Luke 20

Luke 20:1

The Rich Ruler

A ruler comes to the Lord with a question. His question shows that he trusts in the goodness of himself and that because of this the mind of a child lacks with him. He does not understand that nothing good is found in man. He believes he can do something to inherit eternal life, while only those who become as children can receive eternal life by grace. Eternal life is the life of the kingdom. Hence he speaks about inheriting it. His request to inherit eternal life means that he wants to enter the kingdom.

The answer given by the Lord must make the ruler think. In His answer, the Lord asks why he calls Him “good Teacher”. The Lord does not wait for His answer, but helps him on his way by saying to him that no one is good except God alone. If the ruler means that He is really good, he will have to acknowledge Him as God. If He means that He, as a human being, and no more than a human being, is a good teacher, someone from whom you can learn how to inherit eternal life, the ruler is blind to His glory.

The Lord knows what is in the heart of the ruler. To make him see it for himself, He tells him what he can do to inherit the kingdom. That is simply keeping the law. The Lord therefore confronts him with the commandments. He does not ask if the ruler knows them, for He knows that he knows them. Knowing the commandments and actually keeping them, however, are two things. The Lord holds out to him five commandments and not all ten. And note what commandments He presents to the ruler. The five He confronts him with are commandments that govern the relationship between men.

In all sincerity, the ruler can say that he kept these commandments from his youth. It does not sound like boasting. Nor does the Lord rebuke him as one who pretends to be pious, while in his inner being he is no good. At the same time, his answer proves that he has no sense of sin at all and that he therefore does not know God and Christ.

Then the Lord comes to the essence. He says to the ruler that he lacks one thing. He knows that the ruler is rich and that his heart is attached to his possessions. By saying to him that he must sell everything and distribute it to the poor, He puts him to the test. If he really desires eternal life, he will do everything for it.

If he does what the Lord says, it has a twofold effect for him. He will be assured of treasure in heaven. He may also come to the Lord and follow Him. Following the Lord means rejection on earth, but in the future the enjoyment of the treasure. It is about Who the “Me” Who says this is for the heart. That determines everything. When He stands before the attention, there is power to leave everything on earth and there is faith that the true treasure is in heaven.

When the ruler hears what the Lord asks, he does not get angry, but very sad. He sees the reality before him that he must give up everything to inherit eternal life and he cannot give up his possessions. They are too precious for him. That’s because he doesn’t see any attraction in the Lord Jesus and the things He holds out to him. The ruler would have wanted to buy eternal life with his wealth, but to sell and give away everything and then go a way of humiliation in the faith that the treasure is safe in heaven, that he does not want.

The Lord has put His finger on the covetousness which dominates him and which is nourished by the wealth he possesses. The riches that seem to be a sign of God’s favor in man’s eyes only appear to be an obstacle when it comes to his heart and to heaven.

The Lord’s question makes it clear that he loves his wealth, his money, mammon, something he had never expected of himself before. Now comes to light what has always been dormant in him. This happens because he is in the presence of Him Who, while He was rich, became poor for our sakes, in order that we might become rich by His poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9). The ruler found his position and his possessions valuable and could not tolerate having nothing and being nothing.

What a difference with Him Who “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men”. This is already a tremendously deep humiliation, but it goes much deeper. “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

When the Lord sees that the ruler is saddened, He points to the danger of wealth as an obstacle to enter the kingdom of God. He compares a rich person to a camel who is unable to go through the eye of a needle and often has so much cargo that it becomes even more impossible to go through it.

The metaphor is an exaggeration that clearly indicates to everyone that a rich man who depends on his money cannot enter the kingdom. Someone who has a lot of money and possessions can often find it difficult to give that up. To enter the kingdom, all riches, whether material or spiritual and intellectual, must be renounced.

Luke 20:2

The Lesson for the Disciples

If someone is rich, it means to the disciples that such a person enjoys God’s favor. For earthly prosperity is promised by God to those who keep His commandments. That is why the question arises in their minds who can be saved if it is impossible for such a person to be saved.

The point is not that a rich person cannot be saved, but that his wealth is no guarantee of this and in practice often proves to be a major hindrance. There are certainly rich people who have been saved, for example Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57). To be saved is an impossibility with all people, rich or poor, but not with God. God is the only One Who can give salvation. He can do that through the work of the Lord Jesus.

Peter has heard what the Lord has said to the rich ruler about selling his possessions and following Him. He says that they did. He doesn’t say it in haughtiness, but with a little question in it about what it will bring him and the others. This is evident from the Lord’s answer. Maybe he even said it with a hint of disappointment because it has not yet produced more than they have now. He has a wife and had a boat and beautiful work. He left it all behind.

The Lord encourages them by telling them what they will receive. He responds to Peter’s remark by saying that nothing is given up that is not abundantly compensated by Him. Giving everything up must be done for the sake of the kingdom of God. Only those who have seen the glory of the kingdom in the King of it, give up everything. They leave their homes, their living area, with all those who belong to it, and who are dear to them, to follow Somebody Who offers them nothing but a cross.

The Lord promises that they will receive “many times as much”. This “many times as much“ consists of spiritual blessings received by someone who has given up everything for the sake of Christ (cf. Philippians 3:8-9). That is already the case today. The enjoyment of spiritual blessings, of fellowship with the Lord, compensates for much of the loss of the most intimate earthly fellowship that is abandoned. These blessings and fellowship will be enjoyed in their fullness in the future age.

Eternal life is now only the inner possession of the believer. In the future age, when the Lord Jesus reigns, eternal life will also be the atmosphere, the environment, of life. Outwardly everything will be in accordance with Him Who is the eternal life. His government, His life, then determines life on earth.

Luke 20:3

The Lesson for the Disciples

If someone is rich, it means to the disciples that such a person enjoys God’s favor. For earthly prosperity is promised by God to those who keep His commandments. That is why the question arises in their minds who can be saved if it is impossible for such a person to be saved.

