Lukas 19

1 9 And having entered, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was passing through Yericho.

2 And, hinei, a man by name Zakkai was there and he was a chief moches (tax collector) and he was an oisher (rich man).

3 And he was seeking to catch a look at Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach and was not able to do so, because of the multitude, and because he was komah (short of stature).

4 And having run ahead to the front, he climbed up onto an etz (tree), a sycamore, that he might see Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, because by that derech (way) he was about to pass by. [MELACHIM ALEF 10:27, DIVREY HAYAMIM ALEF 27:28, YESHAYAH 9:10]

5 And as he came to the place, having looked up, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said to him, Zakkai, hurry and come down, for hayom (today) in your bais (house) it is necessary for me to remain.

6 And having hurried, Zakkai came down and welcomed with Kabbalas HaMalchus (accepting his sovereignty as king) Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach with simcha (joy).

7 And all, having seen this, were beginning to kvetch (complain), saying, With a choteh (sinner) he entered to rest?

8 And Zakkai stood there and said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu: Hinei, half of my possessions, Adoni, I give as tzedakah (contribution to charity) to the aniyim, and if from someone I defrauded of anything, I am paying back arbatayim (four times). [Ex 22:1, Lv 6:4,5; Num 5:7; 2Sm 12:6; Ezek 33:14,15]

9 And he said to him, Hayom (Today) Yeshu’at Eloheinu has come to this bais, because he also is a Ben Avraham.

10 For the Ben HaAdam (Moshiach, DANIEL 7:13-14) came to seek and to save the lost. [Ezek 34:12,16]

11 Now as they were hearing these things, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach added a mashal (parable), because he was near to Yerushalayim and they had the havamina (assumption) that the Malchut Hashem was about to appear immediately.

12 Then Moshiach said, A certain man of noble birth traveled to a distant country to get for himself royal power for his malchut and to return.

13 And having summoned ten avadim (servants) of his, he gave them ten minas and he said to them, Conduct business until I come.

14 But his subjects were hating the man of noble birth and they sent a delegation after him saying, We do not want this one to rule over us.

15 And it came about when he returned, having received the royal power of his malchut, he summoned to his presence these avadim to whom he had given the kesef, that he might have daas of what they had gained by trading.

16 And the rishon (first) came, saying, With your mina, Adoni, ten minas more were gained.

17 Yafeh! Eved tov! Because you have been ne’eman (faithful) in a very small thing, have shlita (authority) over ten towns.[MISHLE 27:18]

18 And the sheni (second) came saying, Your mina, Adoni, made five minas.

19 And the man of noble birth said also to this one, And you have shlita (authority) over five towns.

20 And the other came saying, Adoni, hinei! Your mina which I had put away in a tichel (kerchief).

21 For I was fearing you, because you are a big machmir (stickler), you take what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow.

22 He says to him, From your own mouth I will judge you, eved rasha (bad servant). You had daas that I am a big machmir (stickler), taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

23 Why then did you not put my kesef on deposit? Then when I came I would have collected ribit (interest).

24 And to the ones having stood nearby he said, Take from him the mina and give it to the one having ten minas.

25 And they said to him, Adoneinu, he has ten minas!

26 I say to you, that to everyone having, more will be given, but from the one not having, even what he has will be taken away.

27 But these oyevim of mine, the ones refusing me the Kabbalas HaMalchus (refusing my sovereignty as king, cf 70 C.E.) over them, bring here and execute them before me.

28 And having said these things, he was traveling ahead, making his aliyah leregel to Yerushalayim.

29 And it came about as he came near to Beit-Pagey and Beit-Anyah, by the Mount of Olives, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach sent two of the talmidim,

30 Saying, Go to the shtetl ahead of you, in which entering you will find an AYIR (ZECHARYAH 9:9) having been tied, upon which none among Bnei Adam ever sat, and having untied it, bring it here.

31 And if someone asks you, Why are you untying it?—you will say this: HaAdon has need of it.

32 And having departed, the ones having been sent found it just as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach told them.

33 And while untying the AYIR, its owners said to them, Why are you untying the AYIR?

34 And they said, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu has need of it.

35 And they led it to him and, having thrown their kaftans on the AYIR, they put Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach on it.

