Luke 19

Luke 19:1

M. The Conversion of Zacchaeus (19:1-10) The conversion of Zacchaeus illustrates the truth of Luk_18:27 The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Zacchaeus was a rich man, and ordinarily it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. But Zacchaeus humbled himself before the Savior, and did not let his wealth come between his soul and God. 19:1-5 It was when the Lord passed through Jericho on His third and final trip to Jerusalem that Zacchaeus sought to see Him; this was undoubtedly the seeking of curiosity. Although he was a chief tax collector, he was not ashamed to do something unconventional in order to see the Savior. Because he was short, he knew he would be hindered from getting a good view of Jesus. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree alongside the route the Lord was taking. This act of faith did not go unnoticed. As Jesus came near, He looked up and saw Zacchaeus. He ordered him to come down quickly, and invited Himself to the tax collector’s house. This is the only case on record where the Savior invited Himself to a home. 19:6 Zacchaeus did as he was told, and received the Lord joyfully. We can almost certainly date his conversion from this time. 19:7 The Savior’s critics all complained against Him because He went to be a guest with a man who was a known sinner. They overlooked the fact that, coming into a world like ours, He was limited exclusively to such homes! 19:8 Salvation had brought a radical change in the life of the tax gatherer. He informed the Savior that he now intended to give half his goods to the poor. (Up to this time, he had been gouging as much as possible from the poor.) He also planned to make fourfold restitution for any money he had gained dishonestly. This was more than the law demanded (Exo_22:4, Exo_22:7; Lev_6:5; Num_5:7). It showed that Zacchaeus was now controlled by love whereas formerly he was mastered by greed. There was little doubt that Zacchaeus had taken things dishonestly. Wuest translates v. 8b: And since I have wrongfully exacted . . . No if about it. It almost sounds as if Zacchaeus were boasting of his philanthropy and trusting in this for his salvation. That is not the point at all. He was saying that his new life in Christ made him desire to make restitution for the past, and that in gratitude to God for salvation, he now wanted to use his money for the glory of God and for the blessing of his neighbors. Verse 8 is one of the strongest in the Bible on restitution. Salvation does not relieve a person from righting the wrongs of the past. Debts contracted during one’s unconverted days are not canceled by the new birth. And if money was stolen before salvation, then a true sense of the grace of God requires that this money be repaid after a person has become a child of God. 19:9 Jesus plainly announced that salvation had come to the house of Zacchaeus, because he was a son of Abraham. Salvation did not come because Zacchaeus was a Jew by birth. Here the expression, a son of Abraham indicates more than natural descent; it means that Zacchaeus exercised the same kind of faith in the Lord that Abraham did. Also, salvation did not come to Zacchaeus’s home because of his charity and restitution (v. 8). These things are the effect of salvation, not the cause. 19:10 In answer to those who criticized Him for lodging with a sinner, Jesus said, The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. In other words, the conversion of Zacchaeus was a fulfillment of the very purpose of Christ’s coming into the world.

Luke 19:11

N. Parable of the Ten Minas (19:11-27) 19:11 As the Savior neared Jerusalem from Jericho, many of His followers thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. In the parable of the ten minas, He disabused them of such hopes. He showed that there would be an interval between His First and Second Advents during which His disciples were to be busy for Him. 19:12, 13 The parable of the nobleman had an actual parallel in the history of Archelaus. He was chosen by Herod to be his successor but was rejected by the people. He went away to Rome to have his appointment confirmed, then returned, rewarded his servants, and destroyed his enemies. In the parable, the Lord Jesus Himself is the certain nobleman who went to heaven to await the time when He would return and set up His kingdom on earth. The ten servants typify His disciples. He gave each one a mina and told them to do business with this mina until He came again. While there are differences in the talents and abilities of the servants of the Lord (see the parable of the talents, Mat_25:14-30), there are some things which they have in common, such as the privileges of sharing the gospel, and representing Christ to the world, and the privilege of prayer. Doubtless the mina speaks of these. 19:14 The citizens represent the Jewish nation. They not only rejected Him, but even after His departure, they sent a delegation after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. The embassage might represent their treatment of Christ’s servants such as Stephen and other martyrs. 19:15 Here the Lord is seen, in type, returning to set up His kingdom. Then He will reckon with those to whom He gave the money. Believers in this present age will be reviewed as far as their service is concerned at the Judgment Seat of Christ. This takes place in heaven, following the Rapture. The faithful Jewish remnant who will witness for Christ during the Tribulation Period will be reviewed at Christ’s Second Advent. This is the judgment that seems to be primarily in view in this passage. 19:16 The first servant had earned ten minas with the one mina that had been entrusted to him. He had an awareness that the money was not his own (your mina) and he used it as best he could in the advancement of his master’s interests. 19:17 The master praised him as being faithful in a very littlea reminder that after we have done our best we are unprofitable servants. His reward was to have authority over ten cities. Rewards for faithful service apparently are linked with rule in Christ’s kingdom. The extent to which a disciple will rule is determined by the measure of his devotion and self-expenditure. 19:18, 19 The second servant had earned five minas with his original mina. His reward was to be over five cities. 19:20, 21 The third came with nothing but excuses. He returned the mina, carefully kept … in a handkerchief. He had earned nothing with it. Why not? He as much as blamed the nobleman for it. He said the nobleman was an austere man who expected returns without expenditure. But his own words condemned him. If he thought the nobleman was like that, the least he could have done was to turn the mina over to a bank that it might earn some interest. 19:22 In quoting the words of the nobleman, Jesus did not admit that they were true. It was simply the sinful heart of the servant that blamed the master for his own laziness. But if he really believed them he should have acted accordingly. 19:23 Verse 23 seems to suggest that we should either put everything we have to work for the Lord, or turn it over to someone else who will use it for Him. 19:24-26 The nobleman’s verdict on the third servant was to take the mina from him, and give it to the first who had earned the ten minas. If we don’t use our opportunities for the Lord, they will be taken from us. On the other hand, if we are faithful in a very little, God will see that we will never lack the means to serve Him even more. It may seem unfair to some that the mina was given to the man who already had ten, but it is a fixed principle in the spiritual life that those who love Him and serve Him passionately are given ever-widening areas of opportunity. Failure to buy up the opportunities results in a loss of all. The third servant suffered a loss of reward, but no other punishment is specified. There is apparently no question as to his salvation. 19:27 The citizens who would not have the nobleman as their ruler are denounced as enemies and doomed to death. This was a sad prediction of the fate of the nation that rejected the Messiah.