The point is not that a rich person cannot be saved, but that his wealth is no guarantee of this and in practice often proves to be a major hindrance. There are certainly rich people who have been saved, for example Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57). To be saved is an impossibility with all people, rich or poor, but not with God. God is the only One Who can give salvation. He can do that through the work of the Lord Jesus.

Peter has heard what the Lord has said to the rich ruler about selling his possessions and following Him. He says that they did. He doesn’t say it in haughtiness, but with a little question in it about what it will bring him and the others. This is evident from the Lord’s answer. Maybe he even said it with a hint of disappointment because it has not yet produced more than they have now. He has a wife and had a boat and beautiful work. He left it all behind.

The Lord encourages them by telling them what they will receive. He responds to Peter’s remark by saying that nothing is given up that is not abundantly compensated by Him. Giving everything up must be done for the sake of the kingdom of God. Only those who have seen the glory of the kingdom in the King of it, give up everything. They leave their homes, their living area, with all those who belong to it, and who are dear to them, to follow Somebody Who offers them nothing but a cross.

The Lord promises that they will receive “many times as much”. This “many times as much“ consists of spiritual blessings received by someone who has given up everything for the sake of Christ (cf. Philippians 3:8-9). That is already the case today. The enjoyment of spiritual blessings, of fellowship with the Lord, compensates for much of the loss of the most intimate earthly fellowship that is abandoned. These blessings and fellowship will be enjoyed in their fullness in the future age.

Eternal life is now only the inner possession of the believer. In the future age, when the Lord Jesus reigns, eternal life will also be the atmosphere, the environment, of life. Outwardly everything will be in accordance with Him Who is the eternal life. His government, His life, then determines life on earth.

Luke 20:4

The Lesson for the Disciples

If someone is rich, it means to the disciples that such a person enjoys God’s favor. For earthly prosperity is promised by God to those who keep His commandments. That is why the question arises in their minds who can be saved if it is impossible for such a person to be saved.

The point is not that a rich person cannot be saved, but that his wealth is no guarantee of this and in practice often proves to be a major hindrance. There are certainly rich people who have been saved, for example Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57). To be saved is an impossibility with all people, rich or poor, but not with God. God is the only One Who can give salvation. He can do that through the work of the Lord Jesus.

Peter has heard what the Lord has said to the rich ruler about selling his possessions and following Him. He says that they did. He doesn’t say it in haughtiness, but with a little question in it about what it will bring him and the others. This is evident from the Lord’s answer. Maybe he even said it with a hint of disappointment because it has not yet produced more than they have now. He has a wife and had a boat and beautiful work. He left it all behind.

The Lord encourages them by telling them what they will receive. He responds to Peter’s remark by saying that nothing is given up that is not abundantly compensated by Him. Giving everything up must be done for the sake of the kingdom of God. Only those who have seen the glory of the kingdom in the King of it, give up everything. They leave their homes, their living area, with all those who belong to it, and who are dear to them, to follow Somebody Who offers them nothing but a cross.

The Lord promises that they will receive “many times as much”. This “many times as much“ consists of spiritual blessings received by someone who has given up everything for the sake of Christ (cf. Philippians 3:8-9). That is already the case today. The enjoyment of spiritual blessings, of fellowship with the Lord, compensates for much of the loss of the most intimate earthly fellowship that is abandoned. These blessings and fellowship will be enjoyed in their fullness in the future age.

Eternal life is now only the inner possession of the believer. In the future age, when the Lord Jesus reigns, eternal life will also be the atmosphere, the environment, of life. Outwardly everything will be in accordance with Him Who is the eternal life. His government, His life, then determines life on earth.

Luke 20:5

The Lesson for the Disciples

If someone is rich, it means to the disciples that such a person enjoys God’s favor. For earthly prosperity is promised by God to those who keep His commandments. That is why the question arises in their minds who can be saved if it is impossible for such a person to be saved.

The point is not that a rich person cannot be saved, but that his wealth is no guarantee of this and in practice often proves to be a major hindrance. There are certainly rich people who have been saved, for example Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57). To be saved is an impossibility with all people, rich or poor, but not with God. God is the only One Who can give salvation. He can do that through the work of the Lord Jesus.

Peter has heard what the Lord has said to the rich ruler about selling his possessions and following Him. He says that they did. He doesn’t say it in haughtiness, but with a little question in it about what it will bring him and the others. This is evident from the Lord’s answer. Maybe he even said it with a hint of disappointment because it has not yet produced more than they have now. He has a wife and had a boat and beautiful work. He left it all behind.

The Lord encourages them by telling them what they will receive. He responds to Peter’s remark by saying that nothing is given up that is not abundantly compensated by Him. Giving everything up must be done for the sake of the kingdom of God. Only those who have seen the glory of the kingdom in the King of it, give up everything. They leave their homes, their living area, with all those who belong to it, and who are dear to them, to follow Somebody Who offers them nothing but a cross.

The Lord promises that they will receive “many times as much”. This “many times as much“ consists of spiritual blessings received by someone who has given up everything for the sake of Christ (cf. Philippians 3:8-9). That is already the case today. The enjoyment of spiritual blessings, of fellowship with the Lord, compensates for much of the loss of the most intimate earthly fellowship that is abandoned. These blessings and fellowship will be enjoyed in their fullness in the future age.

Eternal life is now only the inner possession of the believer. In the future age, when the Lord Jesus reigns, eternal life will also be the atmosphere, the environment, of life. Outwardly everything will be in accordance with Him Who is the eternal life. His government, His life, then determines life on earth.

Luke 20:6

The Lesson for the Disciples

If someone is rich, it means to the disciples that such a person enjoys God’s favor. For earthly prosperity is promised by God to those who keep His commandments. That is why the question arises in their minds who can be saved if it is impossible for such a person to be saved.

The point is not that a rich person cannot be saved, but that his wealth is no guarantee of this and in practice often proves to be a major hindrance. There are certainly rich people who have been saved, for example Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57). To be saved is an impossibility with all people, rich or poor, but not with God. God is the only One Who can give salvation. He can do that through the work of the Lord Jesus.

