Luca 19:47 Commento

In this chapter we have, I. The conversion of Zaccheus the publican at Jericho (Luk 19:1-10). II. The parable of the pounds which the king entrusted with his servants, and of his rebellious citizens (v. 11-27). III. Christ's riding in triumph (such triumph as it was) into Jerusalem; and his lamentation in prospect of the ruin of that city (v. 28-44). IV. His teaching in the temple, and casting the buyers and sellers out of it (Luk 19:45-48).

And Jesus entered, and passed through Jericho. Though the word "Jesus" is not in the original text it is rightly supplied in our version; as it is also in the Syriac, Persic, Ethiopic versions; for of him the words are manifestly spoken: after he had healed the blind man he met with near to Jericho, he entered into it, but made no stay in it, passed through it at once without stopping, though a very populous city; but here he had no work, either to perform miracles, or to convert sinners; though both, before he entered, and after he passed through it. And Jesus entered, and passed through Jericho. Though the word "Jesus" is not in the original text it is rightly supplied in our version; as it is also in the Syriac, Persic, Ethiopic versions; for of him the words are manifestly spoken: after he had healed the blind man he met with near to Jericho, he entered into it, but made no stay in it, passed through it at once without stopping, though a very populous city; but here he had no work, either to perform miracles, or to convert sinners; though both, before he entered, and after he passed through it. Luke 19:2 luk 19:2 luk 19:2 luk 19:2And behold there was a man named Zacchaeus,.... Or "Zaccai", a name in use among the Jews; see Ezr 2:9. We often read of , "Rabbi Zaccai", or "Zacchaeus" (a), and very frequently of R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, a famous doctor that lived in the times of Christ, and even till after the destruction of Jerusalem. The Jews also make mention of one R. Zaccai, a prince of the seed of David the king, in later times (b). So that this man, as appears by his name, was a Jew, though some have thought him to have been a Gentile (c), perhaps because of his employment: but it does not follow from thence; for there were Jews that were publicans, as Levi, or Matthew, afterwards one of Christ's disciples; and also in Jewish writings, mention is made, as of , "a stranger", or "a Gentile publican" (d), so likewise of , "an Israelite publican" (e); and such an one was Zacchaeus, as follows: which was chief among the publicans; the head of them in that place, to whom the rest brought the tax, tribute, or toll; he was the receiver general of the tax: at the toll booths, at bridges, for people's going over the water, there was , "the greater publican", and , "the lesser publican" (f), who was deputy to the other. What sort of tax Zacchaeus was concerned in collecting, is not certain; however, he was a principal man in this employ, and had got great riches by it. And he was rich; was a person of figure among the publicans, and of substance, which he had gained in his post. And though the instances of rich men being called by grace are few, yet there have been some; and the rather this circumstance is mentioned, because it had been observed in the preceding chapter, how difficult, but not impossible, as this instance proves, it was for rich men to enter into the kingdom of God. (a) T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 27. 2. & Yebamot, fol. 77. 2. Nazir, fol. 38. 1. & Nidda, fol. 41. 2. & Juchasin, fol. 90. 2. (b) R. Benjamin Itinerar. p. 61, 94. (c) Tertull. contr. Marcion. l. 4. c. 37. (d) T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 113. 1. (e) Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 10. sect. 1. (f) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 78. 2.

Now from what Christ had said and done it was meet that men should worship Him as God, but far from doing this, they sought to slay Him; as it follows, But the chief priests and scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him.

As one who possessed authority over the temple, he took care of it.… Their duty was to worship him, as One who with God the Father was Lord of the temple. In their great folly, they did not do this, but rather being savagely eager for hatred, they set up the sharp sting of wickedness against him and hurried to murder, which is the neighbor and brother of envy. It says that they sought to destroy him but could not, because all the people were hanging on him to hear him. Does this not make the punishment of the scribes and Pharisees, and all the rulers of the Jewish ranks, heavier? The whole people, consisting of unlearned persons, hung upon the sacred doctrines and drank the saving word like the rain. They were ready to produce the fruits of faith and place their neck under his commandments. They who had the position to urge on their people to this very thing savagely rebelled and wickedly sought the opportunity for murder. With unbridled violence, they ran upon the rocks, not accepting the faith and wickedly hindering others.

But because our Redeemer does not withhold the words of preaching even from the unworthy and ungrateful, after he maintained the vigor of discipline by casting out the perverse, he soon showed the gift of grace. For it is added: "And he was teaching daily in the temple." We have run through these things briefly, treating them according to the historical sense. But because against all these perverse things we are ceaselessly instructed by the words of our Redeemer through the sacred pages, what is reported to have been done is still being done now, when it says: "And he was teaching daily in the temple." For when he subtly instructs the mind of the faithful to guard against evils, Truth teaches daily in the temple. But we must know that we are truly instructed by the words of truth if we look upon our final evils with fear and without ceasing, according to what is said by a certain wise man: "In all your works remember your last end, and you will never sin." Indeed, we ought to consider daily what we have heard from the voice of our same Redeemer: "If only on this day of yours you knew the things that are for your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes." For while the strict Judge waits and does not yet extend his hand in striking, while there seems to be a certain security of time before the retribution of final vengeance, we ought to consider the evil that follows, and considering it, groan; groaning, avoid it; and look upon the sins we have committed without ceasing; looking upon them, weep; and weeping, wipe them away. Let no joy of passing prosperity dissolve us, nor let transitory things obstruct the eyes of our mind, nor lead us blind to the fire. For if it be considered strictly, from the mouth of Truth it is known how weighty is the reproach, when it is said to the negligent one who does not look ahead to future things: "If only on this day of yours you knew the things that are for your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes."

