Luke 19:1-10
Luke 19:1-10. ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-GATHERER... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 19:1-10. ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-GATHERER... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣΕΛΘῺΝ ΔΙΉΡΧΕΤΟ. Literally, ‘_having entered Jericho was passing through it_.’ ΤῊΝ ἹΕΡΕΙΧΏ. Jericho (the City of Palm trees, Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16) is about 6 miles from the Jordan, and 15 from Jerusalem. It was from a point opposite to it that Moses had viewed Canaan, Deuteronomy 34:1. Wh... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ἸΔΟΎ. The style of this chapter shews that St Luke is using a document of Aramaic origin. ὈΝΌΜΑΤΙ ΚΑΛΟΎΜΕΝΟΣ. The more classic phrase would have been ὄνομα καλ. ΖΑΚΧΑΙ͂ΟΣ. _Zakkai_ means ‘pure.’ Ezra 2:9; Nehemiah 3:14; Jos. _Vit._ 46. There is a Zakkai in the Talmud, father of the famous Rabb... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΖΉΤΕΙ ἸΔΕΙ͂Ν ΤῸΝ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂Ν. Doubtless his riches increased the odium of his position, and being accustomed to contempt and hatred, he wished to see One who was not only a great prophet, but also kind to tax-gatherers and sinners. ΤΊΣ ἘΣΤΙΝ. I.e. he desired to distinguish Jesus by sight amid the crow... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΥΚΟΜΟΡΈΑΝ. See note. ἘΚΕΊΝΗΣ. See note. The δι' ἐκείνης of Elz. is a gloss. 4. ΣΥΚΟΜΟΡΈΑΝ. A commoner form of the name is συκόμορος. Not the same as _sycamine_ (_mulberry_) of Luke 17:6, or with our _sycamore_ (or pseudo-platanus) but the Egyptian fig, of which the low spreading branches are very... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἾΔΕΝ ΑΥ̓ΤῸΝ ΚΑΊ. A prosaic pragmatic addition, wanting in אBL, Ti[329] W.H[330] [329] Ti. Tischendorf. [330] W.H. Westcott and Hort. 5. ΖΑΚΧΑΙ͂Ε. Zacchaeus was so prominent a person in Jericho that we can see no difficulty in his being known to Jesus by name. ΔΕΙ͂. The word implies a _moral fitn... [ Continue Reading ]
ΧΑΊΡΩΝ. This public honour done by the Messiah to one so despised by all classes of his countrymen, ennobled him with a new feeling of happiness and self-respect.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΆΝΤΕΣ ΔΙΕΓΌΓΓΥΖΟΝ. ‘They all began to murmur aloud.’ See Luke 15:2. The ‘_all_’ is very significant as shewing how deep-seated was the national feeling which, because it was unworthy, our Lord at the very zenith of His earthly popularity thus unflinchingly braved. Many of them may not have heard Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΤΑΘΕΊΣ. The word means ‘taking his position’ in sight of all the crowd; see Luke 18:11. ΠΡῸΣ ΤῸΝ ΚΎΡΙΟΝ. Not to the crowd who had nothing but contempt and hatred for him, but to Him who loved the nobler self which He saw in him, and of whose notice he desired to be more worthy. ΤᾺ ἩΜΊΣΕΙΑ. A vast... [ Continue Reading ]
ΥἹῸΣ ἈΒΡΑΆΜ. Used here in the high spiritual sense (Romans 4:11-12; Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:7) though also true (as the name Zacchaeus shews) in the literal sense. See Luke 1:55; Luke 3:8; Luke 13:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ�. See Luke 15:1-32; Matthew 18:11; 1 Timothy 1:15; Ezekiel 34:11-16.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΣΘΕῚΣ ΕἾΠΕΝ ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΉΝ. A Hebraism. Genesis 38:5. ΔΙᾺ ΤῸ ἘΓΓῪΣ ΕἾΝΑΙ. Probably therefore the parable was spoken on the journey. Jericho was 150 stades from Jerusalem. Jos. _B. J._ IV. 8, § 3. ἈΝΑΦΑΊΝΕΣΘΑΙ. Literally, ‘_be manifested to view_.’ The disciples had the same excited anticipation afte... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PARABLE OF THE POUNDS... [ Continue Reading ]
ἌΝΘΡΩΠΌΣ ΤΙΣ ΕΥ̓ΓΕΝΉΣ. This would seem a most unintelligible incident if we did not know what suggested it. The Evangelists throw no gleam of light upon it, and the fact that we can from contemporary secular history not only explain it, but even trace (without the slightest aid from any of the Gospe... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ὯΙ, אABDL, &c. ἕως is an incorrect gloss. See note. 13. ΔΈΚΑ ΔΟΎΛΟΥΣ ἙΑΥΤΟΥ͂. ‘Ten slaves of his own;’ for such a noble would count his servants by hundreds. The men being slaves the sums entrusted to them are small. ΔΈΚΑ ΜΝΑ͂Σ. The _mina_ was 100 drachmas (Luke 15:8), and was worth £3. 6_s._ 8_... