Luke 19

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

And he ran 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 saw him, 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, That he was gone to be guest 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 taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

And they that were sent went their way, 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 cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

And when he was come nigh, even now 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 that they had seen;

Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

And shall lay thee even with 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 went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,

And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

What does Luke 19:43 mean?

Explanation

Luke 19:43 is a verse where Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem.

The "days that shall come upon thee" refers to a future time when the city of Jerusalem will face a siege by its enemies.

The "trench" is likely referring to a siege works or military embankment.

The image of the city being surrounded and besieged is a literal representation of warfare at the time and also serves as a symbolic warning of the dire consequences that await the city and its inhabitants because of their failure to recognize the time of God's coming to them through Jesus.

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Historical Context

The verse is part of a larger passage in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus approaches Jerusalem, weeps for it, and prophesies its destruction (Luke 19:41-44).

Historically, this prophecy anticipates the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman legions under the command of Titus in 70 AD, during the First Jewish–Roman War.

The events of 70 AD are a stark fulfillment of this prophecy, as the Romans indeed built a circumvallation, or a wall around Jerusalem, to cut off supplies and force surrender.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse can be interpreted in different ways:

Judgment and Consequences: It is often seen as a reflection of divine judgment upon the people for not recognizing Jesus as the Messiah.
Fulfillment of Prophecy: Some theologians may view it as one of the instances where Jesus fulfills the role of a prophet by foretelling future events.
A Call to Repentance: This could also be interpreted as a call to repentance, as the destruction could have been averted had the people recognized and accepted Jesus.

Practical Applications

This verse serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and discernment in recognizing spiritual truth and responding to it appropriately.

It is a caution against complacency and encourages individuals to remain aware of the consequences of their choices, particularly in matters of faith.

Cross-References

Luke 21:20 - "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh."
Matthew 24:15-16 - "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:"

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key terms include:

ἐχθρῶν (echthron): meaning "enemies."
χάρακα (charaka): meaning "trench" or "fortification."
περικυκλώσουσιν (perikyklōsousin): meaning "to surround" or "encompass."

These words convey a sense of enclosure and entrapment, which would be quite familiar to listeners familiar with the military tactics of the time.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The themes of siege and divine judgment found in Luke 19:43 resonate with other ancient cultures and religions, such as the fall of ancient cities like Babylon and the prophecies about them in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).

Siege warfare was a common occurrence and often interpreted as a manifestation of divine will or displeasure in various cultures.

Scientific Perspectives

The construction of siege works and the tactics of encircling a city have been studied by archaeologists and historians, confirming the historical accuracy of such warfare methods during the period.

The references to these military strategies do not directly intersect with modern scientific understandings but provide historical context for the events described.

commentaries

Expert commentaries on this verse generally concur that Jesus is making a prophetic declaration about the consequences of rejecting him.

Campbell Morgan commented on the tragic ignorance of Jerusalem, "blinded by prejudice, and clouded by misunderstanding." Matthew Henry similarly observed the blindness of the Jewish people in recognizing the Messiah and their impending judgment.

John Calvin emphasized the sincere tears of Christ as he lamented over the city, showing Jesus' compassion in the midst of prophesying its destruction.

Luke 19

Luke 19

What does Luke 19:43 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 19:43 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?