Luke Chapter 19 Continued
Luke 19:28 "And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem."
“Up to Jerusalem”:
The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was a steep ascent, rising some 3,300 feet in about 17 miles. This represented the last leg of the long journey that began (in 9:51).
We see here again, that even though Jesus knew that crucifixion awaited Him in Jerusalem, He was determined to go there.
He is steadily getting nearer and nearer.
Luke 19:29 "And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called [the mount] of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,"
“Bethphage”:
A small town near Bethany, on the southeast slope of the Mount of Olives.
It is mentioned nowhere else in Scripture except in connection with Christ’s triumphal entry (Mark 11:1; Matt. 21:1).
We have previously dealt with this (in Matthew 21 and Mark 11), but there are always a few details to add.
This Mount of Olives is a very short distance outside the walls of Jerusalem.
Notice He sent two. Two means agreement.
Luke 19:30 "Saying, Go ye into the village over against [you]; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring [him hither]."
“Colt”:
The other gospels say this was a donkey colt (Zech. 9:9), and Matthew reveals the mare was brought along as well.
“Whereon yet never man sat”:
The Jews regarded animals that had never been ridden as especially suited for holy purposes (Num. 19:2; Deut. 2:3; 1 Sam. 6:7).
We discussed before that the Lord Jesus had foreknowledge of everything, and He knew this colt would be tied there.
Perhaps, the Spirit of God had spoken to someone and had them bring the colt to this spot for this purpose.
In (Zechariah 9:9), this was prophesied.
Luke 19:31 "And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose [him]? Thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him."
This is probably what the Spirit had told the owner of the colt to expect.
There would be no argument, because this had been prearranged by the Spirit of God.
Luke
Here we see even more prominently the deity of Jesus.
He is all knowing of the future, the past, and the present.
He knew the colt would be here at this exact time, and He even knew the question the man would be asking.
Luke 19:34 "And they said, The Lord hath need of him."
This seemed to be the exact words he needed to hear, because he did not argue with the two Jesus sent.
Luke 19:35 "And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon."
When they cast their garments on the colt for Jesus to ride upon, they were recognizing Jesus as their King.
In 2 Kings 9:13, we see this recognition of a worldly king the same way.
Jesus was to ride this colt to show His humbleness, even though the people would herald Him as their King.
Luke 19:36 "And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way."
“Spread their clothes”:
Luke omits the cutting of palm branches mentioned by Matthew and Mark.
Luke 19:37 "And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;"
“The whole multitude of the disciples”:
Doubtless many in the crowd were not true disciples.
It is very interesting here that His entrance into Jerusalem begins from the Mount of Olives. There will come a time when Jesus returns to the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.
That Jesus will set His foot on the mount of Olives; and the mountain will break in two (cleave). He will come into the city of Jerusalem to set His kingdom up on the earth, (Zechariah 14:4). Notice in the Scripture above that the disciples are a multitude.
This is not the twelve.
They believed Jesus would take over as King now.
They are praising and rejoicing.
My question is: where were they when He was crucified?
Luke 19:38 "Saying, Blessed [be] the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest."
“Blessed be the King”:
Quoting (Psalm 118:26), they hailed Jesus as Messiah. “Peace in heaven”:
Only Luke reported this phrase.
It is reminiscent of the angels’ message in (2:14).
Jesus is the King of Peace and there will be no true peace upon the earth until the King of Peace comes and establishes His peace.
This was a victorious cry.
Perhaps, they would have all taken up arms and fought if Jesus had asked them.
Luke 19:39 "And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples."
“Rebuke thy disciples”:
The Pharisees were offended by people offering Him such worshipful praise. They wanted Him to stop them.
These Pharisees were numbered among His disciples, so they at this point undoubtedly had decided to follow Jesus.
They even call Him, Master.
Whether they were fearful of the Romans or their own rulers of the synagogue is not said.
So at any rate, they thought Jesus had allowed His disciples to go a way too far with this praise and worship.
Luke 19:40 "And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."
“The stones would immediately cry out”:
This was a strong claim of deity, and perhaps a reference to the words of (Hab. 2:11).
Scripture often speaks of inanimate nature praising God (Psalm 96:11;
Everything in the universe must cry out praises to its Creator.
This is what Jesus is saying here, that even these stones are created of God.
If these disciples had not cried praises, then the lower things would.
John the Baptist had previously told them that God could raise up children of Abraham from the stones, if necessary. (Luke 3:8)
The Lord of all the earth is passing by, it was necessary for them to cry out praises.
In David's time when he danced before the Ark of the Covenant, we are told if David had not cried out praises, the rocks would have.
Verses
Only Luke recorded the weeping of Jesus over the city of Jerusalem.