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΜΊΣΟΥΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΌΝ. And this was not strange, seeing that the very beginning of his reign had been signalised by a hideous massacre of his subjects. (Jos. _Antt._ XVII. 9, § 3.) ΠΡΕΣΒΕΊΑΝ ὈΠΊΣΩ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. ‘An embassy to follow him’ (Luke 14:32). Vulg[332] _legationem_. Here again the incident would be en... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΑΒΌΝΤΑ ΤῊΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΊΑΝ. Not however the coveted title of king, which was refused him. ΓΝΟΙ͂. This seems to be the true reading both here and in Mark 5:43. It is for γνοίη. So we find γνοῖμεν for γνοίημεν in Plutarch. ΤΊΣ ΤΊ. Comp. Mark 15:34. This mixture of two questions is quite classical. See So... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΣΗΡΓΉΣΑΤΟ. Literally, “_earned in addition_.” As though there were no merit of his own in the matter.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ἘΛΑΧΊΣΤΩΙ. See Luke 12:48; Luke 16:10. ἘΠΆΝΩ ΔΈΚΑ ΠΌΛΕΩΝ. Another strange touch explained by the history of the times. Archelaus had actually assigned the government of cities to his adherents who had proved faithful (Jos. _Antt._ XIV. 14, § 3, &c.), and this was not an uncommon plan among the H... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΟΊΗΣΕΝ. ‘_Made_,’ in the same idiomatic sense as in English ‘to _make_ money.’... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ἝΤΕΡΟΣ, BDL. 20. ΣΟΥΔΑΡΊΩΙ. A Latin word, which, like many others, passed into Greek and even into Semitic languages (comp. λεγεών, ἀσσάριον). These Latinisms are most common in St Mark.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΦΟΒΟΎΜΗΝ … ΣΕ. A sure sign that he did not love him, 1 John 4:18. ΑἼΡΕΙΣ Ὃ ΟΥ̓Κ ἜΘΗΚΑΣ. A typical description of injustice forbidden alike by Jewish and Greek laws (Jos. _c. Ap_. II. 130). One of Solon’s laws was ἃ μὴ ἔθου μὴ�.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΚ ΤΟΥ͂ ΣΤΌΜΑΤΌΣ ΣΟΥ. “A powerful instance of the _argumentum ex concessis_.” Lange.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠῚ ΤΡΆΠΕΖΑΝ. ‘Into a bank.’ The Greek word for a banker is τραπεζίτης. This touch contains the germ of the unrecorded saying (ἄγραφον δόγμα) of our Lord, which is one of the most certainly genuine of those which are preserved by tradition—“Shew yourselves approved money-changers” (γίνεσθε τραπεζῖτα... [ Continue Reading ]
ἌΡΑΤΕ Κ.Τ.Λ. Here our Lord leaves the historical groundwork. Compare Matthew 21:43, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” Luke 8:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἾΠΑΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι. Perhaps the officials round the king; but as this verse is purely parenthetical, it may not impossibly be an interpellation of the crowd, expressive of their vivid interest in the narrative.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ Ὃ ἜΧΕΙ. Comp. Luke 8:18, “even that which he _seemeth to have_.”... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟῪΣ ἘΧΘΡΟΎΣ ΜΟΥ ΤΟΎΤΟΥΣ. They had once been ‘citizens,’ Luke 19:14. ΚΑΤΑΣΦΆΞΑΤΕ. ‘_Slaughter them_.’ Archelaus had similarly put some of his political opponents to death. This, too, corresponds to ulterior truths—the ruin and massacre of the unbelieving Jews. Comp. 1 Corinthians 15:25. ἜΜΠΡΟΣΘΈΝ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΟΡΕΎΕΤΟ ἜΜΠΡΟΣΘΕΝ. Literally, “_He began to journey in front of them_.” Perhaps during the delivery of the parable, He had paused to let the crowd gather round Him. ἈΝΑΒΑΊΝΩΝ. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem is a continual ascent. See Luke 10:30-31.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΛΑΙΏΝ. See note. 29. ΒΗΘΦΑΓΉ. The site is not identified, but it seems to have been regarded as a suburb of Jerusalem. The name means _House of_ (_unripe_) _Figs_. ΚΑῚ ΒΗΘΑΝΊΑΝ. Perhaps the _House of Dates_, but this is very uncertain. The mention of Bethany _after_ Bethphage is surprising. Here,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΩ͂ΛΟΝ ΔΕΔΕΜΈΝΟΝ. St Luke is here less circumstantial than the other Evangelists, and does not refer to the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. ΟΥ̓ΔΕῚΣ … ἘΚΆΘΙΣΕΝ. And therefore adapted for a sacred use. See Numbers 19:2; Deuteronomy 21:3; 1 Samuel 6:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΙΡΊΨΑΝΤΕΣ … ΤᾺ ἹΜΆΤΙΑ. To do Jesus royal honour. Comp. 2 Kings 9:13. Vulg[333] _jactantes_. The verb which is a ἅπαξ λεγόμενον in the N.T. implies hasty action. [333] Vulg. Vulgate. ἘΠΕΒΊΒΑΣΑΝ. It is clear that He rode upon the unused foal, which was probably led by the bridle, while it is possib... