---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Luke 19"
description: "CHAPTER 19   :-. ZACCHEUS THE
PUBLICAN. The name is Jewish. 2-4. chief among the
publicans—farming a considerable district, with others under
him. rich—Il"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/19"
---

CHAPTER 19

. ZACCHEUS THE
PUBLICAN.
The name is Jewish.

**2-4. chief among the
publicans**—farming a considerable district, with others under
him.
**rich**—Ill-gotten riches
some of it certainly was. (See on .)

**3. who he was**—what sort of
person. *Curiosity* then was his only motive, though his
determination not to be baulked was overruled for more than he
sought.

**4. sycamore**—the Egyptian fig,
with leaves like the mulberry.

**5, 6. looked up,**—in the full
knowledge of who was in the tree, and preparatory to addressing him.
**Zaccheus**—whom he had
never seen in the flesh, nor probably heard of. "He calleth His
own sheep *by name* and leadeth them out" ().
**make haste, and come down**—to
which he literally responded—"he made haste and came down."
**for to-day,** &c.—Our
Lord *invites Himself,* and in "royal" style, which
waits not for invitations, but as the honor is done to the subject,
not the sovereign, announces the purpose of royalty to partake of the
subject's hospitalities. Manifestly our Lord speaks as knowing how
the privilege would be appreciated.
**to-day . . . abide**—(Compare
[John 1:39](../../../kjv/john/1/39)), probably over night.

**6. joyfully**—Whence this so
sudden "joy" in the cold bosom of an avaricious publican?
The internal revolution was as perfect as instantaneous. "He
spake and it was done." "Then shall the lame man leap as an
hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing" ().

**7. to be guest**—or *lodge:*
something more than "eating with" such ().
**a sinner**—that was one
but a minute ago, but now is not. This mighty change, however, was
all unknown to them. But they shall know it presently. "Sinner"
would refer both to his office, vile in the eyes of a Jew, and to his
character, which it is evident was not good.

**8-10. stood**—before all.
**said unto the Lord, Behold,
Lord**—Mark how frequently Luke uses this title, and always where
lordly *authority, dignity,* or *power* is intended.
**if I have**—that is, "so
far as I have," for evidently the "if" is so used (as
in [Philippians 4:8](../../../kjv/philippians/4/8)).
**taken by false
accusation**—defrauded, overcharged ([Luke 3:12](../../../kjv/luke/3/12);
[Luke 3:13](../../../kjv/luke/3/13)).
**fourfold**—The Roman law
required this; the Jewish law, but the principal and a fifth more ([Luke 3:13](../../../kjv/luke/3/13)). There was no *demand* made for either; but, as if to
revenge himself on his hitherto reigning sin (see on [Luke 3:13](../../../kjv/luke/3/13)), and to testify the change he had experienced, besides
surrendering the half of his *fair* gains to the poor, he
voluntarily determines to give up all that was ill-gotten,
quadrupled. He gratefully addressed this to the "Lord," to
whom he owed the wonderful change.

**9. Jesus said unto him**—but
also before all.
**This day,** c.—memorable
saying! Salvation already come, but not a day old.
**to this house**—so
expressed probably to meet the taunt, "He is gone to be guest,"
&c. The house is no longer polluted it is now fit to receive Me.
But *salvation to a house* is an exceedingly precious idea,
expressing the new air that would henceforth breathe in it, and the
new impulses from its head which would reach its members ([Psalms 118:15](../../../kjv/psalms/118/15);
[Acts 16:15](../../../kjv/acts/16/15); [Acts 16:16](../../../kjv/acts/16/16);
[Acts 16:31](../../../kjv/acts/16/31)).
**son of Abraham**—He was
that by birth, but here it means a partaker of his *faith,*
being mentioned as the sufficient explanation of *salvation*
having come to him.

**10. lost**—and such "lost"
ones as this Zaccheus. (See on .) What encouragement is there in this narrative to hope for
unexpected conversions?
. PARABLE OF THE
POUNDS.
A different parable from that of
the Talents (). For, (1) This parable was spoken "when He was
*nigh* to Jerusalem" (); that one, some days after entering it, and from the Mount
of Olives. (2) This parable was spoken to the promiscuous crowd;
that, to the Twelve alone. Accordingly, (3) Besides the "servants"
in this parable, who profess subjection to Him, there is a class of
"citizens" who refuse to own Him, and who are treated
differently, whereas in the parable of the talents, spoken to the
*former* class alone, this latter class is omitted. (4) In the
Talents, each servant receives a different number of them (five, two,
one); in the Pounds all receive the same one pound, which is but
about the sixtieth part of a talent; also, in the talents, each shows
the same fidelity by doubling what he received (the five are made
ten; the two, four); in the Pounds, each receiving the same, render a
*different* return (one making his pound ten, another five).
Plainly, therefore, the intended lesson is different; the one
illustrating *equal fidelity with different degrees of advantage;*
the other, *different degrees of improvement of the same
opportunities;* yet with all this difference, the parables are
remarkably similar.