Peter has heard what the Lord has said to the rich ruler about selling his possessions and following Him. He says that they did. He doesn’t say it in haughtiness, but with a little question in it about what it will bring him and the others. This is evident from the Lord’s answer. Maybe he even said it with a hint of disappointment because it has not yet produced more than they have now. He has a wife and had a boat and beautiful work. He left it all behind.

The Lord encourages them by telling them what they will receive. He responds to Peter’s remark by saying that nothing is given up that is not abundantly compensated by Him. Giving everything up must be done for the sake of the kingdom of God. Only those who have seen the glory of the kingdom in the King of it, give up everything. They leave their homes, their living area, with all those who belong to it, and who are dear to them, to follow Somebody Who offers them nothing but a cross.

The Lord promises that they will receive “many times as much”. This “many times as much“ consists of spiritual blessings received by someone who has given up everything for the sake of Christ (cf. Philippians 3:8-9). That is already the case today. The enjoyment of spiritual blessings, of fellowship with the Lord, compensates for much of the loss of the most intimate earthly fellowship that is abandoned. These blessings and fellowship will be enjoyed in their fullness in the future age.

Eternal life is now only the inner possession of the believer. In the future age, when the Lord Jesus reigns, eternal life will also be the atmosphere, the environment, of life. Outwardly everything will be in accordance with Him Who is the eternal life. His government, His life, then determines life on earth.

Luke 20:7

Third Announcement of Suffering

The kingdom of God and eternal life do not yet determine life on earth. Before this can happen, the Lord and His disciples must go to Jerusalem. There the disciples will see that what is written about Him by the prophets will also happen to Him. They will see that the Son of Man did not go to Jerusalem to establish the kingdom of peace, but to be rejected and killed.

The Lord speaks again of Himself as the Son of Man, with which He says He will not only reign over Israel, but over all creation and that this will happen through the way of suffering and death. The title Son of Man speaks both of His rejection and of His glory.

He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He is not talking here about what the Jews will do with Him. The Gentiles will also be guilty of His death. Nothing will be spared Him. Every imaginable mockery and torture will be done to Him. Finally, He will be killed. But that is not the end. The Lord clearly declares that He will rise again on the third day. His resurrection proves His Divine power (Romans 1:4) and the acceptance of His work by God on the basis of which God can justify the sinner (Romans 4:25).

Everything He said about His suffering, death and resurrection has not found entrance to the disciples. That is because their thoughts are only focused on a reigning King. A suffering and dying King does not fit into their thinking. Here we see how a preformed opinion has such power, that even the clearest statements in their true meaning remain hidden from the listener.

Luke 20:8

Third Announcement of Suffering

The kingdom of God and eternal life do not yet determine life on earth. Before this can happen, the Lord and His disciples must go to Jerusalem. There the disciples will see that what is written about Him by the prophets will also happen to Him. They will see that the Son of Man did not go to Jerusalem to establish the kingdom of peace, but to be rejected and killed.

The Lord speaks again of Himself as the Son of Man, with which He says He will not only reign over Israel, but over all creation and that this will happen through the way of suffering and death. The title Son of Man speaks both of His rejection and of His glory.

He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He is not talking here about what the Jews will do with Him. The Gentiles will also be guilty of His death. Nothing will be spared Him. Every imaginable mockery and torture will be done to Him. Finally, He will be killed. But that is not the end. The Lord clearly declares that He will rise again on the third day. His resurrection proves His Divine power (Romans 1:4) and the acceptance of His work by God on the basis of which God can justify the sinner (Romans 4:25).

Everything He said about His suffering, death and resurrection has not found entrance to the disciples. That is because their thoughts are only focused on a reigning King. A suffering and dying King does not fit into their thinking. Here we see how a preformed opinion has such power, that even the clearest statements in their true meaning remain hidden from the listener.

Luke 20:9

Third Announcement of Suffering

The kingdom of God and eternal life do not yet determine life on earth. Before this can happen, the Lord and His disciples must go to Jerusalem. There the disciples will see that what is written about Him by the prophets will also happen to Him. They will see that the Son of Man did not go to Jerusalem to establish the kingdom of peace, but to be rejected and killed.

The Lord speaks again of Himself as the Son of Man, with which He says He will not only reign over Israel, but over all creation and that this will happen through the way of suffering and death. The title Son of Man speaks both of His rejection and of His glory.

He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He is not talking here about what the Jews will do with Him. The Gentiles will also be guilty of His death. Nothing will be spared Him. Every imaginable mockery and torture will be done to Him. Finally, He will be killed. But that is not the end. The Lord clearly declares that He will rise again on the third day. His resurrection proves His Divine power (Romans 1:4) and the acceptance of His work by God on the basis of which God can justify the sinner (Romans 4:25).

Everything He said about His suffering, death and resurrection has not found entrance to the disciples. That is because their thoughts are only focused on a reigning King. A suffering and dying King does not fit into their thinking. Here we see how a preformed opinion has such power, that even the clearest statements in their true meaning remain hidden from the listener.

Luke 20:10

Third Announcement of Suffering

The kingdom of God and eternal life do not yet determine life on earth. Before this can happen, the Lord and His disciples must go to Jerusalem. There the disciples will see that what is written about Him by the prophets will also happen to Him. They will see that the Son of Man did not go to Jerusalem to establish the kingdom of peace, but to be rejected and killed.

The Lord speaks again of Himself as the Son of Man, with which He says He will not only reign over Israel, but over all creation and that this will happen through the way of suffering and death. The title Son of Man speaks both of His rejection and of His glory.

He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He is not talking here about what the Jews will do with Him. The Gentiles will also be guilty of His death. Nothing will be spared Him. Every imaginable mockery and torture will be done to Him. Finally, He will be killed. But that is not the end. The Lord clearly declares that He will rise again on the third day. His resurrection proves His Divine power (Romans 1:4) and the acceptance of His work by God on the basis of which God can justify the sinner (Romans 4:25).

Everything He said about His suffering, death and resurrection has not found entrance to the disciples. That is because their thoughts are only focused on a reigning King. A suffering and dying King does not fit into their thinking. Here we see how a preformed opinion has such power, that even the clearest statements in their true meaning remain hidden from the listener.