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ἹΜΆΤΙΑ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν. As well as leaves of trees and branches of the palms, which they tore off and kept strewing as they went along (Matthew 21:8), as in the reception of Mordecai (Targum on Esther 10:1) and of the Maccabees (2Ma 10:7). The very same mode of shewing honour was adopted when Mr Farran,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡῸΣ ΤΗ͂Ι ΚΑΤΑΒΆΣΕΙ. ‘_Close to the descent_;’ i.e. at the brow of the hill, at the spot where the main road from Bethany sweeps round the shoulder of the hill, and the city first bursts full on the view. At this point the palm-bearing procession from the city seems to have met the rejoicing crowd o... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ἘΡΧΌΜΕΝΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΎΣ, AL. ὁ βασιλεύς, א. ὁ ἐρχόμενος, D. ἐρχόμενος, ὁ βασιλεύς, B. 38. ΕΥ̓ΛΟΓΗΜΈΝΟΣ Ὁ ἘΡΧΌΜΕΝΟΣ. The various cries recorded by the three Evangelists all come from the Great Hallel (Psalms 113-118). St John alone (Luke 12:17 reading ὅτι) points out that the Messianic enthusiasm had b... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΙΤΊΜΗΣΟΝ ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΜΑΘΗΤΑΙ͂Σ ΣΟΥ. St Matthew puts into the mouth of “the Chief Priests and Scribes” the ruder interpellation, “Hearest thou what these say?”... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΡΆΞΟΥΣΙΝ. See note. 40. ἘᾺΝ … ΣΙΩΠΉΣΟΥΣΙΝ. Such a construction as ἐὰν with the indicative would of course be impossible in classical Greek. It is only explicable by excluding the conditional particle from any influence over the verb—“_if (under whatever circumstances) these shall keep silent_.” Ο... [ Continue Reading ]
ἸΔῺΝ ΤῊΝ ΠΌΛΙΝ. The Temple was at that time magnificent with gilding and white marble, which flashed resplendently in the spring sunlight (Jos. _B. J._ Luke 19:5, § 6), and the city was very unlike the crumbling and squalid city of to-day. But that “mass of gold and snow” woke no pride in the Saviou... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΊ ΓΕ ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι ἩΜΈΡΑΙ ΣΟΥ. Isaiah 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6:2. καί γε is an uncertain reading (omitted in BD) and is only found in Acts 2:18. The day of Chorazin and Bethsaida was past already. ΤᾺ ΠΡῸΣ ΕἸΡΉΝΗΝ ΣΟΥ. Perhaps with a _paronomasia_ on the name of _Salem_ or ‘Peace,’ and on the _sound_ though... [ Continue Reading ]
ἩΜΈΡΑΙ. Often used of troublous times, like the Latin _tempora_. ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΟΥ͂ΣΙΝ … ΧΆΡΑΚΆ ΣΟΙ. ‘Shall surround thee with a palisade,’ Isaiah 29:3-4; Isaiah 37:33, LXX[336] χάραξ in Polybius means a palisaded mound. Literally fulfilled forty years afterwards at the siege of Jerusalem, when Titus surro... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΔΑΦΙΟΥ͂ΣΊΝ ΣΕ. Titus, if we may trust Josephus, accomplished this prophecy wholly against his will, being driven to the utter subversion and destruction of the city, by the desperate obstinacy of the Jews. Sulpicius Severus (_Hist._ II.), who is supposed to be here incorporating a fragment of Tacit... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΤῸ ἹΕΡΌΝ. The procession of Galilaean pilgrims would leave Jesus at the foot of Mount Moriah—(the ‘Mountain of the House,’ Isaiah 2:2), beyond which none might advance with dusty feet or stained by travel. Jesus would enter by the Shushan gate. ἘΚΒΆΛΛΕΙΝ. As He had also done at the _beginning_ o... [ Continue Reading ]
45, 46. FINAL CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΣΤΑΙ, אBL, for ἐστιν. 46. ΟἾΚΟΣ ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΗ͂Σ. Isaiah 56:7. See on Luke 1:10; Luke 18:10. ΣΠΉΛΑΙΟΝ ΛΗΙΣΤΩ͂Ν. ‘A brigands’ cave.’ Our Lord had seen many of these brigands’ caves (Jos. _Antt._ I. 12) on the steep rocky sides of the Wady Hamâm and elsewhere. Comp. Jeremiah 7:11, “Is this house which is... [ Continue Reading ]
47, 48. EAGERNESS OF THE PEOPLE TO HEAR... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΞΕΚΡΈΜΑΤΟ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. Literally, “_were hanging from him_,” i.e. hung on His lips; “_pendet ab ore_,” Verg. _Aen._ IV. 79. The word occurs here only in the N.T., but is found in Genesis 44:30, LXX[338] Scarcely a single version preserves the vivid metaphor of the original; most of them coldly paraphra... [ Continue Reading ]