Luke 19 Commentary
The journey to Jerusalem continues. Today the LORD Jesus is passing through Jericho. We all remember the Sunday school story of Zacchaeus. Another tax collector. We also know this chapter won’t finish without featuring the Pharisees.
Zacchaeus is on the hunt. He wants to see Jesus. Most importantly, Jesus wants to see him. He came for individuals like him. Zacchaeus models the tax collector at the temple who beat his chest, considering himself unworthy of God’s generosity.
Jesus declares Zacchaeus as Abraham’s son. We thought all Israelites were children of Abraham!
The parable of the minas has several threads of information. Jesus is of noble birth – He is the son of David. It is a physical representation of God’s ultimate rule.
He comes to His coronation but His subjects reject Him. But the subjects don’t have the final say. He is king (the King) regardless of what His subjects say or do. After His coronation, He goes back but must return at some point.
The subjects are actually different from His servants.
Between His coronation and His return, the servants are given tasks.
When the King returns, two things will happen. First, the servants will have to give reports. Second, the subjects who rejected the King will be punished by death.
Is Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem the coronation that Jesus referred to? “The whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’”
The disciples’ exclamation is the servants’ reaction to the King’s coronation. The subjects’ reaction to the King’s coronation is represented by the reaction of the Pharisees: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
Look at it again and see that the parable of the minas isn’t a parable at all! The LORD Jesus foretold the events that would happen within hours. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to rebuke His disciples because they knew exactly what the disciples meant by quoting Psalm 118 verse 26.
Check Psalm 118 and see how the stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone. And it was the doing of the LORD. These were big words coming from the disciples (the servants) and the Pharisees (the subjects) knew this play made them look very bad.
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Verse 40. This coronation would proceed regardless. Whether the servants (disciples) occasioned it or not didn’t matter. It didn’t matter whether the subjects (Pharisees) rejected the king or not. Jesus is king (King) regardless.
In their midst was the bringer of peace – Peace itself (Isaiah 9: The Prince of Peace). But who cares? Little wonder that the LORD Jesus reflects deeply and weeps over the city of Jerusalem. The consequences for rejecting the King are dire.
The chapter closes with Jesus at the Temple driving out foreign objects from the Temple courts. From this moment, the LORD’s house shall be a house of prayer.
Job done! Jesus must return home for a while. But the Pharisees and the scribes must provide the air ticket. They must kill him! Can you win against God?
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