Luke 20:11

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:12

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:13

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:14

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:15

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:16

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:17

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:18

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:19

Healing of a Blind Beggar

This event is the starting point for the first three evangelists to describe the last part of the Lord’s journey to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52). Matthew and Mark speak about leaving Jericho, Luke says he was “approaching Jericho”.

According to excavations there seem to have been two cities called Jericho. One city is the old original city, the other city is a Roman Jericho, not far from there. The blind man sat between the two cities. Then the situation is that the Lord Jesus leaves the old Jericho and is on his way to the Roman Jericho and on His way He meets the blind man who is begging along the way. There are also translations here that translate that the Lord was “in the proximity of Jericho”.

The blind man hears that a crowd is passing by. He concludes that something special is going on and wants to know why the crowd is there. He asks for it. He receives the answer that “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 2:23), passes by. The blind man knows enough and starts calling out. He does not call out “Jesus of Nazareth”, but “Jesus, Son of David”. He Who to the crowd is no more than the Man of Nazareth, is to the blind man the Son of David.

The blind sees more than the crowd. His faith gave him the right view of Christ and led him to appeal to His mercy. The Lord will never pass by here again, for He will die in Jerusalem. The blind man did not know this, so it is all the more beautiful that he should seize the opportunity offered to him.

He takes his decision as soon as it is possible and does not postpone it until later, which also would never come again. It is important for any decision that it is taken when it is possible. The people at the front of the parade tell him to be quiet. He must stop his shouting, for if the Lord listened to it, it would cause undesirable delay.

The warning has the opposite effect. The blind man keeps crying out all the more. He does the same as the widow at the beginning of this chapter who also continued asking. Once again he appeals to the mercy of the Lord as the Son of David. He experiences that someone in need who calls to Him never calls to Him in vain. It is even so, that such a persevering call to Him sounds pleasant in His ears.

The Lord stops. There is nothing that can stop Him on his way to Jerusalem except someone who appeals to His mercy. Then He commands that the blind man shall be brought to Him. That order is followed without contradiction. The blind man approaches the Lord in faith and thereby enters into the circle of blessing.

Before he receives the blessing, the Lord asks him what he wants Him to do. It seems like an unnecessary question and the Lord knows the answer of course, but He wants to hear it from the mouth of the blind man. In the same way He would like to hear from our mouth what we want from Him, even though He knows what our desires are. This is so that we can express the feelings of our heart and experience the answer to our prayer as something that comes from Him Himself.

After announcing his wish, the Lord with authority says: “Receive your sight!” He immediately adds that the blind man owes his healing to his faith in Him. The blind has not come to faith by healing, but he believes and is healed. The result is immediate. He regains his sight. The result is that he follows the Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He is born again and sees the kingdom of God (John 3:3). People start to see through the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.

While he follows, he glorifies God. This is also an example for us. Following the Lord may happen while glorifying God. The people also see, but different than the blind man. The people see that a wonder has happened and praise God for it, but they do not see the specialness of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 20:21

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:22

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:23

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:24

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:25

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:26

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:27

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:28

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:29

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:30

Zaccheus

The Lord does not go around Jericho. It is the city of the curse, but if He is there, He is there to give blessing. So it is with the world He came into. The world lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19), but He came into the world to spread blessing. He has to go through Jericho because He knows that there lives a man called Zaccheus, who is a rich chief tax collector and who seeks Him.

Zaccheus is touched by the Spirit of God. When he hears that the Lord Jesus is coming, he makes an effort to see Him. He is not like Herod who also wanted to see the Lord (Luke 9:9). With Herod it was an evil curiosity, which, by the way, was also satisfied (Luke 23:8). With Zaccheus it is a hungry curiosity. He gets to see the Lord and more than that.

However, there are two obstacles: there is a crowd and he is small. As so often, here too the crowd is a hindrance for someone who wants to see the Lord. People stand in the way (Luke 5:19) or consciously keep someone away from Him (Luke 18:39a). In addition, he is small in stature, which seems to be an additional impediment to seeing Him. But whosoever genuinely seeks the Lord will find Him (Luke 11:9).

Just as the blind man in the previous chapter did not let himself be hindered by the crowd (Luke 18:39b), so Zaccheus is not prevented from seeing the Lord by the crowd, nor by his physical disadvantage. Like the blind man, he shows the power of faith. He sees a solution in a sycamore tree. Like a little boy he climbs into the tree. He is small and makes himself small. He also has a foresight. He knows the Lord Jesus’ route and takes his place on that route. Faith feels the way He is going, even though there is no direct relationship with Him yet.

The desire and the faith of Zaccheus are not ashamed. When the Lord comes to the place where Zaccheus is in the tree, He looks up. Not only does He know there is someone in the tree, but He also knows his name. His searching heart has met someone who longs for Him. This is for His heart a great joy on His way to the cross.

He says to Zaccheus to come down quickly and makes a great proposal. He invites Himself to come into the house of Zaccheus. He asks not only for dominion over our personal life, but also over our house, our family. Hence believing parents will raise their children according to God’s standards (Ephesians 6:1-4).

This is more than Zaccheus expected, but of which his heart immediately grasps the meaning. He comes down quickly and receives the Lord with joy. The surrounding people find it strange. They even grumble about it. It’s something they don’t understand. How can He enter a sinful man’s house and even stay there? What is the joy of faith is a stumbling block to unbelief.

The people see an in their eyes distinguished rabbi entering a sinful persons house. In their thinking that doesn’t fit together. This is because they do not see themselves as sinful, while the Lord Jesus is indeed to them nothing more than a distinguished rabbi.

Although Zaccheus may be a rich chief tax collector, he must have been lonely. The people will have shunned him. He has also felt within himself the emptiness of his life and has a need for real peace.

Opposite to the grumble of men, Zaccheus takes the place of respect before the Lord. He stands up. Then he says what he is doing with his possessions. He doesn’t say this out of pride, but to show that there is a desire in his heart to clean up his past. He does not spare himself if he says that he has extorted people. By repaying it fourfold, he goes further than the law prescribes. He wants to repair the damage so abundantly that the injustice done will no longer be remembered.