Luke 19:28

X. THE SON OF MAN IN JERUSALEM (19:28-21:38) A. The Triumphal Entry (19:28-40) 19:28-34 It was now the Sunday before His crucifixion. Jesus had drawn near to the eastern slope of the Mt. of Olives en route to Jerusalem. When He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany … He sent two of His disciples into a village to get a colt for His entrance into Jerusalem. He told them exactly where they would find the animal and what the owners would say. After the disciples had explained their mission, the owners seemed quite willing to release their colt for use by Jesus. Perhaps they had been blessed previously by the ministry of the Lord and had offered to be of assistance to Him any time He needed it. 19:35-38 The disciples made a cushion or saddle for the Lord with their own clothes. Many spread their clothes on the road before Him as He ascended from the western base of the Mt. of Olives to Jerusalem. Then with one accord the followers of Jesus burst out in praise for all the mighty works they had seen Him do. They hailed Him as God’s King, and chanted that the effect of His coming was peace in heaven and glory in the highest. It is significant that they cried Peace in heaven rather than Peace on earth. There could not be peace on earth because the Prince of Peace had been rejected and was soon to be slain. But there would be peace in heaven as a result of the impending death of Christ on Calvary’s cross and His ascension to heaven. 19:39, 40 The Pharisees were indignant that Jesus should be publicly honored in this way. They suggested that He should rebuke His disciples. But Jesus answered that such acclamation was inevitable. If the disciples wouldn’t do it, the stones would! He thus rebuked the Pharisees for being more hard and unresponsive than the inanimate stones.

Luke 19:41

B. The Son of Man Weeps Over Jerusalem (19:41-44) 19:41, 42 As Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, He uttered a lamentation over the city that had missed its golden opportunity. If the people had only received Him as Messiah, it would have meant peace for them. But they didn’t recognize that He was the source of peace. Now it was too late. They had already determined what they would do with the Son of God. Because of their rejection of Him, their eyes were blinded. Because they would not see Him, they could no longer see Him. Pause here to reflect on the wonder of the Savior’s tears. As W. H. Griffith Thomas has said, Let us sit at Christ’s feet until we learn the secret of His tears, and beholding the sins and sorrows of city and countryside, weep over them too.19:43, 44 Jesus gave a solemn preview of the siege of Titushow that Roman general would surround the city, trap the inhabitants, massacre both young and old, and level the walls and buildings. Not one stone would be left upon another. And it was all because Jerusalem did not know the time of its visitation. The Lord had visited the city with the offer of salvation. But the people did not want Him. They had no room for Him in their scheme of things.

Luke 19:45

C. Second Cleansing of the Temple (19:45, 46) Jesus had cleansed the temple at the outset of His public ministry (Joh_2:14-17). Now as His ministry rapidly drew to a close, He entered the sacred precincts and cast out those who were making a house of prayer into a den of thieves. The danger of introducing commercialism into the things of God is always present. Christendom today is leavened by this evil: Church bazaars and socials, organized financial drives, preaching for profitand all in the Name of Christ. Christ quoted Scripture (Isa_56:7 and Jer_7:11) to support His action. Every reformation of abuses in the church is to be built on God’s Word.

Luke 19:47

D. Teaching Daily in the Temple (19:47, 48) Jesus was teaching daily in the temple areanot inside the temple, but in the courts where the public was allowed. The religious leaders longed for some excuse to destroy Him, but the common people were still captivated by the miracle-working Nazarene. His time had not yet come. But soon the hour would strike, and then the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees would close in for the kill. It is now Monday. The next day, Tuesday, which was the last day of His public teaching, is described in Luke 20:1-22:6.