Luke, Chapter 19, verses 1-27
1 Zaccheus Converted, 11 Parable of Money Usage1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. 3 Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into aasycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 And he hurried and came down and received Himbgladly. 7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gonecto be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions Idwill give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, Iewill give back four times as much.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” | |
11 While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. 12 So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. 13 And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them tenfminas and said to them, ‘Do business with thisguntil I come back.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sentha delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done. 16 The first appeared, saying, ‘iMaster, yourjmina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ 18 The second came, saying, ‘Yourkmina,lmaster, has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He *said to him, ‘mBy your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’ 24 Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’ 26 I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 27 But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” |
Read more:Luke, Chapter 19
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19:1 He passed through Jericho - So that Zaccheus must have lived near the end of the town: the tree was in the town itself.And he was rich - These words seem to refer to the discourse in the last chapter, Luk 18:24-27, particularly to Luk 18:27.Zaccheus is a proof, that it is possible by the power of God for even a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
19:2 The chief of the publicans - What we would term, commissioner of the customs. A very honourable as well as profitable place.
19:4 And running before - With great earnestness. He climbed up - Notwithstanding his quality: desire conquering honour and shame.
19:5 Jesus said, Zaccheus, make haste and come down - What a strange mixture of passions must Zaccheus have now felt, hearing one speak, as knowing both his name and his heart!
19:7 They all murmured - All who were near: though most of them rather out of surprise than indignation.
19:8 And Zaccheus stood - Showing by his posture, his deliberate, purpose and ready mind, and said, Behold, Lord, I give - I determine to do it immediately.
19:9 He also is a son of Abraham - A Jew born, and as such has a right to the first offer of salvation.
19:10 Mat 18:11.
19:11 They thought the kingdom of God - A glorious temporal kingdom, would immediately appear.
19:12 He went into a far country to receive a kingdom - Christ went to heaven, to receive his sovereign power as wan, even all authority in heaven and earth. Mat 25:14; Mar 13:34.
19:13 Trade till I come - To visit the nation, to destroy Jerusalem, to judge the world: or, in a more particular sense, to require thy soul of thee.
19:14 But his citizens - Such were those of Jerusalem, hated him, and sent an embassy after him - The word seems to imply, their sending ambassadors to a superior court, to enter their protest against his being admitted to the regal power. In such a solemn manner did the Jews protest, as it were, before God, that Christ should not reign over them: this man - So they call him in contempt.
19:15 When he was returned - In his glory.
19:23 With interest - Which does not appear to be contrary to any law of God or man. But this is no plea for usury, that is, the taking such interest as implies any degree of oppression or extortion.
19:25 They said - With admiration, not envy.
19:26 Mat 25:29; Luk 8:18.
19:27 He went before - The foremost of the company, showing his readiness to suffer.