Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 19:38

"saying, Blessed [is] the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest." — Luke 19:38 (ASV)

Luke shows us the humble king as he portrays Jesus riding on the colt. For the custom of spreading cloaks along the path, see 2 Kings 9:13. The reference to praising God for Jesus’ miracles is common throughout Luke (cf. comments on 5:25–26; 18:43). Luke stresses the messianic theme of this event with the word “king” (v.38). The word “comes” reminds us of the designation “the coming one” for the Messiah. Luke also gives us the words about peace and glory, reminiscent of the angels’ proclamation at the Nativity (2:14).

Jesus responded along these lines: It is not legitimate to project earthly conditions into the future state (vv.34–35). Eternal life is actually the life of the age to come (v.36). The believer already participates in that life (vv.37–38); but its full expression, involving the resurrection of the body, must wait till the new age has fully come.

Though in the coming age believers do not become angels (or gods), they do share certain characteristics of angels, such as marriage. The Greek syntax places the comment about angels nearer to “no longer die” than to “neither marry.” This moves the emphasis from the issue of marriage to that of the nature of the Resurrection. God’s children are children characterized by the Resurrection. Invoking, so to speak, the authority of Moses, whom the Sadducees revered, Jesus shows that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are also going to “rise.” Therefore their existence does not lie only in the past but in the future as well; and God is called, in contemporary terms, their God.

Jesus’ answer is approved by some of the teachers of the law, who are happy to see the Sadducees lose their argument. Jesus’ wisdom has silenced all his questioners.