Christ grieved over Jerusalem on at least two other occasions (13:34; Matt. 23:37).
The timing of this lament may seem incongruous with the triumphal entry, but it reveals that Jesus knew the true superficiality of the peoples’ hearts, and His mood was anything but giddy as He rode into the city.
The same crowd would soon cry for His death (23:21).
Luke 19:41 "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,"
Jesus loved Jerusalem.
Jerusalem killed prophets and of course, Jesus was crucified right outside the city wall.
Luke 19:42 "Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things [which belong] unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes."
Jesus is speaking here of the destruction of Jerusalem that would come in just a few short years.
He is saying, if you only knew what awaits you.
Luke 19:43 "For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,"
“Cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round”: (see 21:20).
This is precisely the method used by Titus when he laid siege to Jerusalem (in A.D. 70).
He surrounded the city on April 9, cutting off all supplies, and trapping thousands of people who had been in Jerusalem for the Passover and feast of Unleavened Bread (just completed).
The Romans systematically had built embankments around the city, and gradually starving the city’s inhabitants.
The Romans held the city in this manner through the summer, defeating various sections of the city one by one.
The final overthrow of the city occurred in early September.
Luke 19:44 "And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."
“Lay thee even with the ground”:
This was literally fulfilled.
The Romans utterly demolished the city, temple, residences and people.
Men, women and children were brutally slaughtered by the tens of thousands.
The few survivors were carried off to become victims of the Roman circus games and gladiatorial bouts.
“Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation”:
I.e. Jerusalem’s utter destruction was divine judgment for their failure to recognize and embrace their Messiah when He visited them
Here again, this is Jesus speaking in foreknowledge of the destruction of Jerusalem.
It just goes into detail about the happening.
Now we do see here, why all of this destruction came was because they did not accept Jesus at His visitation.
Verses
This was the second time Jesus had driven the sellers out of the temple, and is a different incident from the one described (in John
He quotes from (Isa. 56:7).
Luke
This is a warning for then and for now.
We must be very careful what goes on in the temple of God.
No business transactions should be made inside the sanctuary.
The place of worship is a holy place.
Prayer should be first and foremost.
Many of us take this holy place far too casually.
This place of worship is to be used to communicate with God.
It is not a place of entertainment.
Luke 19:47 "And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,"
“Chief Priests”:
The rulers of the temple. “Scribes”:
Mostly Pharisees, experts in the law and traditions. “Chief of the people”:
Prominent Jewish laymen with influence in temple affairs.
By bringing His ministry to the temple, Christ had walked into the very heart of the opposition against Him.
“Sought to destroy Him”:
I.e., kill Him (22:2; Matthew
Luke 19:48 "And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him."
The chief priests and the scribes tried over and over to get evidence to convict Him.
I personally believe that they were jealous because His ministry was with power and miracles which they themselves did not have and could not do.
The people (masses), followed Him; because He had answers to their problems, and He gave them hope, not a set of rules that no one could keep.
Either these priests and scribes did not understand the Scriptures they were reading and rejected Jesus for that reason or else they understood, but did not want to lose their power grip over the people.
At any rate, they killed the Savior of the world.
Luke Chapter 19 Continued Questions
1.Why was Jesus not headed away from Jerusalem, instead of toward it?
2.What mount did Jesus go to near Jerusalem?
3.Who did He send to town?
4.What did He send them after?
5.What does the Lord tell them to say to anyone inquiring why they want it?
6.When they brought it to Jesus, what did they do that showed they believed Jesus to be their King?
7.What did the disciples praise Jesus for in verse 37?
8.When is another time Jesus will come to the mount of Olives to triumphantly enter Jerusalem?
9.What is the blessing that was spoken in verse 38 and in Psalms?
10.Who is the King of Peace?
11.What did some of the Pharisees tell Jesus to do?
12.What did Jesus say would cry out if the disciples stopped?
13.Who danced before the Ark of the Covenant?
14.Why is that long ago happening important here?
15.When Jesus saw Jerusalem, what did He do?
16.In what city's outskirts was Jesus crucified?
17.What is Jesus saying is hid from their eyes in verse 42?
18.In verse 43, Jesus says the enemies will do what about the city?
19.They shall not leave one ________ upon _____________.
20.Why would this destruction come?
21.Who did Jesus cast out of the temple?
22.What did Jesus call the temple?
23.What did He say they had made it?
24.What lesson can we receive from this?
25.When He taught in the temple daily, who tried to destroy Him?
26.Why were they not successful at destroying Jesus then?
27.What does the author believe was behind their reason for wanting to destroy Him?
28.He gave them _______ to their problems and He gave them _________.