passed through the city on His way to Jerusalem, it seems that the reason was to meet with this man named Zacchaeus.
Note – Jericho was a very prosperous city as it had a great forest of world-famous balsam groves which perfumed the air for miles around. The Romans carried its dates and balsam to world-wide trade and fame. These balsam plants were unfortunately harvested into extinction for their use in the perfume trade, but today scientist are trying to re introduce the strain back into life by using the DNA from ancient perfumes and splicing this with the still available African variety of same plant.
Zacchaeus was not only a tax collector, but a chief tax collector – and the Jews hated men like him. This was not only due to their natural dislike of taxes, but more so because of the practice known as tax farming, the collector made his profit on whatever extra he could get away with charging his victims. A tax collector was highly motivated to make the taxes as high as possible.
When the tax collectors came to John the Baptist, asking how they could get right with God, he told them Collect no more taxes than the government requires- Luke 3:13. If you were a tax collector and you were rich, you were a rogue.
He tried to get a look at Jesus – Zacchaeus wanted to set his eyes on Jesus; he sought after Him. Perhaps Zacchaeus had heard that Jesus accepted people like him; he longed to see this remarkable Man Jesus for himself.
He was too short to see – His natural state gave him a disadvantage in seeking after Jesus. It also probably affected his personality; small in size, we can imagine how Zacchaeus was mocked and hated by others – and how he returned the favour by increasing the taxes on his victims.
NOTE – He climbed the tree like a little boy, and without knowing fulfilled Jesus’ word that unless we become like children we will not see the kingdom of God –Matthew 18:3.
(V5-6) Jesus started by calling Zacchaeus by name. Jesus knew the importance of a person’s name. This may have been the first time Zacchaeus heard someone besides his mother say his name in a kind way.
Jesus knew the importance of a name. He said that He calls His sheep by name in John 10:3. In Revelation, we are promised a new name that only God and we know. When we get to heaven, there will be someone there who knows our name.
Jesus invited Himself to spend time with Zacchaeus, the hated outcast. The early church was despised for its acceptance of outcasts1 Corinthians 1:26-31, but the early Christians regarded this as something glorious, not shameful.
Jesus didn’t merely want to preach to Zacchaeus and convert him in a spiritual or religious sense. Jesus wanted to have real relationship with Zacchaeus, beginning with a meal and time spent together.
(V7-10) The people, not only the religious leaders thought Jesus had gone too far by associating with a man as bad as Zacchaeus so they protested.
In receiving Jesus and spending just a little time with Him, Zacchaeus knew he had to repent and make right his past. Zacchaeus cheerfully offered to do even more than the law demanded. The promise to make right anyone he had wronged was remarkable. Considering the way he had made his money it was likely that this would be a long list.
Jesus knew that the repentant Zacchaeus was saved, rescued from the penalty of his sin, and Jesus told everyone.
Jesus commanded the rich young ruler to give away everything Luke 18:18-23; but for Zacchaeus it was enough to make restitution to those he had wronged. Jesus said that it was impossible with man for the rich to enter into heaven; but it is possible with God. This is a fulfilment of that promise. Zacchaeus became a joyful giver, thus showing God’s impossible work in him, but the young ruler went away sorry, holding on to his riches.
This man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham – Since Zacchaeus was so hated by his fellow Jews, they probably often said that he wasn’t a “real” Jew. Jesus wanted everyone to know that Zacchaeus really was a son of Abraham, both by his family tree and by faith – because he really, joyfully received Jesus.
(V11) Jericho is only about 15 miles from Jerusalem, and as Jesus neared the city, the disciples and others expected Jesus to show Himself as Messiah and the political saviour of Israel – the Kingdom of God would begin right away.
Jesus spoke this parable to warn His disciples that He would depart and return again before the kingdom came in full glory, and to tell them how to conduct themselves in His absence.
NOTE- Jesus could have gotten the details of this parable from the real events of Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, who after his father’s death went to Rome to receive the sovereignty over his father’s kingdom in accordance with his father’s will. But it still needed to be confirmed by the Roman emperor, because Herod’s empire formed part of the larger Roman Empire. A Jewish delegation was sent to Rome to dispute Archelaus’s claim to kingship, but the emperor nonetheless appointed him as ruler but with agreement that he could not be called King until the people accepted him as such, which never happened.
