Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
Study note
In Jericho, the wealthy chief tax collector Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus. Jesus looks up and invites Himself to Zacchaeus' house, scandalizing the crowd. Zacchaeus responds with radical generosity: half his goods to the poor and fourfold restoration to anyone he has cheated. Jesus declares that salvation has come to this house, for the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. This story embodies the gospel Luke has been telling: Jesus seeks out the most despised and transforms them through grace.
1 Jesus arrived in Jericho and was making his way through town. And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 A man there named Zacchaeus was the head tax collector for the area, and he was quite wealthy. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 He was trying hard to catch a glimpse of Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 So he sprinted ahead and scrambled up a sycamore tree along the route Jesus was taking. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 When Jesus reached that spot, he looked up into the tree and said, "Zacchaeus, get down here quick! I need to stay at your house today." And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 Zacchaeus hurried down from the tree and welcomed Jesus with great excitement. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 But the crowd started grumbling: "He is going to be the guest of a notorious sinner." And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 Zacchaeus stood up and announced to the Lord, "Lord, I am giving half of everything I own to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I will pay them back four times the amount." And Zacchæus 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.
9 Jesus said, "Today, salvation has come to this house. This man is a true son of Abraham too." And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 "The Son of Man came for this exact reason -- to find and rescue people who are lost." For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
The Parable of the Ten Minas
Study note
Because they are near Jerusalem and people expect the kingdom to appear immediately, Jesus tells of a nobleman who goes to receive a kingdom and entrusts ten servants with ten minas. On his return, he rewards those who invested faithfully with authority over cities, rebukes the one who hid his mina out of fear, and punishes the citizens who rejected his rule. This parable teaches that Jesus' followers must be faithful stewards during His absence and that there will be a reckoning when He returns.
11 They were close to Jerusalem. People thought God's kingdom was about to appear at any moment. So Jesus told one more story. 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.
12 He said, "A nobleman had to travel far away to receive his kingship. Then he planned to come back." He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 "Before leaving, he called ten of his servants. He gave each one a sum of money and said, 'Put this to work and grow it until I return.'" And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
14 "But his own citizens hated him and sent a message after him: 'We refuse to have this man rule over us.'" But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
15 "After receiving his kingship, the nobleman returned home. He called in the servants he had given money to, wanting to hear how much profit each had earned." 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.
16 "The first servant reported, 'Sir, your money earned ten times more.' " Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
17 "The king replied, 'Outstanding job! You proved you could be trusted with something small, so now you will govern ten cities.'" And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
18 "The second servant came and said, 'Sir, your money earned five times more.'" And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19 "The king told him, 'Excellent -- you will be in charge of five cities.'" And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
20 "Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your money back. I kept it wrapped up safe in a cloth.'" And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
21 "'I was scared of you because you are a harsh man. You collect what you did not invest and reap harvests where you did not plant.'" 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.
22 "The king responded, 'Your own words condemn you, you worthless servant! You knew I was a demanding man who takes what he did not invest and reaps where he did not plant.'" 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:
23 "'Then why did you not at least deposit my money in the bank so it could have earned interest while I was gone?'" Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
24 "He told the people standing nearby, 'Take his money and hand it to the servant who earned ten times more.'" And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
25 "(They protested, 'But sir, he already has ten times what he started with!')" (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
26 "'This is the principle: people who make the most of what they have will be given even more. But people who do nothing with what they have will lose even that.'" 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.
27 "'Now, as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king -- bring them here and execute them in front of me.'" But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Study note
Jesus sends disciples to bring a colt, rides it into Jerusalem as the whole crowd of disciples joyfully praises God for all His mighty works, crying 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!' When Pharisees demand Jesus silence them, He replies that if they were silent, the stones themselves would cry out. Jesus deliberately fulfills the prophecy of a humble king entering Jerusalem, publicly claiming His royal identity.
28 After telling this story, Jesus kept walking. He headed up the road toward Jerusalem. And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.
29 When he got close to Bethphage and Bethany, near the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 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,
30 He told them, "Go into the village just ahead. As soon as you walk in, you will see a young donkey tied up that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me." 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.
31 "If anyone asks why you are taking it, say, 'The Lord needs it.'" And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
32 The two disciples went and found everything exactly as Jesus had described. And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
33 While they were untying the young donkey, the owners asked them, "Hey, why are you untying that donkey?" And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
34 They answered, "The Lord needs it." And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 They brought the donkey to Jesus, threw their coats over its back, and helped Jesus climb on. And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road in front of him. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
37 When he reached the point where the road starts going down the Mount of Olives, the entire crowd of disciples erupted with joy. They praised God at the top of their lungs for all the incredible miracles they had witnessed. 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;
38 They shouted, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! There is peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
39 Some Pharisees in the crowd complained, "Teacher, tell your followers to stop saying these things." And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 Jesus answered, "Let me tell you -- if they stopped, the rocks along this road would start shouting." And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem
Study note
As Jesus approaches the city, He weeps over it, mourning that Jerusalem does not recognize the things that belong to its peace. He prophesies its coming destruction: enemies will surround it, level it to the ground, and not leave one stone upon another, because it did not recognize the time of God's visitation. This is one of the most poignant moments in Luke, revealing Jesus' deep grief over those who reject His salvation.
41 As Jesus got closer and the city came into full view, he started crying over it. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 He said, "If only you could see, even now, what would bring you real peace! But you are completely blind to 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.
43 "A time is coming when your enemies will build walls around you. They will close in on you and squeeze you from every side." 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,
44 "They will flatten you and your people to the ground. They will not leave a single stone standing on top of another, all because you failed to recognize the moment when God came to save you." 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.
Cleansing the Temple
Study note
Jesus enters the temple and drives out the merchants, declaring that God's house should be a house of prayer but has been made a den of thieves. He then teaches daily in the temple while the chief priests and scribes seek to destroy Him but cannot because the people hang on every word He says. The cleansing marks Jesus' prophetic authority over the temple and triggers the final phase of opposition from the religious leaders.
45 Then Jesus walked into the temple and started throwing out the people who were buying and selling there. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
46 He told them, "The Scriptures say, 'My house will be a place for prayer,' but you have turned it into a hideout for crooks." Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
47 Every day after that, he taught at the temple. The chief priests, religion teachers, and leading citizens were scheming to get rid of him. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
48 But they could not figure out how to do it because all the people hung on every word he spoke. And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.