Luke 19

Luke 19:1

Luke: The Man Christ Jesus Jesus on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Luke 9:51 to 19:44

www.easyenglish.info Ian Mackervoy This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

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Chapter 19 Zacchaeus – Luke 19:1-10 v1 Jesus had entered the city called Jericho and he was passing through it. v2 A man was there whose name was Zacchaeus. He was a chief official among the men who collected taxes. And he was wealthy. v3 He wanted to see who Jesus was. But Zacchaeus was a small man, and he could not see Jesus because of the crowd. v4 He ran ahead to a place where Jesus would come. And he climbed a *sycamore tree so he could see Jesus.

v5 When Jesus came to that place, he looked up. He said, ‘Zacchaeus come down quickly. I must stay at your house today.’ v6 Zacchaeus came down at once. And he was glad to have Jesus come to his house.

v7 All the people saw this. They began to complain. They said, ‘Jesus has gone in to stay with a *sinner.’

v8 Zacchaeus stood up. He said to the *Lord, ‘Look *Lord. I give half my possessions to the poor people. And if I have cheated anyone, I pay back 4 times as much.’

v9 Jesus said to him, ‘Today *salvation has come to this house, because even this man is a *descendant of Abraham. v10 The Son of Man has come to find *lost people and to save them.’

Verses 1-4 Jesus was going through Jericho. Jericho is a city with a long history. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is in the Jordan plain at about 700 feet (250 metres) below sea level. The plain was and still is very good for agriculture. Jericho means the city of *palm trees. Jerusalem is about 17 miles (25 kilometres) away. The first mention of Jericho in the Bible was when the *Israelites camped by the river Jordan opposite Jericho (Numbers 22:1). Later they attacked Jericho and they destroyed it (Joshua 5:13-6:27). Joshua cursed (declared a terrible punishment for) anyone who built Jericho again (Joshua 6:26). A man called Hiel did so. And as Joshua had said, Hiel’s first son and his youngest son died (1 Kings 16:34).

Zacchaeus lived in Jericho. He was a *Jew; his name is *Jewish. He was a chief of the men who collected taxes. So probably, he was responsible for the men who collected the taxes in that region. Perhaps it was his job to pass on the taxes to the *Romans. He was a rich man but not all of his wealth came from honest deeds.

Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus. And he wanted to see Jesus. But he was a small man and he could not see over the heads of the crowd. So, he climbed a tree on the route that Jesus would take. Then he was in a good position to see Jesus as he came along.

Verses 5-8 Zacchaeus hid in a tree but Jesus saw him there. Jesus knew who Zacchaeus was. Jesus spoke to him by name. He did not ask if he could stay at Zacchaeus’s house. Jesus told him that he must stay with him. Perhaps that was because Jesus wanted to speak with him in private. Zacchaeus was happy with this.

In the opinion of most of the people, the men who collected taxes were the lowest in society. They were *sinners. Jesus had gone to stay with such a person.

The visit of Jesus had a great effect on Zacchaeus. He promised to give half of his wealth to the poor people. He promised to pay 4 times as much to anyone that he had cheated. The law ordered a person to pay the original sum plus a 5th (Leviticus 6:4-5, Numbers 5:5-7). The word ‘give’ is in the present tense. This was not a promise for some future date but for actions now. This showed that he had changed.

Verses 9-10 Zacchaeus was a *Jew. The *Jews came from the family of Abraham. But not all *Jews shared the *faith that Abraham had. Jesus said that Zacchaeus was a *descendant of Abraham. This must mean that Zacchaeus had that *faith. In other words, he now believed and trusted in God. *Salvation had come to that house by *faith and not because of the good deeds that Zacchaeus did. Probably Jesus said this about Zacchaeus to the crowd that followed him.

*Salvation came to that house. The ‘house’ would mean those persons who live in that house. This could mean that other family members also had *faith.