**12. a far country**—said to put
down the notion that He was just on His way to set up His kingdom,
and to inaugurate it by His personal presence.
**to receive . . . a kingdom**—be
invested with royalty; as when Herod went to Rome and was there made
king; a striking expression of what our Lord went away for and
received, "sitting down at the right hand of the Majesty on
high."
**to return**—at His second
coming.

**13. Occupy**—"negotiate,"
"do business," with the resources entrusted.

**14. his citizens**—His proper
subjects; meaning the Jews, who expressly repudiating our Lord's
claims said, "We have no king but Cæsar" (). In Christendom, these correspond to infidel rejecters of
Christianity, as distinguished from professed Christians.

**15-26.** (See on .)
**ten . . . five
cities**—different degrees of future gracious reward,
proportioned to the measure of present fidelity.

**27. bring hither,** c.—(Compare
[1 Samuel 15:32](../../../kjv/1-samuel/15/32) [1 Samuel 15:33](../../../kjv/1-samuel/15/33)).
Referring to the awful destruction of Jerusalem, but pointing to the
final destruction of all that are found in open rebellion against
Christ.
[1 Samuel 15:33](../../../kjv/1-samuel/15/33). CHRIST'S
TRIUMPHANT ENTRY
INTO JERUSALEM AND
TEARS OVER IT.
(See on [1 Samuel 15:33](../../../kjv/1-samuel/15/33).)

**29-38. Bethphage**—"house
of figs," a village which with Bethany lay along the further
side of Mount Olivet, east of Jerusalem.

**30. whereon,** &c.—(See on
).

**31. the Lord hath need,** &c.—He
both knew all and had the key of the human heart. (See on .) Perhaps the owner was a disciple.

**29-38. Bethphage**—"house
of figs," a village which with Bethany lay along the further
side of Mount Olivet, east of Jerusalem.

**35. set Jesus on**—He allowing
this, as befitting the *state* He was for the first and only
time assuming.

**29-38. Bethphage**—"house
of figs," a village which with Bethany lay along the further
side of Mount Olivet, east of Jerusalem.

**37. whole multitude,** &c.—The
language here is very grand, intended to express a burst of
admiration far wider and deeper than ever had been witnessed before.

**38. Blessed*****be*****the King,** c.—Mark ([Mark 11:9](../../../kjv/mark/11/9)
[Mark 11:10](../../../kjv/mark/11/10)) more fully, "Hosanna,"
that is, "*Save now,*" the words of [Mark 11:10](../../../kjv/mark/11/10), which were understood to refer to Messiah; and so they
add, "to the Son of David, blessed is He that cometh in the name
of the Lord ([Psalms 118:26](../../../kjv/psalms/118/26)),
Hosanna in the highest." This was the very loftiest style in
which He could be saluted as the promised Deliverer.
**peace,** &c.—(See on
[Luke 2:13](../../../kjv/luke/2/13)).

**40. the stones,** c.—Hitherto
the Lord had discouraged all demonstrations in His favor latterly He
had *begun* an opposite course; on this one occasion He seems to
yield His whole soul to the wide and deep acclaim with a mysterious
satisfaction, regarding it as *so necessary* a part of the regal
dignity in which as Messiah He for this last time entered the city,
that if not offered by the vast multitude, it would have been *wrung
out of the stones* rather than be withheld ().

**41-44. when beheld . . .
wept**—Compare [Lamentations 3:51](../../../kjv/lamentations/3/51),
"Mine eye affecteth mine heart"; the heart again affecting
the eye. Under this sympathetic law of the relation of mind and body,
Jesus, in His beautiful, tender humanity, was constituted even as we.
What a contrast to the immediately preceding profound joy! He yielded
Himself alike freely to both. (See on [Lamentations 3:51](../../../kjv/lamentations/3/51).)

**42. at least in this,** &c.—even
at this moving moment. (See on .)
**thy peace**—thinking
perhaps of the name of the city. () [WEBSTER and
WILKINSON]. How much is
included in this word!
**now . . . hid**—It was
His among His *last* open efforts to "gather them,"
but their eyes were judicially closed.

**43. a trench**—a rampart; first
of wood, and when this was burnt, a built wall, four miles in
circuit, built in three days—so determined were they. This "cut
off all hope of escape," and consigned the city to unparalleled
horrors. (See JOSEPHUS,
*Wars of the Jews,* 6.2; 12.3,4.) All here predicted was with
dreadful literally fulfilled.
. SECOND
CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE
AND SUBSEQUENT
TEACHING.

**41-44. when beheld . . .
wept**—Compare [Lamentations 3:51](../../../kjv/lamentations/3/51),
"Mine eye affecteth mine heart"; the heart again affecting
the eye. Under this sympathetic law of the relation of mind and body,
Jesus, in His beautiful, tender humanity, was constituted even as we.
What a contrast to the immediately preceding profound joy! He yielded
Himself alike freely to both. (See on [Lamentations 3:51](../../../kjv/lamentations/3/51).)

**45, 46.** As the *first*
cleansing was on His first visit to Jerusalem (), so this second cleansing was on His last.
**den of thieves**—banded
together for plunder, reckless of principle. The mild term "house
of merchandise," used on the former occasion, was now
unsuitable.

**47. sought**—continued seeking,
that is, daily, as He taught.

**48. were very attentive to hear
him**—hung upon His words.

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