Zaccheus met the Lord and received Him in his house and in his life. With Him the salvation has come to this house. Zaccheus has found what he sought: peace for his soul. He had already been converted, he was already a son of Abraham in the true sense of the word (cf. Luke 13:16), but he still lacked the certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and the knowledge of salvation.

In response to what He said to Zaccheus, the Lord Jesus points to the great purpose of His coming into the world. He has come to seek that which was lost. It is the searching grace for people who need forgiveness and salvation. Salvation means the escape of judgment through repentance and the entering into the kingdom. He has come to seek people in whom He has worked the need for grace, and then to fulfill that need.

Luke 20:31

A Nobleman

The disciples hear the Lord Jesus speak of salvation. That reminds them of the kingdom of peace. They see in Him the Messiah. All their thoughts are that He will go to Jerusalem to sit on the throne of David and establish the kingdom of God in public glory and majesty. Because they are always busy with this, they understand nothing of it every time He speaks about His suffering and death that await Him in Jerusalem. Again, they assume incorrectly that He is going to Jerusalem to ascend the throne and accept His reign.

The Lord knows their thoughts, and so He tells a parable. He Himself is the nobleman. He is the Son of God, also as Man. He came to the earth to establish the kingdom of God, but He was rejected. Now He travels to a distant country, heaven, to receive the kingdom there. He is truly King with a real kingdom. He reigns not yet publicly, but in the hearts of those who profess Him as Lord. But He comes back to establish His kingdom on earth.

Before He goes to heaven, He gives to ten of His slaves – who are those who profess Him as Lord – ten minas, i.e. each slave one mina, with the instruction to do business with it. He adds “until I come”, i.e. until He comes back. All slaves, who are expressly called “His” slaves, are entrusted with the same sum. The number ten represents responsibility. All slaves are responsible to do business with what the Lord has given them. The fact that they receive the same sum means that the difference in results is the result of their diligence, commitment, motivation and the like and not of their capacities.

In Matthew 25, the Lord tells a parable that is very similar to this parable. However, there is a difference. There He speaks of a lord who goes abroad and who entrusts to his own slaves each a different sum (Matthew 25:14-15). In Matthew 25 He emphasizes the power and wisdom of the Giver Who distinguishes in His gifts, according to the ability of each slave. The result is a yield in accordance with the difference in the gift, but an equal reward (Matthew 25:19-23).

Whereas in Matthew 25 the sovereign power of the Lord is more in the foreground, here it is more about the responsibility of the slaves. In the mina we can see the entrusted deposit (1 Timothy 6:20). What is entrusted to us is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6), with the purpose that we make it visible in our lives. In the Gospel according to Luke this means that we show the grace given to us in Christ to those around us. If the grace from us goes to others, it will also work in others and thereby increase the effectiveness of grace. So we can do business with grace.

Apart from slaves, there are also citizens. The citizens are the Jews. They have rejected the Lord Jesus, for they hate Him. Their hatred is so great that once He is gone they even send a delegation (or: an embassy) after Him to emphasize that they do not want His kingship.

This happened when they stoned Stephen who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, offered them, as it were, a last chance to accept Him as their King (Acts 7:54-59). By killing him, they sent Christ the message, as it were, as a statement that they wanted nothing to do with Him. With this they signed their own verdict which was later, in the year 70, executed by the Roman armies under the leadership of Titus in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke 20:32

A Nobleman

The disciples hear the Lord Jesus speak of salvation. That reminds them of the kingdom of peace. They see in Him the Messiah. All their thoughts are that He will go to Jerusalem to sit on the throne of David and establish the kingdom of God in public glory and majesty. Because they are always busy with this, they understand nothing of it every time He speaks about His suffering and death that await Him in Jerusalem. Again, they assume incorrectly that He is going to Jerusalem to ascend the throne and accept His reign.

The Lord knows their thoughts, and so He tells a parable. He Himself is the nobleman. He is the Son of God, also as Man. He came to the earth to establish the kingdom of God, but He was rejected. Now He travels to a distant country, heaven, to receive the kingdom there. He is truly King with a real kingdom. He reigns not yet publicly, but in the hearts of those who profess Him as Lord. But He comes back to establish His kingdom on earth.

Before He goes to heaven, He gives to ten of His slaves – who are those who profess Him as Lord – ten minas, i.e. each slave one mina, with the instruction to do business with it. He adds “until I come”, i.e. until He comes back. All slaves, who are expressly called “His” slaves, are entrusted with the same sum. The number ten represents responsibility. All slaves are responsible to do business with what the Lord has given them. The fact that they receive the same sum means that the difference in results is the result of their diligence, commitment, motivation and the like and not of their capacities.

In Matthew 25, the Lord tells a parable that is very similar to this parable. However, there is a difference. There He speaks of a lord who goes abroad and who entrusts to his own slaves each a different sum (Matthew 25:14-15). In Matthew 25 He emphasizes the power and wisdom of the Giver Who distinguishes in His gifts, according to the ability of each slave. The result is a yield in accordance with the difference in the gift, but an equal reward (Matthew 25:19-23).

Whereas in Matthew 25 the sovereign power of the Lord is more in the foreground, here it is more about the responsibility of the slaves. In the mina we can see the entrusted deposit (1 Timothy 6:20). What is entrusted to us is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6), with the purpose that we make it visible in our lives. In the Gospel according to Luke this means that we show the grace given to us in Christ to those around us. If the grace from us goes to others, it will also work in others and thereby increase the effectiveness of grace. So we can do business with grace.

Apart from slaves, there are also citizens. The citizens are the Jews. They have rejected the Lord Jesus, for they hate Him. Their hatred is so great that once He is gone they even send a delegation (or: an embassy) after Him to emphasize that they do not want His kingship.