36 And as Moshiach rode along, the people were spreading their garments on the road. [MELACHIM BAIS 9:13]

37 And as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was now approaching the path that makes the descent from the Mount of Olives, all the multitude of the Rebbe’s talmidim began with simcha (joy) and with a kol gadol (a loud voice) to shout Baruch Hashem for all the nifla’ot (wonders) and gevurot (mighty deeds) of Hashem! For they had been edei reiyah (eyewitnesses) of these,

38 Saying, BARUCH HABAH, HaMelech B’SHEM ADONOI! Shalom b’Shomayim! And kavod in the Highest! [TEHILLIM 118:26]

39 And some of the Perushim from the multitude said to him, Rabbi, rebuke your talmidim!

40 And in reply he said, I say to you, if these will be silent, the avanim (stones) will cry out. [CHABAKUK 2:11]

41 And as he came near, having seen the Ir (City [of Yerushalayim]), Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach wept over it, [YESHAYAH 22:4]

42 Saying, If you had only had daas in HaYom HaZeh of the things leading to shalom, but now it was nistar from your eyes.

43 Because yamim (days) will come upon you when your oyevim (enemies) will construct a siege against you and they will surround you and will hem you in from all directions.[Isa 29:3; Jer 6:6; Ezek 4:2; 28:6]

44 And they will dash you to the ground, you and your yeladim with you. And they will not leave an even (stone) upon an even (stone) within you, because you did not have daas of the zman (time) of your YOM PEKUDDAH (visitation, reckoning [YESHAYAH 10:3]).

45 And having entered into the Beis HaMikdash, Moshiach began to throw out the sellers,

46 Saying to them, It has been written, BEITI BEIT TEFILLAH YIKAREI, but you made it a MEARAT PARITZIM. [YESHAYAH 56:7; YIRMEYAH 7:11]

47 And he was saying shiurim yom yom in the Beis Hamikdash. But the Rashei Hakohanim and the Sofrim were seeking to kill him, and also the Rashei HaAm,

48 And they were not finding what they might do, for HaAm were all hanging on his every dvar.

Lukas 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

The conversion of Zaccheus. (1-10) The parable of the nobleman and his servants. (11-27) Christ enters Jerusalem. (28-40) Christ laments over Jerusalem. (41-48)

Verses 1-10 Those who sincerely desire a sight of Christ, like Zaccheus, will break through opposition, and take pains to see him. Christ invited himself to Zaccheus' house. Wherever Christ comes he opens the heart, and inclines it to receive him. He that has a mind to know Christ, shall be known of him. Those whom Christ calls, must humble themselves, and come down. We may well receive him joyfully, who brings all good with him. Zaccheus gave proofs publicly that he was become a true convert. He does not look to be justified by his works, as the Pharisee; but by his good works he will, through the grace of God, show the sincerity of his faith and repentance. Zaccheus is declared to be a happy man, now he is turned from sin to God. Now that he is saved from his sins, from the guilt of them, from the power of them, all the benefits of salvation are his. Christ is come to his house, and where Christ comes he brings salvation with him. He came into this lost world to seek and to save it. His design was to save, when there was no salvation in any other. He seeks those that sought him not, and asked not for him.

Verses 11-27 This parable is like that of the talents, ( Matthew 25 ) . Those that are called to Christ, he furnishes with gifts needful for their business; and from those to whom he gives power, he expects service. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to ( 1 Corinthians. 12:7 ) ( 1 Peter. 4:10 ) account required, resembles that in the parable of the talents; and the punishment of the avowed enemies of Christ, as well as of false professors, is shown. The principal difference is, that the pound given to each seems to point out the gift of the gospel, which is the same to all who hear it; but the talents, distributed more or less, seem to mean that God gives different capacities and advantages to men, by which this one gift of the gospel may be differently improved.

Verses 28-40 Christ has dominion over all creatures, and may use them as he pleases. He has all men's hearts both under his eye and in his hand. Christ's triumphs, and his disciples' joyful praises, vex proud Pharisees, who are enemies to him and to his kingdom. But Christ, as he despises the contempt of the proud, so he accepts the praises of the humble. Pharisees would silence the praises of Christ, but they cannot; for as God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham, and turn the stony heart to himself, so he can bring praise out of the mouths of children. And what will be the feelings of men when the Lord returns in glory to judge the world!

Verses 41-48 Who can behold the holy Jesus, looking forward to the miseries that awaited his murderers, weeping over the city where his precious blood was about to be shed, without seeing that the likeness of God in the believer, consists much in good-will and compassion? Surely those cannot be right who take up any doctrines of truth, so as to be hardened towards their fellow-sinners. But let every one remember, that though Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he executed awful vengeance upon it. Though he delights not in the death of a sinner, yet he will surely bring to pass his awful threatenings on those who neglect his salvation. The Son of God did not weep vain and causeless tears, nor for a light matter, nor for himself. He knows the value of souls, the weight of guilt, and how low it will press and sink mankind. May he then come and cleanse our hearts by his Spirit, from all that defiles. May sinners, on every side, become attentive to the words of truth and salvation.