Luke Chapter Nineteen | Words Of Truth
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Words Of Truth


"That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth..." (Proverbs 22:21).

Luke Chapter Nineteen


Luke 19:1 “And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.”

  • He was close to Jericho (Luke 18:35), and now has arrived and passed through.
  • Jericho  is the city where Rahab the harlot lived where the walls were brought down (Joshua 2:1-24, Joshua 6:1-20, Hebrews 11:30-31, and James 2:24-26).

Luke 19:2 “And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.”

  • Publicans [tax collectors] did not have a good reputation (Matthew 5:46-47).
  • Jesus teaching them brought charges upon Him (Luke 15:1-2).
  • The fact that Zacchaeus was rich and a tax collector can easily lead one to conclude he might have gotten his wealth unjustly (cf. Luke 3:12-13).
  • Wealth in itself brings doubts upon the possibility of salvation for a person (Luke 18:18-30). *See notes there.
  • Yet, some publicans followed the Lord’s will (Matthew 9:9-13, Matthew 21:28-32, and Luke 7:24-30).

Luke 19:3 “And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.”

  • There was such a crowd around Jesus that Zacchaeus could not see him. Jesus often drew a crowd (Matthew 4:25, Matthew 5:1, Matthew 8:1, Matthew 8:18, Matthew 9:36, etc.).
  • Yet, as they came they also departed (John 6:60-71).

Luke 19:4 “And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.”

  • He went to the length of climbing a tree to see Jesus. Think about the man that was lowered through a roof to get to Jesus (Luke 5:17-26).

Luke 19:5 “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.”

  • Like we saw with Levi, Jesus wants to come to his house (Luke 5:27-32; cf. Matthew 10:1-15).

Luke 19:6 “And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.”

  • This is a different response than the Jews as a whole gave Jesus (John 1:11).
  • Jesus told Him to make haste and come down (Luke 19:5). He did so. Though the point is not the same, this reminds me of Psalms 119:59-60
  • Caution though, the person with a heart likened to stony soil receives with joy (Matthew 13:20-21).

Luke 19:7 “And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.”

  • Luke 5:27-32, Luke 7:36-50, and Luke 15:1-32
  • To save sinners, they [sinners] need to be told what to do (Matthew 3:1-12, Matthew 9:13, Luke 24:47, and Acts 3:19).
  • If Jesus or any other faithful teacher avoids sinners, how would they hear (Romans 10:8-17)?

Luke 19:8 “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

  • A rich man (Luke 19:2) willing to part with his goods to help the poor (Leviticus 19:10, Deuteronomy 15:7-11, Proverbs 14:21, Proverbs 19:17, and Galatians 2:9-10) is certainly different than what we say in the previous chapter (Luke 18:18-23).
  • As a publican, don’t overtax and don’t use that authority abusively (Luke 3:8-14).
  • Zacchaeus shows a willingness to right anyone he has wronged (Exodus 22:1-4 and Ezekiel 33:10-20).
  • Consider what the Scriptures teach about fruit meet for repentance (Matthew 3:1-10, Luke 13:1-9, and Acts 26:12-20; cf. Proverbs 28:13).
  • Some things cannot be made right in the flesh. One cannot restore an innocent life taken by murder (i.e. Acts 22:1-4 and I Timothy 1:12-16). The fact is, there cannot be a blanket statement about the process of repentance. It would be a case by case study.

Luke 19:9 “And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”

  • This is great. Jesus is the source of salvation and this statement clearly tells Zacchaeus that fact (I Thessalonians 5:9 and II Timothy 2:10).
  • The Jews highly valued Abraham as their father (John 8:30-33; 8:39).
  • So, Jesus uses this to show the murmurers their ignorance (cf. Luke 13:10-17 and Romans 4:1-12).

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

  • One of the reasons Jesus came into this world was to save sinners (Matthew 1:18-21, Matthew 18:11-14, Romans 5:6-10, I Timothy 1:12-16, Titus 2:11-14, and I John 2:1-2) from the wrath that will come upon sinners (Colossians 3:6 and I Thessalonians 1:10; cf. Jude 1:14-15).

