Matthew Henry Commentary Luke 19
Matthew Henry Commentary
Luke 19
Matthew Henry Commentary
Luke 19
"And he entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature. And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost." — Luke 19:1-10 (ASV)
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's house. Wherever Christ comes, he opens the heart and inclines it to receive him. Whoever desires to know Christ will be known by him.
Those whom Christ calls must humble themselves and come down. We should indeed receive him joyfully, who brings all good with him. Zaccheus gave public proof that he had become a true convert. He does not look to be justified by his works, like 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 that he has turned from sin to God. Now that he is saved from his sins, from their guilt, from their power, all the benefits of salvation are his. Christ has come to his house, and wherever Christ comes, he brings salvation with him.
He came into this lost world to seek and to save it. His purpose was to save, when there was no salvation in anyone else. He seeks those who did not seek him and did not ask for him.
"And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and [because] they supposed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called ten servants of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye [herewith] till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent an ambassage after him, saying, We will not that this man reign over us. And it came to pass, when he was come back again, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants, unto whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. And the first came before him, saying, Lord, thy pound hath made ten pounds more. And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Thy pound, Lord, hath made five pounds. And he said unto him also, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin: for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow. He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow; then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest? And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds. And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds. I say unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him. But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." — Luke 19:11-27 (ASV)
This parable is like that of the talents (Matthew 25). Those who are called to Christ, he furnishes with gifts necessary for their work; and from those to whom he gives power, he expects service. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (1 Corinthians 12:7). And as every one has received the gift, so let him minister the same (1 Peter 4:10).
The 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 indicate 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 people, by which this one gift of the gospel may be improved in different ways.
"And when he had thus spoken, he went on before, going up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, Go your way into the village over against [you]; in which as ye enter ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat: loose him, and bring him. And if any one ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say, The Lord hath need of him. And they that were sent went away, 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. And they brought him to Jesus: and they threw their garments upon the colt, and set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their garments in the way. And as he was now drawing nigh, [even] 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 which they had seen; saying, Blessed [is] the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from the multitude said unto him, Teacher, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said, I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out." — Luke 19:28-40 (ASV)
Christ has dominion over all creatures and may use them as He pleases. He has all people'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 raise up children to Abraham from stones and turn the stony heart to Himself, so He can bring praise from the mouths of children. And what will be the feelings of people when the Lord returns in glory to judge the world!
"And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to 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. And he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold, saying unto them, It is written, And my house shall be a house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of robbers. And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him: and they could not find what they might do; for the people all hung upon him, listening." — Luke 19:41-48 (ASV)
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 largely consists in goodwill 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 everyone remember that, though Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he executed terrible vengeance upon it. Though he does not delight in the death of a sinner, yet he will surely carry out his terrible threats on those who neglect his salvation. The Son of God did not weep vain and causeless tears, nor for a trivial matter, nor for himself.
He knows the value of souls, the weight of guilt, and how low it will weigh down and sink mankind. May he then come and cleanse our hearts by his Spirit, from all that defiles. May sinners, everywhere, become attentive to the words of truth and salvation.
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