(V12-13) This parable is different than the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Here, ten servants were each given an equal amount of money. God distributes some gifts differently, according to His own pleasure; others are universally given to every believer, such as the gospel, which is given to each Christian in equal measure.
While the master was away, receiving his kingdom, the servants were expected to Invest this for me while I am gone.– to use the resources that the master gave them, and to use them well.
(V14) His people hated him, not the servants who received the money. Now in Jesus’ parable, the nobleman had done nothing to deserve this rejection.
(V15-19) When the master returned, he dealt first with his servants. He later dealt with the rebellious citizens, but they were not his first concern. He first wanted to know how faithful his servants had been in his absence.
The first servant heard beautiful praise from his master: You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities. Because he demonstrated faithful handling of the master’s resources, he was given authority over ten cities in the kingdom his master just received.
The second servant brought another good report. He was also rewarded, though not with the words good servant. The number of cities he was given authority over was in proportion to his faithfulness in doing business with his master’s resources.
You will be governor – The reward for faithful service is not rest, but more service, and this should be a happy thing as what preacher doesn’t want a bigger church.
NOTE – Each of the servants credited back to their master – your money for the work instead of their own effort or intelligence.
(V20-26) The third servant did not have a good report. He did not obey the master’s command to do business till I come. He merely kept the master’s resources and did no good with them.
The third servant excuse for his disobedience was claiming that his master was so powerful that he didn’t need the servant’s help – taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant. Which would only a powerful person could do in ancient or modern times.
Your own words condemn you – The master did not reward the third servant. Instead, he rebuked him because the great power of the master should have inspired the servant to do greater work, not into disobedience and laziness.
Why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? – Not a bank in the modern day but was called a lenders table, and you could take your money to one, and they in turn would lend it out a high rate of interest and you would then get a percentage of this interest without the risk of losing you money to a bad debt.
This helps us to understand the plan of the master. It wasn’t to make money by his servants, but to make character in them. He didn’t need them to make money, but they needed to work to build their character.
NOTE – The third servant had everything taken from him, but he remained his master’s servant, and still in his house. (so it didn’t cost him his salvation)
The main point of this parable is clear; the kingdom will be delayed, so we must concentrate on being faithful servants in the meantime. Our Master has gone away to a far country, and will one day return with His kingdom. In the meantime, we are commanded to do business with what He has given us until He returns.
When our Master returns, He will come to reward us according to our faithfulness, and we will be rewarded with different levels of authority in His kingdom.
The unfaithful servants are those who think that because Jesus is so mighty, that He doesn’t need their help. But the point is not His need of my help; the point is my need to help Him to help my character grow.
(V27) The servants all had to answer for their work in the master’s absence, but at least none of them were guilty of treason. Now the master dealt with his enemies, the rebellious citizens mentioned in verse 14 , who hated him and said, “We do not want him to be our king.” These are the people who will be sent to Hell for not willing to make Jesus their Lord.
(V28) After carefully correcting His followers as to the true nature of His kingdom and His mission, Jesus went steadfastly towards Jerusalem. In John 11:57 makes it clear that there was a price on Jesus’ head, and He was a wanted man. Despite all that, Jesus came into Jerusalem in the most public way possible.
Colt Or Donkey ?
Matthew 21:2-7 – Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a coltwith her. Untie them and bring them to me … They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.
Mark 11:2-7 – Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colttied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. … And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.
Luke 19:30-35 – Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colttied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. … And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are all giving truthful statements. Matthew’s account goes into more detail and reveals how this event fulfilled the prophecy of both a donkey and a colt as Matthew was written with Jews in mind who would have know of all the Old testament prophesies. While Mark and Luke mention only the colt, note that they do not deny the presence of the donkey.
Similarly, if you had three friends, Bob, Jeff, and John, come to your home yesterday and the next day at work you said that Bob was at your home, is it a lie because you didn’t include Jeff and John?
Matthew’s point was the fulfilment of prophecy, while Mark and Luke primarily wanted to point to Jesus’ kingly status by riding on a colt. So, all three are telling the truth.
