Luke

19:28-44

The teachings of Messiah, 9:51-19:44

6. Discipleship and the rejected king, 18:15-19:44

vi] The king rejected - Jesus enters Jerusalem

Jesus had been with his disciples for about three years. The date was 30AD, and it was his last visit to Jerusalem. When Jesus and his disciples were about three kilometers from the city, he sent two of them ahead of the group to pick up a male ass from an acquaintance living nearby (of course, there may have been no prearranged organization, although the text doesn't push this view). He then set off, riding toward Jerusalem. The disciples couldn't contain themselves. They started shouting out at the top of their voices. "Here comes our king, blessed is he in the name of the Lord." The religious officials were a bit put out by the clamor. It seemed presumptuous, to say the least, and the Roman authorities could well get wind of all this and think they had an insurrection on the their hands. But, the truth was finally out and nothing could keep it hidden. When Jesus came in sight of Jerusalem, he paused and wept. Here was this beautiful city, so special in the sight of God and soon it would be destroyed by foreign armies. "They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you".

This passage further reveals the messiahship of Jesus and the response of both the crowds and the disciples to this self revelation, and so serves as a public unveiling of the long-awaited Son of David, the King of kings, Lord of lords. Yet, this king is a rejected messiah whose destiny is to enter glory through suffering and death.

The allusion used in the last paragraph of the sermon has, as its origins, a powerful line from Fay Weldon's novel, Godless in Eden. Weldon's point is, of course, quite different, but it is a powerful image worth employing. "It is my belief that the bearded Patriarch finally slid out the Great West Door of the Abbey and took to his heels on the day of Diana's funeral whilst Elton John was singing Candle in the Wind. Now the all-embracing Matriarch takes his place. This is the age of empathy: we are crushed under the excess weight of it. How superstitious we have become. Not a newspaper without its horoscope, we study feng-shui, wear lucky crystals round our necks - even those of us who appear to be most rational".

eipwn (eipon) aor. part. "after [Jesus] had said [this]" - having said. The participle is adverbial, probably temporal; "And when he had thus spoken", AV.

eporeueto emposqen "he went on ahead" - he was going ahead. An expression common in Mark where the sense of journey toward the cross is emphasized.

anabainwn (anabainw) pres. part. "going up [to Jerusalem]" - going up. The participle is adverbial, probably modal expressing how "he was travelling".

kai egeneto (ginomai) aor. "-" - and it became. "And it came to pass", AV.

wJV "as" - while. Forming a temporal clause. "When he was near Bethphage and Bethany", Moffatt.

eggisen (eggizw) "he approached" - approach, draw near.

to kaloumenon (kalaw) pres. pas. part. "called [the Mount of Olives]" - the one being called [of olives]. The participle is adjectival, "which is called / named".

apesteilen (apostellw) "he sent" - he sent ..... Send with authority.

legwn (legw) pres. part. "saying [to them]" - saying. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "he sent"; "he sent and said [to them]".

upagete eiV thn katenanti kwmhn "go to the village ahead of you" - go into the opposite village. Given that Bethphage was probably on the Roman road to Jerusalem, it is most likely that Jesus has told his disciples to leave the road and go to Bethany on the side road where they will find the colt.

eisporeuomenoi (eisporeuomai) pres. part. "as you enter it" - entering. The participle is adverbial, probably temporal; "on entering it", Moffatt.

pwlon (oV) "colt" - the young of any animal, although often a horse's foal. Matthew and John say it is the foal of an ass. A Roman reader of the text would read it as a "young male horse", an appropriate animal for a king to ride into his capital and to claim his crown. The LXX would imply "donkey" rather than "horse".

dedemonon (dew) perf. pas. part. "tied there" - having been tied, bound. The participle is adjectival, modifying/limiting "colt"; "a colt which had been tethered."

ekaqisen (kaqizw) "ridden" - sit ..... here sit upon the back of an animal and therefore ride.

lusanteV (luw) aor. part. "untie [it]" - having untied [it]" - Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "bring". Since "bring" is imperative, the participle is imperative as well, as NIV. "Untie it and bring it to me", Barclay.