Jesus came to find *lost people. *Lost people are those people who have not yet put their trust in God. Zacchaeus was one of those that Jesus came to save. The story about the king’s servants – Luke 19:11-27 v11 While the people listened to this, Jesus told them a story. They were near Jerusalem. So, the people thought that God’s *kingdom would appear at once. v12 So he said, ‘A very important man went to a country far away. He went to become the king of his country and then he came back. v13 Before he went, he called to him 10 of his servants. He gave to each of them a *mina. He told them to trade with the *minas until he came back.

v14 But some of his people hated the man. So, they sent a group of people after him with this message: “We do not want this man to be our king.”

v15 The man did receive the *kingdom and he came back. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know what each of them had gained with it.

v16 The first servant came. He said, “*Lord, your *mina has gained 10 *minas.”

v17 The master said to him, “You have done well. You are a good servant. Because you were loyal in this small matter, you will have authority over 10 cities.”

v18 The second servant came. He said, “*Lord, your *mina has gained 5 *minas.”

v19 The master said to this servant, “You can rule over five cities.”

v20 Then another servant came. He said, “*Lord, here is your *mina. I have kept it safe in a piece of cloth. v21 I was afraid of you because you are a severe man. You take what is not yours. In addition, you harvest crops that you did not plant.”

v22 His master replied, “With your own words you have declared the judgement that I will make against you. You are a wicked servant. You knew that I am a severe man. I take what is not my own. I harvest where I have not planted. You knew these things. v23 You should have put my money in the bank. Then when I came back, my money would have earned some more.”

v24 There were men who stood there. The master said to them, “Take his *mina away from him. Give it to the man who has 10 *minas.”

v25 They said, “*Lord, that man has 10 *minas already.”

v26 He replied, “I tell you this. Everyone who has will receive more. But a person with nothing will lose all that he has. v27 Bring those enemies who did not want me to be their king. Kill them here in front of me.” ’

Verses 11-14 The crowd came near to Jerusalem. They expected that the *kingdom of God would come. Maybe they expected Jesus to declare that he was the king. Therefore, Jesus told this story about an important man. The man went to a country a long way from home. He went to receive a *kingdom.

The idea for this story may have come from the history of Archelaus. When Herod died, he left a part of his *kingdom to his son Archelaus. But the *Romans controlled the whole *kingdom. So, Archelaus had to go to Rome to ask Caesar Augustus to make him king over Judea. Many *Jews in Judea did not like Archelaus. They sent men to Rome to try to persuade Caesar Augustus that Archelaus should not be their king.

Jesus would soon go away by means of his death. But he will return in the future. He will have received his *kingdom. And he will come back to rule. In the meantime, many people do not want Jesus to be their king.

The man gave to each of 10 servants a sum of money. He told them to trade with this money while he was away. This was a test to see whether he could trust them with larger tasks.

A mina was about the wages that a worker would earn in three months.

Verses 15-19 The man got his *kingdom and he came back home. He told his servants to give to him an account of what they had done. The first one had gained 10 more *minas. The second one had gained 5 more *minas. The king gave them control over cities in his *kingdom.

Verses 20-23 The third servant out of the 10 gave his account. We do not know what happened to the other 7 servants. The third servant gave to the king the *mina that he had kept safe. He had done nothing with it. He did not trade with it, as his master had ordered him to do. He hid it because he was afraid of his master. He was afraid that he might lose his master’s *mina.

The servant’s explanation was that his master was a very severe man. His master took profit where he had not earned it.

The master used what the servant had said against him. The servant knew what kind of man the master was. Therefore, he should at least have put the money in the bank. There it would have earned profit.

The master had told the servants to trade. He expected them to take that risk. The third servant did not obey his master, so the master was angry with him.

Verses 24-27 The master took the *mina from the third servant. He gave it to the servant who had 10 *minas. The servant with 10 *minas had proved that he was loyal and responsible. So, his master could trust him with much greater responsibility. The servant who returned his *mina did not trade with it. He had neglected to use it as his master had ordered. He had shown that he was neither loyal nor responsible.

So, the one who has will receive more. The one who does not have will lose everything.

God has given gifts to his people. For example, he has given them skills and opportunities to serve him. If they do not use those gifts, they will lose them. If they use the gifts well, then they will receive greater gifts.