Luke 19:11 “And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.”

  • Jesus long had His face set to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).
  • “They” (Luke 19:7) thought the kingdom should immediately appear. The inquiry of the coming kingdom was on the minds of those watching our Lord’s work (Luke 17:20-21).
  • The messaging up to this point is that the kingdom was at hand (Matthew 4:17, Matthew 10:7, and Mark 1:15). Men were pressing into the kingdom (Luke 16:16). So, the timing of the kingdom was present on the minds of many.
  • The spiritual kingdom was not well understood (Acts 1:6-7).
  • Having said that, it makes sense that Jesus nearing Jerusalem would bring about this question (Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4:1-2).
  • Consider one reason Jesus spoke in Parables (Matthew 13:10-17).

Luke 19:12 “He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.”

  • This Parable has similarities to the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and a Parable in the next chapter (Luke 20:9-18).
  • It doesn’t take a huge amount of reasoning to see Jesus as the one receiving a kingdom, going away, and planning to return (Acts 1:9-11).

Luke 19:13 “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”

  • The nobleman gave his servants ten pounds to to trade till He would come back. What did Jesus give His servants when He left (Mark 16:14-20, Luke 24:46-51, I Corinthians 4:1-2, and II Corinthians 4:1-7)?

Luke 19:14 “But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.”

  • Our Savior Jesus Christ was hated (John 3:19-21, John 7:7, and John 15:18) and rejected (Luke 9:22, Luke 17:25, John 1:11, Acts 2:23; Acts 2:36, Acts 3:14-15, and Acts 4:10-12).

Luke 19:15 “And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.”

  • So, when Jesus comes what does He expect to find (Matthew 24:45-51 and Luke 12:35-48)?
  • So, to be properly ready… (I Corinthians 15:58).

Luke 19:16-19 “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.”

  • The principle of reaping what you sow (Proverbs 1:31, Proverbs 12:14, Matthew 16:27, I Corinthians 3:8, and Galatians 6:7-9).

Luke 19:20-21 “And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.”

  • The instruction their Lord had given them was to “occupy” [“to busy oneself with, that is, to trade” (Strong’s # 4231)] with the pounds given to them (Luke 19:13).
  • What does is say of a servant how know’s his or her Lord’s will and doesn’t do anything with that (Luke 6:46)?
  • To hear the Lord’s will and do what one thinks they should rather than the Lord’s will… (Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 21:2, Jeremiah 7:30-31, Galatians 6:3, and James 1:21-27).
  • The servants reasoning for not following his Lord’s will was fear. Had he really had true fear, he would have been fearful not to obey his Lord’s will (Exodus 20:19-20, Deuteronomy 5:29, Deuteronomy 13:4, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Hebrews 10:26-31, and Hebrews 12:28-29).
  • His reason for fearing his Lord was that his Lord was an “austere” [rough; severe] man. He saw that His Lord took what he did not deposit and reaped what he did not sow. So, how logical is it to disobey one with such power (cf. James 4:12)?

Luke 19:22-23 “And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?”

  • His own words used in judgment against him (Matthew 12:33-37; cf. II Samuel 12:1-14).
  • His Lord then judged the fact that he knew his Lord was severe and took what he wanted, but with that knowledge the servant chose to not do as his Lord instructed (Luke 6:46-49 and Romans 2:1-6).

Luke 19:24-26 “And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.). For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.”

  • Matthew 21:33-41, Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 8:18, and Luke 16:19-31

Luke 19:27 “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”

  • cf. Matthew 22:1-14
  • If one were to think the Lord would not destroy those that refuse to submit to Him, they should think again (Genesis 7:23, Genesis 18:22-19:29, Deuteronomy 4:3, Judges 20:35, etc.).
  • God doesn’t lie (Titus 1:2). God has promised destruction to the disobedient (II Thessalonians 1:8-9).

Luke 19:28 “And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.”

  • The goal has been to get to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51, Luke 12:50, and Luke 18:31).

Luke 19:29-30 “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, 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.”

