19:1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
19:2 Therein was a man there named Zaccheus. He was the chief tax collector and he was wealthy.
19:3 He wanted to see Jesus but was unable, due to the crowd – and because he was very small.
19:4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus – as he was traveling the path nearby.
19:5 When Jesus reached that spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, because today I have to stay at your house.”
19:6 So he hurried down and welcomed him with joy.
19:7 When the people saw this, they began complaining, saying “He’s gone to be the guest of a man who is a materialist.”
19:8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Master, “Look, Master, I will give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay them with four times as much.”
19:9 But Jesus told him, “Today this house is purified because you too are a servant of Abraham.
19:10 For the Servant of Humanity has appeared to find and save those who have become lost.”
19:11 As they were listening to this, Jesus continued by telling them an analogy – because he was nearing Jerusalem and they assumed the sanctuary of God was going to suddenly appear.
19:12 So he told them, “A nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive the position of king and then returned.
19:13 Then he summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten minas1 and told them, ‘Carry on business with this until I return.’
19:14 But his subjects detested him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to govern us.’
19:15 When he returned after becoming a ruler, he wanted to know what business they had done, so he summoned those servants who had been given the money.
19:16 The first one approached and said, ‘Master, your mina has gained ten more minas.’
19:17 He said to him, ‘Well done good servant. Because you have been trustworthy with a very small thing, you will be in charge over ten cities.’
19:18 The second servant approached and said, ‘Master, your mina has gained five more minas.’
19:19 Then he also said to him, ‘You will be in charge of five cities.’
19:20 Another approached and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept secure in a cloth.
19:21 I was afraid of you because you are a rigorous man. You take what you don’t give and reap what you don’t sow.’
19:22 He replied, ‘Worthless servant – by your own words will I judge you. You knew I was a rigorous man, taking what I don’t give and reaping what I don’t sow.
19:23 Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank so when I came home I could have collected it with interest?’
19:24 Then he told those who stood by, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who earned the ten minas.’
19:25 But they said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas!’
19:26 The master replied, ‘I tell you, anyone who has, more will be given, but for one who doesn’t have, what he has will be taken away.
19:27 And those opponents of mine who didn’t want me to have authority, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’”
19:28 Once he said this, he left and continued heading up to Jerusalem.
19:29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany near the hill called Mount of Olives, he dispatched two of his disciples.
19:30 He told them, “Go into the village ahead and as you enter there you will find a colt tied up, upon which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
19:31 If anyone asks you why you are untying it, tell them the Master needs it.”
19:32 Those who were dispatched left and found it exactly as he had said.
19:33 As they untied the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
19:34 “The Master needs it,” they replied.
19:35 They brought it to Jesus and threw their cloaks over the colt and helped mount Jesus upon it.
19:36 As he proceeded along, they spread their cloaks over the path.
19:37 Once he neared the descent of the Mount of Olives, an entire crowd of disciples began glorifying God joyfully with loud voices – being touched by all the power they had been shown.
19:38 They chanted, “Blessed is the spiritual leader who appears in the Name of the LORD! Peace through heaven and praises to the Most High!”2
19:39 Some of the pharisees in the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
19:40 But Jesus replied, “I tell you, if they became silent the rocks would cry out!”
19:41 As he neared Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it.
19:42 He said, “If you only knew today about what would give you – even you – peace. But now they’ve hidden this from your vision.
19:43 Because the time will come for you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you and surround you and press against you from every side.
19:44 Then they will level you to the earth and your children with you – and they won’t leave within you one stone upon another because you didn’t recognize your time of testing."
19:45 As Jesus entered the Temple grounds, he began driving out those who were selling.
19:46 He told them, “It is written, ‘And My House shall be a house of prayer,’3 ‘instead you have made it a den of thieves!’”4
19:47 Then he began teaching daily in the Temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the elders among the people were trying to get rid of him.
19:48 But they couldn’t find any way of doing this because the people were hanging on to every word he spoke.
Footnotes:
1. Verse 19:13. A mina is a pound of money – equal to 300 shekels.
2. Verse 19:38. The Greek word ὕψιστος (hypsistos) refers to “the most high” or “the highest” according to the lexicon. This chant of praise during Jesus’ procession is praising God for the one who appears in the Name of God. They were praising God and God’s messenger – who preaches the glories of God’s Holy Names.
3. Verses 19:43-44. The Greek word ἐπισκοπή (episkopē) means to be examined, investigated or scrutinized. Jesus speaks of the coming Roman-Jewish wars, where Jerusalem is sacked by the Romans and many Jews were killed. This took place within a few years of Jesus’ crucifixion, and there are historical indications that Jesus’ persecution helped create the environment for the insurrections. (This is also indicated by Luke 21:20.) The implications of Jesus’ statement is that if the people of Jerusalem had accepted Jesus and not had him persecuted – their test – they might have prevented what was to come – being slaughtered at the hands of the Roman army.
4. Verse 19:46. Jesus is quoting Isaiah:
5. Verse 19:46. Jesus is quoting Jeremiah:
19:2 Therein was a man there named Zaccheus. He was the chief tax collector and he was wealthy.