The king killed those people who did not want him to be their king. Jesus will come as the king. He will be the judge of those people who will not have him as their king. Our attitude to Jesus is a matter of life or death, and the results of that will be *eternal. Jesus enters Jerusalem – Luke 19:28-44 v28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead. He was on his way to Jerusalem. v29 Jesus came near to Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the *Mount of Olives. Then he sent two of his *disciples. v30 He said to them, ‘Go into the village over there. As you enter the village, you will find a young *donkey. Its owner has tied it up. Nobody has ever ridden on it. Undo the young *donkey and bring it to me. v31 Someone may ask you why you are undoing the young *donkey. Tell that person, “The *Lord needs it.” ’

v32 The two *disciples went and they found the young *donkey. It was as Jesus had told them. v33 As they undid the young *donkey, the owners of it said to them, ‘Why are you undoing the young *donkey?’

v34 The *disciples answered, ‘The *Lord needs it.’

v35 So, they brought it to Jesus. They threw their coats on the young *donkey and they put Jesus on it. v36 As Jesus went along, people spread their coats on the road in front of him.

v37 Jesus came near to the place where the road goes down the *Mount of Olives. The large crowd of his *disciples began with joy to thank God. They praised God in loud voices because of all the great things that they had seen.

v38 They said, ‘God *bless the king who comes in the name of the *Lord. Peace in heaven, and *glory in the highest places.’

v39 Some of the *Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell your *disciples not to say these things.’

v40 ‘I tell you this,’ Jesus replied. ‘If they were silent, the stones would cry out.’

v41 As Jesus came near to Jerusalem, he saw the city. And he wept when he saw it. v42 He said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day the things for your peace. But your eyes cannot see those things. v43 The time will come when enemies will build against your walls to attack you. They will surround you on every side. You will not be able to escape. v44 They will destroy you and they will kill the people in you. They will not leave one stone upon another stone. This is because you did not recognise the time of God’s visit to you.’

Verses 28-34 The chief priests and the *Pharisees in Jerusalem wanted to arrest Jesus. They did not know where he was. Jesus was not yet in Jerusalem. But they gave orders to the people about him. If they found Jesus, they must tell the leaders of the people (John 11:55-57). Although there was this danger, Jesus came openly toward Jerusalem. He was not afraid of these enemies. While the crowd was with him, the leaders would not arrest him. Jesus knew what would happen soon. He knew that he would die in Jerusalem. He went to Jerusalem for that purpose.

Jesus came to the hill called the *Mount of Olives, near to Bethphage and Bethany. Bethany was a village about two miles from Jerusalem on the east slopes of the *Mount of Olives. Bethany was where Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived (John 11:1). Bethphage was near to Bethany but we do not know exactly where. The name Bethphage means ‘house of *figs’.

Jesus sent two *disciples to go into a village. The village could have been Bethphage. From there, he told them to fetch a young *donkey for him to ride. Nobody had ever ridden on this animal. Nobody had trained it to carry a rider. However, it was tame when Jesus rode on it. It was as if the young *donkey was familiar with its rider.

Jesus gave careful instructions to the two *disciples before they went to fetch the *donkey. Someone may ask them what they were doing with it. If so, Jesus told them what to say. They must reply that its *Lord needs it. It happened as Jesus had told the *disciples. We may ask whether Jesus arranged this in advance. Otherwise, the owners would not have let the *disciples take the young *donkey. However, maybe Jesus had not arranged it. He knew that the animal was there. And he knew that the owners were ready for the *Lord to ask for it. Perhaps Jesus knew these things by the power of the *Holy Spirit.

The *prophecy in Zechariah and the account in Matthew show that there were two animals. There was a *donkey and a young *donkey (Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:1-7). The Books of Mark and Luke refer only to the young *donkey as probably Jesus rode on that animal (Mark 11:1-7).

Verses 35-38 The *disciples brought the young *donkey to Jesus. They put some of their coats on the *donkey instead of a saddle. Then they lifted Jesus onto the *donkey. Other people spread their coats on the road in front of Jesus. Matthew, Mark and John tell us that the people cut down branches from trees. They spread these branches on the road (Matthew 21:8, Mark 11:8, John 12:13). John writes that the branches were from *palm trees.