This happened when they stoned Stephen who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, offered them, as it were, a last chance to accept Him as their King (Acts 7:54-59). By killing him, they sent Christ the message, as it were, as a statement that they wanted nothing to do with Him. With this they signed their own verdict which was later, in the year 70, executed by the Roman armies under the leadership of Titus in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke 20:33

A Nobleman

The disciples hear the Lord Jesus speak of salvation. That reminds them of the kingdom of peace. They see in Him the Messiah. All their thoughts are that He will go to Jerusalem to sit on the throne of David and establish the kingdom of God in public glory and majesty. Because they are always busy with this, they understand nothing of it every time He speaks about His suffering and death that await Him in Jerusalem. Again, they assume incorrectly that He is going to Jerusalem to ascend the throne and accept His reign.

The Lord knows their thoughts, and so He tells a parable. He Himself is the nobleman. He is the Son of God, also as Man. He came to the earth to establish the kingdom of God, but He was rejected. Now He travels to a distant country, heaven, to receive the kingdom there. He is truly King with a real kingdom. He reigns not yet publicly, but in the hearts of those who profess Him as Lord. But He comes back to establish His kingdom on earth.

Before He goes to heaven, He gives to ten of His slaves – who are those who profess Him as Lord – ten minas, i.e. each slave one mina, with the instruction to do business with it. He adds “until I come”, i.e. until He comes back. All slaves, who are expressly called “His” slaves, are entrusted with the same sum. The number ten represents responsibility. All slaves are responsible to do business with what the Lord has given them. The fact that they receive the same sum means that the difference in results is the result of their diligence, commitment, motivation and the like and not of their capacities.

In Matthew 25, the Lord tells a parable that is very similar to this parable. However, there is a difference. There He speaks of a lord who goes abroad and who entrusts to his own slaves each a different sum (Matthew 25:14-15). In Matthew 25 He emphasizes the power and wisdom of the Giver Who distinguishes in His gifts, according to the ability of each slave. The result is a yield in accordance with the difference in the gift, but an equal reward (Matthew 25:19-23).

Whereas in Matthew 25 the sovereign power of the Lord is more in the foreground, here it is more about the responsibility of the slaves. In the mina we can see the entrusted deposit (1 Timothy 6:20). What is entrusted to us is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6), with the purpose that we make it visible in our lives. In the Gospel according to Luke this means that we show the grace given to us in Christ to those around us. If the grace from us goes to others, it will also work in others and thereby increase the effectiveness of grace. So we can do business with grace.

Apart from slaves, there are also citizens. The citizens are the Jews. They have rejected the Lord Jesus, for they hate Him. Their hatred is so great that once He is gone they even send a delegation (or: an embassy) after Him to emphasize that they do not want His kingship.

This happened when they stoned Stephen who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, offered them, as it were, a last chance to accept Him as their King (Acts 7:54-59). By killing him, they sent Christ the message, as it were, as a statement that they wanted nothing to do with Him. With this they signed their own verdict which was later, in the year 70, executed by the Roman armies under the leadership of Titus in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke 20:34

A Nobleman

The disciples hear the Lord Jesus speak of salvation. That reminds them of the kingdom of peace. They see in Him the Messiah. All their thoughts are that He will go to Jerusalem to sit on the throne of David and establish the kingdom of God in public glory and majesty. Because they are always busy with this, they understand nothing of it every time He speaks about His suffering and death that await Him in Jerusalem. Again, they assume incorrectly that He is going to Jerusalem to ascend the throne and accept His reign.

The Lord knows their thoughts, and so He tells a parable. He Himself is the nobleman. He is the Son of God, also as Man. He came to the earth to establish the kingdom of God, but He was rejected. Now He travels to a distant country, heaven, to receive the kingdom there. He is truly King with a real kingdom. He reigns not yet publicly, but in the hearts of those who profess Him as Lord. But He comes back to establish His kingdom on earth.

Before He goes to heaven, He gives to ten of His slaves – who are those who profess Him as Lord – ten minas, i.e. each slave one mina, with the instruction to do business with it. He adds “until I come”, i.e. until He comes back. All slaves, who are expressly called “His” slaves, are entrusted with the same sum. The number ten represents responsibility. All slaves are responsible to do business with what the Lord has given them. The fact that they receive the same sum means that the difference in results is the result of their diligence, commitment, motivation and the like and not of their capacities.

In Matthew 25, the Lord tells a parable that is very similar to this parable. However, there is a difference. There He speaks of a lord who goes abroad and who entrusts to his own slaves each a different sum (Matthew 25:14-15). In Matthew 25 He emphasizes the power and wisdom of the Giver Who distinguishes in His gifts, according to the ability of each slave. The result is a yield in accordance with the difference in the gift, but an equal reward (Matthew 25:19-23).

Whereas in Matthew 25 the sovereign power of the Lord is more in the foreground, here it is more about the responsibility of the slaves. In the mina we can see the entrusted deposit (1 Timothy 6:20). What is entrusted to us is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6), with the purpose that we make it visible in our lives. In the Gospel according to Luke this means that we show the grace given to us in Christ to those around us. If the grace from us goes to others, it will also work in others and thereby increase the effectiveness of grace. So we can do business with grace.

Apart from slaves, there are also citizens. The citizens are the Jews. They have rejected the Lord Jesus, for they hate Him. Their hatred is so great that once He is gone they even send a delegation (or: an embassy) after Him to emphasize that they do not want His kingship.

This happened when they stoned Stephen who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, offered them, as it were, a last chance to accept Him as their King (Acts 7:54-59). By killing him, they sent Christ the message, as it were, as a statement that they wanted nothing to do with Him. With this they signed their own verdict which was later, in the year 70, executed by the Roman armies under the leadership of Titus in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke 20:35

Reward of the Faithful Slaves

The citizens did not want Him to be King over them, but that did not prevent Him from receiving the kingdom. After He has received it, He returns. Luke does not speak about the time that has passed between His receiving of the kingdom and His return. Now, some two thousand years ago, He received the kingdom, and He has not yet returned, but the moment of His return is ever closer. When He returns, He wants His slaves to whom He has given money to be called to Him. He wants to know what they have earned from the business. That is His good right. He gave His slaves that money to make profit for Him.

