CHAPTER XIX. _The conversion of Zaccheus_, 1-10. _The parable of the nobleman, his ten servants, and the ten_ _pounds_, 11-27. _Christ sends his disciples for a colt on which he rides into_ _Jerusalem_, 28-40. _He weeps over the city, and foretells its destruction_, 41-44. _Goes into the temp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:2. _ZACCHEUS_] It is not unlikely that this person was a Jew by birth, see Luke 19:9; but because he had engaged in a business so infamous, in the eyes of the Jews, he was considered as a _mere_ _heathen_, Luke 19:7. _CHIEF AMONG THE PUBLICANS_] Either a _farmer-general_ of the taxes,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:3. _AND HE SOUGHT TO SEE JESUS WHO HE WAS_] So the mere _principle_ of _curiosity_ in him led to his conversion and salvation, and to that of his whole family, Luke 19:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:4. _HE RAN BEFORE_] The shortness of his stature was amply compensated by his _agility_ and _invention_. Had he been as _tall_ as the generality of the crowd, he might have been equally unnoticed with the rest. His getting into the tree made him conspicuous: had he not been so _low_ of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:5. _MAKE HASTE, AND COME DOWN_] With this invitation, our blessed Lord conveyed heavenly influence to his heart; hence he was disposed to pay the most implicit and cheerful obedience to the call, and thus he received not the grace of God in vain.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:6. _RECEIVED HIM JOYFULLY._] He had now _seen_ WHO he was, and he wished to _hear_ WHAT he was; and therefore he rejoiced in the honour that God had now conferred upon him. How often does Christ make the proposal of lodging, not only in our house, but in our heart, without its being ac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:7. _TO BE GUEST WITH A MAN THAT IS A SINNER._] Meaning either that he was a _heathen_, or, though by _birth_ a _Jew_, yet as bad as a heathen, because of his unholy and oppressive office. Luke 7:37, Luke 7:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:8. _THE HALF OF MY GOODS I GIVE TO THE POOR_] Probably he had already done so for some time past; though it is generally understood that the expressions only refer to what he _now purposed_ to do. _IF I HAVE TAKEN ANY THING - BY FALSE ACCUSATION_] εσυκοφαντησα, from συκον, _a fig_, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:9. _JESUS SAID UNTO HIM_] Bishop PEARCE observes: "Probably Luke wrote αυτους, not αυτον, _said unto them_, i.e. to those who had before called Zaccheus a _sinner_; (Luke 19:7); for Jesus here speaks of Zaccheus in the third person, _he also is a son of _ _Abraham_, and therefore he wa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:11. _AND AS THEY HEARD THESE THINGS_] I believe the _participle_ of the _present_ tense, here, is used for the participle of the _past_, or rather that the participle of the present conveys sometimes the _sense_ of the _past_; for this discourse appears to have taken place the _next da... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:12. _A CERTAIN NOBLEMAN_] In the following parable there are _two_ distinct morals intended; let it be viewed in these two points of light. 1. The behaviour of the _citizens_ to the nobleman; and, 2. The behaviour of his own _servants_ to him. 1. By the behaviour of the _citizens_, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:13. _TEN SERVANTS_] All those who professed to receive his doctrine. _Ten_ was a kind of sacred number among the Hebrews, as well as _seven_. See Luke 14:31; Luke 15:8; Matthew 15:1. _TEN POUNDS_] Ten _minas_. The Septuagint use the original word μναα for the Hebrew מנה _maneh_, from... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:14. _HIS CITIZENS_] Or _countrymen _- the Jewish people, who professed to be subjects of the kingdom of God. _HATED HIM_] Despised him for the meanness of his birth, his crucifixion to the world, and for the holiness of his doctrine. Neither mortification nor holiness suits the dispos... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:15. _WHEN HE WAS RETURNED_] When he came to punish the disobedient Jews; and when he shall come to judge the world. See the parable of the _talents_, Matthew 25:14, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:16. _LORD, THY POUND HATH GAINED TEN_] The principal difference between this parable and that of the talents above referred to is, that the _mina_ 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 in different... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:17. _OVER TEN CITIES._] This is to be understood as referring to the _new kingdom_ which the nobleman had just received. His former trustiest and most faithful servants he now represents as being made governors, under him, over a number of cities, according to the capacity he found in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:20. _LORD, BEHOLD_, here is _thy pound_] See Matthew 25:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:23. _WITH USURY?_] συν τοκω, _With its produce_, i.e. what the loan of the money is fairly worth, after paying the person sufficiently for using it: for, in lent money, both the _lender_ and _borrower_ are supposed to reap profit.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, HE HATH TEN POUNDS._] This whole verse is omitted by the _Codex Bezae_, a few others, and some copies of the _Itala_. It is probably an observation that some person made while our Lord was delivering the parable, with a design to correct him in the distributi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _AND FROM HIM THAT HATH NOT_] See this particularly explained Matthew 13:12. Perhaps it would be well, with Bishop PEARCE, to supply the word _gained_-give it to him who hath _gained_ ten minas; _for I say unto you, That unto every one who hath_ gained _shall be given; and, from him who ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _THOSE - ENEMIES - BRING HITHER_] the Jews, whom I shall shortly slay by the sword of the Romans.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _HE WENT BEFORE_] Joyfully to anticipate his death, say some. Perhaps it means that he walked at the _head_ of his disciples; and that he and his disciples kept on the road before other companies who were then also on their way to Jerusalem, in order to be present at the feast.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:29. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1, and Mark 11:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 38. _GLORY IN THE HIGHEST._] Mayst thou receive the uttermost degrees of glory! Matthew 21:9, Matthew 21:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 40. _IF THESE SHOULD HOLD THEIR PEACE, THE STONES WOULD - CRY_ _OUT._] Of such importance is my present conduct to you and to others, being expressly predicted by one of your own prophets, Zechariah 9:9, as pointing out the triumph of humility over pride, and of meekness over rage and malice,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 41. _AND WEPT OVER IT_] See Matthew 23:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 42. _THE THINGS_ which belong _unto thy peace!_] It is very likely that our Lord here alludes to the _meaning_ of the word _Jerusalem_, ירושלים from ירה _yereh, he shall see_, and שלום _shalom, peace_ or _prosperity_. Now, because the inhabitants of it had not _seen_ this _peace_ and salvation... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 43. _CAST A TRENCH ABOUT THEE_] This was literally fulfilled when this city was besieged by _Titus_. _Josephus_ gives a very particular account of the building of this wall, which he says was effected in _three days_, though it was not less than _thirty-nine_ furlongs in circumference; and tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 44. _THE TIME OF THY VISITATION._] That is, the time of God's gracious offers of mercy to thee. This took in all the time which elapsed from the preaching of John the Baptist to the coming of the Roman armies, which included a period of above _forty_ years.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:45. _WENT INTO THE TEMPLE_] See all this transaction explained, Matthew 21:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:47. _AND HE TAUGHT DAILY IN THE TEMPLE._] This he did for five or six days before his crucifixion. Some suppose that it was on _Monday_ in the passion week that he thus entered into Jerusalem, and purified the temple; and on _Thursday_ he was seized late at night: during these four day... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 19:48. _WERE VERY ATTENTIVE TO HEAR HIM._] Or, _They heard him_ _with the utmost attention_, εξεκρεματο αυτου ακουων, literally, _They hung upon him, hearing_. The same form of speech is used often by both Greek and Latin writers of the best repute. _Ex vultu dicentis, pendet omnium vult... [ Continue Reading ]