19:3 He wanted to see Jesus but was unable, due to the crowd – and because he was very small.
19:4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus – as he was traveling the path nearby.
19:5 When Jesus reached that spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, because today I have to stay at your house.”
19:6 So he hurried down and welcomed him with joy.
19:7 When the people saw this, they began complaining, saying “He’s gone to be the guest of a man who is a materialist.”
19:8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Master, “Look, Master, I will give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay them with four times as much.”
19:9 But Jesus told him, “Today this house is purified because you too are a servant of Abraham.
19:10 For the Servant of Humanity has appeared to find and save those who have become lost.”
19:11 As they were listening to this, Jesus continued by telling them an analogy – because he was nearing Jerusalem and they assumed the sanctuary of God was going to suddenly appear.
19:12 So he told them, “A nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive the position of king and then returned.
19:13 Then he summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten minas1 and told them, ‘Carry on business with this until I return.’
19:14 But his subjects detested him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to govern us.’
19:15 When he returned after becoming a ruler, he wanted to know what business they had done, so he summoned those servants who had been given the money.
19:16 The first one approached and said, ‘Master, your mina has gained ten more minas.’
19:17 He said to him, ‘Well done good servant. Because you have been trustworthy with a very small thing, you will be in charge over ten cities.’
19:18 The second servant approached and said, ‘Master, your mina has gained five more minas.’
19:19 Then he also said to him, ‘You will be in charge of five cities.’
19:20 Another approached and said, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept secure in a cloth.
19:21 I was afraid of you because you are a rigorous man. You take what you don’t give and reap what you don’t sow.’
19:22 He replied, ‘Worthless servant – by your own words will I judge you. You knew I was a rigorous man, taking what I don’t give and reaping what I don’t sow.
19:23 Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank so when I came home I could have collected it with interest?’
19:24 Then he told those who stood by, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who earned the ten minas.’
19:25 But they said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas!’
19:26 The master replied, ‘I tell you, anyone who has, more will be given, but for one who doesn’t have, what he has will be taken away.
19:27 And those opponents of mine who didn’t want me to have authority, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’”
19:28 Once he said this, he left and continued heading up to Jerusalem.
19:29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany near the hill called Mount of Olives, he dispatched two of his disciples.
19:30 He told them, “Go into the village ahead and as you enter there you will find a colt tied up, upon which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
19:31 If anyone asks you why you are untying it, tell them the Master needs it.”
19:32 Those who were dispatched left and found it exactly as he had said.
19:33 As they untied the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
19:34 “The Master needs it,” they replied.
19:35 They brought it to Jesus and threw their cloaks over the colt and helped mount Jesus upon it.
19:36 As he proceeded along, they spread their cloaks over the path.
19:37 Once he neared the descent of the Mount of Olives, an entire crowd of disciples began glorifying God joyfully with loud voices – being touched by all the power they had been shown.
19:38 They chanted, “Blessed is the spiritual leader who appears in the Name of the LORD! Peace through heaven and praises to the Most High!”2
19:39 Some of the pharisees in the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
19:40 But Jesus replied, “I tell you, if they became silent the rocks would cry out!”
19:41 As he neared Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it.
19:42 He said, “If you only knew today about what would give you – even you – peace. But now they’ve hidden this from your vision.
19:43 Because the time will come for you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you and surround you and press against you from every side.
19:44 Then they will level you to the earth and your children with you – and they won’t leave within you one stone upon another because you didn’t recognize your time of testing."
19:45 As Jesus entered the Temple grounds, he began driving out those who were selling.
19:46 He told them, “It is written, ‘And My House shall be a house of prayer,’3 ‘instead you have made it a den of thieves!’”4
19:47 Then he began teaching daily in the Temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the elders among the people were trying to get rid of him.
19:48 But they couldn’t find any way of doing this because the people were hanging on to every word he spoke.
Footnotes:
1. Verse 19:13. A mina is a pound of money – equal to 300 shekels.
2. Verse 19:38. The Greek word ὕψιστος (hypsistos) refers to “the most high” or “the highest” according to the lexicon. This chant of praise during Jesus’ procession is praising God for the one who appears in the Name of God. They were praising God and God’s messenger – who preaches the glories of God’s Holy Names.
3. Verses 19:43-44. The Greek word ἐπισκοπή (episkopē) means to be examined, investigated or scrutinized. Jesus speaks of the coming Roman-Jewish wars, where Jerusalem is sacked by the Romans and many Jews were killed. This took place within a few years of Jesus’ crucifixion, and there are historical indications that Jesus’ persecution helped create the environment for the insurrections. (This is also indicated by Luke 21:20.) The implications of Jesus’ statement is that if the people of Jerusalem had accepted Jesus and not had him persecuted – their test – they might have prevented what was to come – being slaughtered at the hands of the Roman army.
4. Verse 19:46. Jesus is quoting Isaiah:
“And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the Name of the LORD, and to be His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to My covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56:6-7 NIV)
5. Verse 19:46. Jesus is quoting Jeremiah:
Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 7:11 NIV)