agagete (agw) aor. imp. "bring". Luke is probably being particular here. Mark has "bring", but Luke's choice of words probably reads "lead".

ean + subj. "if [...... asks]" - Forming a conditional sentence, 3rd. class, where the condition is a possibility, "if, as may be the case, .... then ..."

dia ti "why [are you untying it?]" - because why [are you untying].

ou{twV "-" - thus [you will say].

oJti "-" - that. Here introducing a dependent clause, direct speech.

oJ kurioV autou creian ecei "the Lord needs it" - The Lord of it need has. Jesus is the master of the animal, he is the Lord of it, which legal status Jesus must have organized sometime before by renting it. In Mark, Jesus underlines his intention to return the animal to its owner when its task is completed. Luke drops these words, which possibly indicates that he intends us to look beyond a mere financial arrangement to a miraculous exercise of Jesus' authority. Of course, the miracle by itself is rather pointless, but the whole episode possibly has Old Testament precedence, cf. Gen.49:11-12, Zech.9:9 = Jesus is the authoritative king.

oiJ apestalmenoi pas. part. "those who were sent ahead" - the ones having been sent. The participle functions as a substantive. The sent ones = apostles.

apelqonteV (apercomai) aor. part. "went" - having departed, gone away. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "found". The messengers went off and found the colt", Moffatt.

kaqwV "just as [he had told them]" - just as, even as. Expressing similarity.

luontwn (luw) pres. part. "as they were untying [the colt]" - untying. A genitive absolute participle usually forms a temporal clause, as NIV. "As they were untethering the colt", Moffatt.

kurioi autou "its owners" - the masters of it. Mark has "some people standing there" which presumably means that the owners were not at home, and given Jesus' instructions, Jesus knew the owner would not be at home. Again, Luke possibly wants to emphasize Jesus' authoritative foreknowledge, although "owners" (the plural is a problem) may just mean those who were given the responsibility to watch over the animal until Jesus' disciples arrived to pick it up.

luete (luw) "untying" - loose, release.

eipan (legw) "answered" - say. They, the disciples (plural), respond to the question of the bystanders by repeating Jesus' words. Luke drops Mark's "they let [them] go".

oJti "-" - Introducing a dependent statement, direct speech.

epiriyanteV (epiriptw) aor. part. "threw [their cloaks on]" - having thrown upon. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "they led / brought", as NIV. They obviously did this in place of a saddle. Note that Luke has "garment" rather than Mark's "garments".

de "-" - but, and. Here connective, "and".

poreuomenou (poreuomai) part. gen. "as he went along" - going. The genitive absolute is used to form a temporal clause, "as / while he moved forward."

uJpestrwnnuon (uJpostrwnnuw) imperf. "spread" - spread out, spread under. This seems to be a spontaneous action out of respect for Jesus. Imperfect tense implies continuous action. Note, Luke has dropped Mark's "branches", emphasizing the show of respect.

de "-" - Again connective; "and when ...."

eggizontoV (eggizw) gen. pres. part. "when [he] came near" - coming near, nearing. Again the genitive absolute participle forms a temporal clause, as NIV.

h[dh adv. "-" - now, already. "Even now at the descent of the mount of Olives", AV.

a{pan to plhqoV "the whole crowd [of disciples]" - all the multitude [of disciples]. Emphasizing the great number of followers at this high-pint in Jesus' ministry.

caironteV (cairw) pres. part. "joyfully" - rejoicing. The participle is probably adverbial, modal, expressing how the disciples praised God; "joyfully began to praise God", NJB.

ainein (ainew) pres. inf. "to praise [God]" - The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "began".

peri + gen. "for" - concerning, about. "On account of all the wondrous things they had been witnessing", Cassirer.

dunamewn (dunamiV) "miracles" - mighty works. The signs had made their mark.

legonteV (legw) pres. part. "-" - saying. Attendant circumstance participle, redundant.

euloghmenoV (eulogew) perf. pas. part. "blessed is" - having been blessed. The participle is probably verbal, imperatival; "blessed be the king" = "let the king be blessed."