The first to come before Him says to Him that His mina – the slave speaks of “Your” mina – has yielded tenfold profit. He is one who, with dedication to his Lord, has been occupied with the mina entrusted to him. The profit is not the number of converts that someone can show or the number of speeches that someone has made, but what has become visible of Christ in the slave’s entire life.

The life of Christ brought abundant praise to God. Wherever people saw and heard Him, they glorified God, even though many of them did not accept Him and even rejected Him. The more the life of Christ is seen in the life of a believer, He will reward it. This is not a question of possessing a special gift, but of a mind that does everything for Christ. This is open to every believer without distinction. It is about a choice to be made or not to be made.

As has been said, it is about responsibility. This slave receives the Lord’s approval. The Lord praises him and says to him “well done” and calls him a “good slave”. The Lord also rewards him. Because the slave was faithful in a very little thing (cf. Luke 16:10), much is entrusted to him. He may reign in the kingdom together with Christ (Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:26-27) and rule over ten cities. He has shown in his life that he has dealt well with the goods of his Lord. The reward he receives is a part in the kingdom in accordance with his work.

The second slave comes. He also speaks of “Your” mina and can give his Lord five extra minas. He too has been diligent in his service to the Lord, but not with the same dedication as the other. The Lord, therefore, does not express His approval in the same way as with the first. However, this slave also receives the reward that matches his profit. He also gets his share in the kingdom and may rule over five cities.

Luke 20:36

Reward of the Faithful Slaves

The citizens did not want Him to be King over them, but that did not prevent Him from receiving the kingdom. After He has received it, He returns. Luke does not speak about the time that has passed between His receiving of the kingdom and His return. Now, some two thousand years ago, He received the kingdom, and He has not yet returned, but the moment of His return is ever closer. When He returns, He wants His slaves to whom He has given money to be called to Him. He wants to know what they have earned from the business. That is His good right. He gave His slaves that money to make profit for Him.

The first to come before Him says to Him that His mina – the slave speaks of “Your” mina – has yielded tenfold profit. He is one who, with dedication to his Lord, has been occupied with the mina entrusted to him. The profit is not the number of converts that someone can show or the number of speeches that someone has made, but what has become visible of Christ in the slave’s entire life.

The life of Christ brought abundant praise to God. Wherever people saw and heard Him, they glorified God, even though many of them did not accept Him and even rejected Him. The more the life of Christ is seen in the life of a believer, He will reward it. This is not a question of possessing a special gift, but of a mind that does everything for Christ. This is open to every believer without distinction. It is about a choice to be made or not to be made.

As has been said, it is about responsibility. This slave receives the Lord’s approval. The Lord praises him and says to him “well done” and calls him a “good slave”. The Lord also rewards him. Because the slave was faithful in a very little thing (cf. Luke 16:10), much is entrusted to him. He may reign in the kingdom together with Christ (Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:26-27) and rule over ten cities. He has shown in his life that he has dealt well with the goods of his Lord. The reward he receives is a part in the kingdom in accordance with his work.

The second slave comes. He also speaks of “Your” mina and can give his Lord five extra minas. He too has been diligent in his service to the Lord, but not with the same dedication as the other. The Lord, therefore, does not express His approval in the same way as with the first. However, this slave also receives the reward that matches his profit. He also gets his share in the kingdom and may rule over five cities.

Luke 20:37

Reward of the Faithful Slaves

The citizens did not want Him to be King over them, but that did not prevent Him from receiving the kingdom. After He has received it, He returns. Luke does not speak about the time that has passed between His receiving of the kingdom and His return. Now, some two thousand years ago, He received the kingdom, and He has not yet returned, but the moment of His return is ever closer. When He returns, He wants His slaves to whom He has given money to be called to Him. He wants to know what they have earned from the business. That is His good right. He gave His slaves that money to make profit for Him.

The first to come before Him says to Him that His mina – the slave speaks of “Your” mina – has yielded tenfold profit. He is one who, with dedication to his Lord, has been occupied with the mina entrusted to him. The profit is not the number of converts that someone can show or the number of speeches that someone has made, but what has become visible of Christ in the slave’s entire life.

The life of Christ brought abundant praise to God. Wherever people saw and heard Him, they glorified God, even though many of them did not accept Him and even rejected Him. The more the life of Christ is seen in the life of a believer, He will reward it. This is not a question of possessing a special gift, but of a mind that does everything for Christ. This is open to every believer without distinction. It is about a choice to be made or not to be made.

As has been said, it is about responsibility. This slave receives the Lord’s approval. The Lord praises him and says to him “well done” and calls him a “good slave”. The Lord also rewards him. Because the slave was faithful in a very little thing (cf. Luke 16:10), much is entrusted to him. He may reign in the kingdom together with Christ (Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:26-27) and rule over ten cities. He has shown in his life that he has dealt well with the goods of his Lord. The reward he receives is a part in the kingdom in accordance with his work.

The second slave comes. He also speaks of “Your” mina and can give his Lord five extra minas. He too has been diligent in his service to the Lord, but not with the same dedication as the other. The Lord, therefore, does not express His approval in the same way as with the first. However, this slave also receives the reward that matches his profit. He also gets his share in the kingdom and may rule over five cities.

Luke 20:38

Reward of the Faithful Slaves

The citizens did not want Him to be King over them, but that did not prevent Him from receiving the kingdom. After He has received it, He returns. Luke does not speak about the time that has passed between His receiving of the kingdom and His return. Now, some two thousand years ago, He received the kingdom, and He has not yet returned, but the moment of His return is ever closer. When He returns, He wants His slaves to whom He has given money to be called to Him. He wants to know what they have earned from the business. That is His good right. He gave His slaves that money to make profit for Him.

The first to come before Him says to Him that His mina – the slave speaks of “Your” mina – has yielded tenfold profit. He is one who, with dedication to his Lord, has been occupied with the mina entrusted to him. The profit is not the number of converts that someone can show or the number of speeches that someone has made, but what has become visible of Christ in the slave’s entire life.