By tradition, we now call the Sunday before Easter ‘*Palm Sunday’.

Jesus rode down the hill called the *Mount of Olives to go into Jerusalem. The crowds of *disciples were excited and they praised God. They praised God because of all the great things that they had seen. They saw Jesus as the king whom God had sent to them. They believed that their king was coming to his capital city. He was coming to receive his *kingdom. Matthew and John refer to the *prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. ‘Say to the daughter of Zion, “Look. Your king comes to you. He is gentle and he rides on a *donkey, a young *donkey.” ’

In that *prophecy, the *Christ would come as the prince of peace (see Isaiah 9:6). So, the crowds spoke about peace in heaven and *glory in the highest places.

Verses 39-40 There were some *Pharisees in the crowd. They did not like what the *disciples said. They could not accept Jesus as the king or as the *Christ. They came to Jesus. They asked him to tell his *disciple not to say these things.

Jesus would not do as the *Pharisees wanted. Instead he answered them with words similar to Habakkuk 2:11. If the *disciples were quiet, the stones would cry out.

Verses 41-44 From the hill called the *Mount of Olives, there was a magnificent view of the entire city. In the middle of that view across the Kidron Valley, there was Herod’s *temple. The sight was impressive. But Jesus saw into the future. He wept when he saw the city. He wept because the people had not put their trust in God. If they had done so, God would have brought peace to Jerusalem. Jesus could see the terrible events that would happen there. But the people could not see it.

Jesus knew that the *Romans would attack the city. And they would destroy it. They would not leave one stone on top of another stone. The people who remained in the city would not be able to escape.

All this happened. In 70 *AD, the *Roman army came; its leader was an officer called Titus. The army surrounded the city. And then they destroyed the *temple and the city. They killed most of the people. They sent away those people who remained alive into foreign countries.

Most of the people in Jerusalem had refused to believe in Jesus. God had sent Jesus as the *Christ. But the people did not recognise the *Christ when he came to them. Jesus at the *temple  – Luke 19:45-48 v45 Then Jesus went into the *temple area. And he began to force out the men who were selling things there. v46 He said to them, ‘The *scriptures say this. “My house will be a house of prayer.” But you have made it a place where thieves meet.’

v47 Jesus taught in the *temple every day. The chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people tried to kill him. v48 But they could not find a way to do it because all the people were eager to hear him.

Verses 45-46 Jesus had come into Jerusalem on the previous day. He went into the *temple and he had a look round. Then he left the city and he spent the night in Bethany (Mark 11:11). The next morning, Jesus came again to the *temple.

In the *temple area, there was a market. This part of the *temple area was open to people who were not *Jews. It was the only part of the *temple where they could pray to God.

On a previous occasion, John tells us that the traders sold *oxen, sheep and *doves (John 2:14). Also, there were traders who changed money. These animals and the *doves were for the *sacrifices. The *Jewish people had to give these *sacrifices. It was easier to buy the animals here rather than to bring them from home.

Every *Jew had to pay a *temple tax. This was a half *shekel. If they did not have *shekels, they had to change some money into *shekels. All of these activities were necessary. However, they should not have happened in the *temple area. The *temple was a place to pray, not to carry on trade.

Jesus was angry. He forced out of the *temple those men who sold things. He chased out the men who bought. He pushed over the tables of the men who changed money. He pushed over the seats of the men who sold *doves (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15). Nobody had the courage to oppose him.

Jesus taught that the *temple was God’s house. It was where people should come to pray (Isaiah 56:7). It was not a market place. Jesus called the traders ‘robbers’ because they were not honest. They were greedy. They charged more than they should have done (Jeremiah 7:10-11).

Verses 47-48 Jesus taught in the *temple each day until the leaders arrested him in Gethsemane. Gethsemane is a garden below the hill called the Mount of Olives. All this time the chief priests and other leaders looked for a way to kill Jesus. But they were afraid of the people. The ordinary people wanted to hear the things that Jesus was teaching.

© 2013, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

November 2013

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