BasileuV "king" - Luke's addition to Psalm 118:26. A liturgical welcome to pilgrims coming to the temple, but here the welcome is to the royal pilgrim.

oJ ercomenoV (ercomai) pres. part. "who comes" - the one coming. The participle is adjectival, limiting "the king."

en ouranw/ eirhnh kai doxa en uJyistoiV "peace in heaven and gory in the highest" - in heaven peace and glory in highest. Very similar words to 2:14, but here referring to what is about to occur in heaven due to Jesus' death and exaltation, rather than what was about to happen on earth due to Jesus' birth.

epitimhson (epitimaw) imp. "rebuke [your disciples]" - rebuke. The Pharisees are offended by Jesus' royal pretensions. Verses 39-40 are peculiar to Luke, cf. Mk.21:14-16.

apokriqeiV eipen "he replied" - having answered he said. Attendant circumstance participle with the verb, the participle being redundant, as NIV.

ean + fut. ind. "if" - Forming a conditional sentence, 3rd. class, where the condition is a possibility, "if, as may be the case, .... then ...." The use of the future indicative instead of the subjunctive in the protasis is unusual, but occurs sometimes because of the close association between the subjunctive and the future, cf. Zerwick #341.

kraxousin (krazw) fut. "will cry out" - cf. Hab.2:11. This event is so significant that if the disciples failed to respond to it, nature would.

wJV "as" - as, while. Here introducing a temporal clause.

idwn (eidon) aor. part. "and saw" - having seen. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the verb "approached", as NIV.

eklausen ep authn "he wept over it" - he cried over it. cf. Jer.9:1, 14:17, a lament for Zion. "He shed tears over it", Cassirer, NJB.

legwn (legw) pres. part. "and said" - saying. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying "cried"; "he cried and said."

oJti "-" - that. Introducing a dependent statement, direct speech.

ei + ind. "if" - Forming an unfulfilled conditional sentence (without the apodosis), 1st class, where the condition is assumed to be true, "if, as is the case."

egnwV (ginwskw) aor. "[if] you .... had only known" - if you knew. The "you" is singular = Jerusalem, but of course the city represents the people and so the prophecy which concerns Jerusalem, in like manner concerns the people of Israel. Note how the city is personified in "if only you hand known". Know what? Obviously, what could save them from the coming day of judgment, v43-44. "if you had understood the significance of this day, a day that leads judgment, [then you would repent in sackcloth and ashes]."

en th/ hJmera/ tauth/ "on this day" - in day this. The day may be the coming day of the Lord, rather than the day of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, although in the eschatology of the NT it all merges into one.

nun de ekrubh apo ofqalmwn sou "but now it is hidden from your eyes" - Spiritual blindness is a consequence of a failure to believe, rather than the capricious act of a sovereign God. Only those with eyes to see (ie. look with eyes of faith), see.

oJti "-" - Here expressing cause/reason; "for a time will come upon you", REB.

parembalousin (paremballw) fut. "will build" - build. More particularly "will insert/interpose"

caraka (carax) "an embankment" - a siege ramp against Jerusalem's city wall.

perikuklwsousin (perikuklow) "encircle" - they will surround. For siege purposes a wall is often built around the city by the attackers. All this occurred during the Jewish rebellion leading to the capture and destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman legions.

ton kairon thV episkophV sou "the time of God's coming to you" - the time of the visitation of you. The people did not recognize hJ hJmera "the day", the day of hJ episkoph "the coming / visitation" of God. As the prophets often tried to explain to the people of Israel on numerous occasions, the day of the Lord is not good news because it is the day of his coming in judgment. Repentance is the only way to stand in this day. This day is now since it is realized in Christ. Christ's generation were to witness the reality of this "now" in the destruction of Jerusalem, a destruction which is a judgment of God caused by the failure of his people to recognize salvation in the person of Jesus.

Luke Introduction

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