The life of Christ brought abundant praise to God. Wherever people saw and heard Him, they glorified God, even though many of them did not accept Him and even rejected Him. The more the life of Christ is seen in the life of a believer, He will reward it. This is not a question of possessing a special gift, but of a mind that does everything for Christ. This is open to every believer without distinction. It is about a choice to be made or not to be made.

As has been said, it is about responsibility. This slave receives the Lord’s approval. The Lord praises him and says to him “well done” and calls him a “good slave”. The Lord also rewards him. Because the slave was faithful in a very little thing (cf. Luke 16:10), much is entrusted to him. He may reign in the kingdom together with Christ (Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:26-27) and rule over ten cities. He has shown in his life that he has dealt well with the goods of his Lord. The reward he receives is a part in the kingdom in accordance with his work.

The second slave comes. He also speaks of “Your” mina and can give his Lord five extra minas. He too has been diligent in his service to the Lord, but not with the same dedication as the other. The Lord, therefore, does not express His approval in the same way as with the first. However, this slave also receives the reward that matches his profit. He also gets his share in the kingdom and may rule over five cities.

Luke 20:39

Reward of the Faithful Slaves

The citizens did not want Him to be King over them, but that did not prevent Him from receiving the kingdom. After He has received it, He returns. Luke does not speak about the time that has passed between His receiving of the kingdom and His return. Now, some two thousand years ago, He received the kingdom, and He has not yet returned, but the moment of His return is ever closer. When He returns, He wants His slaves to whom He has given money to be called to Him. He wants to know what they have earned from the business. That is His good right. He gave His slaves that money to make profit for Him.

The first to come before Him says to Him that His mina – the slave speaks of “Your” mina – has yielded tenfold profit. He is one who, with dedication to his Lord, has been occupied with the mina entrusted to him. The profit is not the number of converts that someone can show or the number of speeches that someone has made, but what has become visible of Christ in the slave’s entire life.

The life of Christ brought abundant praise to God. Wherever people saw and heard Him, they glorified God, even though many of them did not accept Him and even rejected Him. The more the life of Christ is seen in the life of a believer, He will reward it. This is not a question of possessing a special gift, but of a mind that does everything for Christ. This is open to every believer without distinction. It is about a choice to be made or not to be made.

As has been said, it is about responsibility. This slave receives the Lord’s approval. The Lord praises him and says to him “well done” and calls him a “good slave”. The Lord also rewards him. Because the slave was faithful in a very little thing (cf. Luke 16:10), much is entrusted to him. He may reign in the kingdom together with Christ (Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:26-27) and rule over ten cities. He has shown in his life that he has dealt well with the goods of his Lord. The reward he receives is a part in the kingdom in accordance with his work.

The second slave comes. He also speaks of “Your” mina and can give his Lord five extra minas. He too has been diligent in his service to the Lord, but not with the same dedication as the other. The Lord, therefore, does not express His approval in the same way as with the first. However, this slave also receives the reward that matches his profit. He also gets his share in the kingdom and may rule over five cities.

Luke 20:40

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.

Luke 20:41

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.

Luke 20:42

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.

Luke 20:43

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.

Luke 20:44

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.

Luke 20:45

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.

Luke 20:46

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.

Luke 20:47

The Worthless Slave and the Citizens

Then comes the next slave before his Lord. He also calls Him “Master” and thereby acknowledges His authority, and he also speaks of “Your” mina. He thereby acknowledges that what he has received is of His Lord. But it is all just a lip confession. In their inner being, there is no connection between him and his Lord. Therefore, there has been no dedication to Him at all. There was nothing in his life that led people to glorify God. He put the mina he had received in a handkerchief. He did not intend to work hard for his Lord. So he didn’t do that.

His conduct resulted from a totally false perception of his Lord. He did not understand anything of His grace, he never got to know Him. He was afraid of Him, and found Him exacting and unrighteous. He had his own view of that Lord and thought that you’d better not have to deal with Him. He did not face the fact that he would have to deal with Him anyway. Living for such a Lord seemed unbearable to him. There were a lot of things you were not permitted to do and there were a lot of things you had to do. It was all ‘not permitted’ and ‘had to’. In that view on his Lord, he did not want to be corrected either. He held on to it and it determined his life.

With his statements about his Lord, the slave makes his own judgment. If he really was afraid of that Lord, and if it really was so that He was exacting and, to his judgment, dealing unrighteous, that should have led him to act differently from what he has done now. The Lord calls him a worthless slave because he has not done according to what he knew. He used his idea about Him as an excuse to do nothing at all with his mina. If he had been really scared, he would have given His money to a bank. Just thinking soberly would have led him to the conclusion that the money would at least have been a little bit profitable for Him. After all, it was His money and the task was to do business with it.

The Lord does not blame him for not having done business. If he had no energy to do business, by bringing the money to a bank he would have acknowledged that his Lord was entitled to profit. Because he was led by selfish fear, he showed that there was no love for his Master (1 John 4:18). He lacked not so much the power to act, but the right spirit or mind to act. He did not know grace. If we have a legalistic mind, we serve only ourselves.

The worthless slave not only does not receive a reward, he also suffers loss. What he was entrusted, he loses because he did nothing with it. He never really possessed it because he had put it away. Yet he knew he had it, for he could give it to his Lord, but it was something outside of him, not in him. The external appearance, the beautiful appearance, is taken from him. What was for him a covering for his inner depravity is for the faithful, dedicated slave the decoration of the authenticity of the faith that is in him. That is why the faithful slave gets what the evil slave has abused.

Those who stand by point out to the Lord that this slave already has so much. He already has ten and now he gets another one. The answer shows how much the Lord appreciates complete faithfulness and dedication and commitment. Such a person cannot be rewarded enough. From those who have no inner connection with Him, but only the appearance to possess something, also that appearance will be taken away.

At the end of His parable, the Lord returns to the citizens whom He spoke of in the beginning (Luke 19:14). He calls them here His enemies. He reminds us that they did not want Him to rule over them. For them, too, comes the day of retribution. For them there is an appropriate judgment. They must appear before Him like the slaves, but there is no conversation with them. They must be slain in His presence. His kingship is a righteous kingship. He rules in righteousness, both in reward and in judgment of evil.