A reasonable explanation of Matthew’s statement is that the journey was rather long for a young colt to make with one riding upon its back, so Jesus could have ridden the older donkey first and then the young colt later on.
(V29-34) Go into that village over there, he told them. As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied – Jesus carefully and deliberately sent His disciples to make arrangements for His arrival into Jerusalem. Jesus had travelled on foot from Galilee to Bethany, could have gone the other two miles; but He had to enter into Jerusalem as it had been prophesied of him.
That no one has ever ridden – This is an illustration of how God requires our undivided loyalty or the seat of authority is for Jesus and Jesus alone.
The Lord has needs it – Seemingly, this was a pre-arranged borrowing or rental of this animal for the use of Jesus. Normally, animals such as donkeys for the poor and horses for the wealthy were made available by their owners for travellers for a price or, at times, to be borrowed.
(V35-40) The idea of a victorious, conquering king entering a city was well known in that time. Typically, a victorious king came into a city escorted by the citizens of his kingdom and his army. As he entered, songs were sung in praise of the conqueror and he came with symbols of his victory and authority. Finally, he came into the city’s prominent temple and made a sacrificial offering to honour the gods and associate himself with them.
The Gospels take these well-known forms and turn them on their head. Jesus entered Jerusalem with a relatively humble escort and singing. Upon entering the city, He did not offer sacrifices but He challenged the religious leaders and then cleansed the temple.
Teacher, rebuke Your followers – The crowd’s praise made Jesus’ enemies uncomfortable; it made them object to the praise being offered. It made them know they were being defeated. John 12:19 says that on this day, The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”
If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers! – On this day, Jesus was going to be praised. For almost all of His ministry, Jesus did everything He could to discourage people from publicly calling Him the Messiah, telling crowds to call Him the Son Of Man. Here Jesus invited public praise and adoration as Messiah.
(V41-44) As He came closer to Jerusalem…..He began to weep – This was a deeply moving moment for Jesus. His tears were not for His own fate in Jerusalem, but for the fate of the city itself.
How I wish today that you of all people would understand – This was a turning point for the Jewish people. Their leaders had rejected Jesus and most of the people followed their leaders. Yet, if they understood Jesus and His work as Messiah, they might have been spared the destruction to come.
NOTE – In some older copies of the Bible, they removed the passage about Jesus weeping here, because they thought that if Jesus were perfect He would not weep.
How I wish today – Was so important because it was the day prophesied by Daniel 9 that Messiah the Prince would come unto Jerusalem. Daniel said that it would be 483 years on the Jewish calendar from the day of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the day the Messiah would come to Jerusalem, this was fulfilled 483 years later to the day by using the Jewish calendar of a 360 day year.
Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls …encircle you.. crush you…not leave a single stone in place. – Jesus predicted five specific aspects of the Roman attack upon Jerusalem:
- The building of an embankment
- The surrounding of the city, laying siege
- The destruction of the city
- The killing of the city’s inhabitants
- The complete levelling of the city
The historian Josephus described in detail the embankment completely around Jerusalem; how it utterly shut up the city before the Romans totally destroyed them.
(V45-48) He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it: This seems distinct from the cleansing of the temple courts mentioned in John 2:13-22, which happened towards the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Yet the purpose was the same; to drive out the merchants, who in cooperation with the priests cheated visitors to Jerusalem by forcing them to purchase approved sacrificial animals and currencies at high prices.
By modern standards a pair of doves would cost as little as 4p outside the Temple and as much as 75p inside the Temple. This is almost 20 times more expensive.
What Jesus did was important more as an acted-out parable than for what it accomplished in itself. There is no indication that His actions had any lasting effects and no doubt the tables were back for the rest of the week, and Jesus took no further action.
My house is a house of prayer – The merchants operated in the outer courts of the temple, the only area where Gentiles could come and pray. Therefore, this place of prayer was made into a marketplace.
A den of thieves – By modern standards a pair of doves would cost as little as 4p outside the Temple and as much as 75p inside the Temple. This is almost 20 times more expensive.
And He was teaching daily in the temple: After running the merchants out of the temple courts, Jesus boldly continued His work of public teaching. He was able to continue because the people wanted to hear Him so the leaders were too frightened of causing a riot if they had Him arrested or murdered in front of them.
AMEN