  • Cf. Matthew 21:1-2 and Mark 11:1-2
  • From here forward Jesus spends some time in the mount of Olives (Luke 21:37 and Luke 22:39-46).
  • See: Zechariah 9:9 and John 12:14-16

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.”

  • cf. Matthew 21:3 and Mark 11:3
  • What we will see going forward is that Jesus is telling them what they are going to experience BEFORE it happens. Details at that (Isaiah 45:21, Isaiah 46:9-10, Acts 2:22-23, and Acts 15:18).


Luke 19:32-34 “And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? And they said, The Lord hath need of him.”

  • They found things as the Lord had foretold (Isaiah 42:8-9 and John 13:18-19).

Luke 19:35-38 “And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 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; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.”

  • Cf. Matthew 21:4-11 and Mark 11:4-10
  • The disciples did not understand these things at first, but later it dawns upon them what this means (John 12:12-16).
  • Casting their garments upon the colt was apparently customary in the crowning of a king (II Kings 9:11-13).
  • We have seen the people glorify God for the works of Jesus (Luke 7:11-16).
  • The praise we see here is similar to what we saw with the angels praising God (Luke 2:8-14). *There is a difference in “peace in heaven” with the angels saying in chapter two “on earth peace.”

Luke 19:39-40 “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

  • The Pharisees had their motives here (John 11:47-48; 12:19).
  • The religious leaders did not want to see Jesus praised (Matthew 21:15-16).
  • Them calling Jesus “Master” didn’t mean anything (Mark 12:13-17 and Luke 10:25).
  • Having said that, it was certainly right to call Jesus “Master” (Matthew 23:8).
  • Jesus said if the disciples would have been silent, the stones would have cried out. It was just a figure set forth. Similar, though vastly different in the contextual point, of what Habakkuk wrote about stones crying out against Babylon (Habakkuk 2:6-11).
  • Ultimately, the point was being made that message of the Christ would not be silenced even if men would shut up. Similarly, we know that God is declared by the very works He has done (Psalms 19:1-3).

Luke 19:41-42 “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 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.”

  • When Jesus came to where Lazarus’ dead physical body was please, He wept. From that the people deduced how much Jesus loved Lazarus (John 11:28-36).
  • When beholding the lost, consider such emotions towards them (I Samuel 15:13-35, Ezra 9:1-15, Ezra 10:6, Psalms 119:53, Psalms 119:136, Psalms 119:158, Jeremiah 13:17, Romans 9:1-3, and Philippians 3:18).
  • Jesus’ thought was “if thou hadst known…”) (cf. Deuteronomy 32:29, Psalms 81:13-16, Isaiah 48:18, and Ezekiel 33:11).
  • The Lord had intentions for them that they will never know (Matthew 23:37).
  • Why is it hidden from them? It is not because of the Lord’s doing. It is their refusal to hear as long has been the case (II Chronicles 36:34-36, Jeremiah 6:16-17, and Zechariah 1:4).

Luke 19:43-44 “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, 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.”

  • Jesus begins here to bring up what is coming upon the city in Jerusalem in that generation (Matthew 23:37-24:34, Mark 13:1-30, and Luke 21:5-32).
  • Even after the Jews killed Jesus, they kept trying to keep the Gospel of Christ from being preached and the lost being saved (Acts 13:50, Acts 14:1-5, Acts 14:19-21, Acts 17:5-10, Acts 18:9-17, I Thessalonians 2:14-16, etc.).
  • Again, they just had not considered what was coming upon them as a result of their disobedience.

Luke 19:45-46 “And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

  • Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, and John 2:13-17

Luke 19:47-48 “And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.”

  • Jesus will continue teaching in the temple going forward for some time (Luke 21:37-38). The Apostles will later do the same (Acts 2:46 and Acts 5:42).
  • He will later use this to show He wasn’t hiding anything (John 18:20).
  • They want to kill Jesus because His teaching was effective (Mark 11:18), but will not for a ultimate reason (Mark 14:49).
  • The listeners affected their ability to kill Jesus (Luke 20:19-20).