(Hom. 39. in Ev.) And these make the house of God a den of thieves, because when corrupt men hold religious offices, they slay with the sword of their wickedness their neighbours, whom they ought to raise to life by the intercession of their prayers. The temple also is the soul of the faithful, which if it put forth corrupt thoughts to the injury of a neighbour, then is it become as it were a lurking place of thieves. But when the soul of the faithful is wisely instructed to shun evil, truth teaches daily in the temple.

(Hom. 39. in Ev.) But our Redeemer does not withdraw His word of preaching even from the unworthy and ungrateful. Accordingly after having by the ejection of the corrupt maintained the strictness of discipline, He now pours forth the gifts of grace. For it follows, And he was teaching daily in the temple.

And he was teaching daily in the temple. We briefly run through these things according to history, now let us repeat the same to be discussed with moral understanding. Seeing the city, he wept over it, saying: Because if you also had known. This he did once when he announced that the city was destined to perish. This our Redeemer in no way ceases to do daily through his chosen ones, when he considers that some have gone from a good life to reprobate morals. For he weeps for those who do not know why they are wept for, since according to the words of Solomon, they rejoice to do evil, and exult in wicked things (Proverbs II). For if they knew the damnation that threatens them, they would weep for their sins with tears. Truly, in this your day, which is for your peace. The perverse soul has its day here, which rejoices in a fleeting time. To whom the present things are for peace, because while it rejoices in temporal things, while it is exalted by honors, while it is dissolved in the will of the flesh, while it is not terrified by the fear of future punishment, it has peace in its day, which will have the grievous scandal of its damnation on another day. For there it is to be afflicted where the just will rejoice. But now they are hidden from your eyes. The perverse soul, given to present things, dissolved in earthly pleasures, hides from itself the evils that will follow, because it refuses to foresee the future, which disturbs present joy. And while it forsakes itself in the delight of this present life, what else does it do but go to fire with closed eyes? Because days will come upon you, and your enemies will encircle you with a palisade. Who are greater enemies to the human soul than evil spirits? who besiege it when it leaves the body, which they nurture with deceptive delights placed in the love of the flesh. They encircle it with a palisade, because recalling its iniquities, which it has committed, before its mind's eyes, they constrict it, dragging it to the society of their damnation. And they will encircle you, and press you in on every side. Evil spirits press the soul on every side, when they not only repeat the iniquities of deeds, but also of speech and moreover of thoughts, so that the soul, which previously expanded itself greatly in wickedness, in the end may be distressed about all in retribution. And they will dash you to the ground, and your children within you. Then the soul is dashed to the ground by the recognition of its guilt, when the flesh which it believed to be its life, is urged to return to dust. Then they fall at the death of his son, when illicit thoughts that now proceed from her are dispersed in the ultimate vengeance of life, as it is written: On that day all their thoughts will perish. These hard thoughts, indeed, can also be understood by the symbolism of stones. For it follows: And they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you. For when a perverse mind adds perversion to perverse thought, what else does it do but place stone upon stone? But in a destroyed city no stone is left upon a stone because when the soul is led to its vengeance, all the construction of its thoughts is scattered. Because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. Omnipotent God also habitually visits a perverse soul in many ways. For he constantly visits it with a precept, sometimes with a scourge, sometimes indeed with a miracle, so that it may both hear the truths it did not know and, while still proud and disdainful, either return compuncted by pain or be ashamed of the evil it has done, conquered by benefits. But because it does not recognize the time of its visitation, at the end of life it is handed over to those enemies with whom it is bound in the society of eternal judgement of its own damnation. And entering the temple, he began to drive out those who were selling in it and those who were buying. Just as the temple of God is in the city, so in the faithful people is the life of the religious. And often some assume the habit of religion, but while they perceive the place of sacred orders, they attribute the duty of holy religion to the commerce of earthly negotiations. For those who are selling in the temple are those who grant to some as a reward what is rightfully theirs. Indeed, to sell justice is to keep it for the sake of receiving a reward. But those who are buying in the temple are those who, while unwilling to render to their neighbor what is just, and while scorning to do what is rightfully due, buy sin by giving a reward to patrons. To whom it is rightly said: My house is a house of prayer. But you have made it a den of thieves. Because when sometimes perverse men hold a place of religion, they kill with the swords of their malice where they ought to have revitalized their neighbors by the intercession of their prayer. The mind and conscience of the faithful is also the temple and house of God, which, if it brings forth perverse thoughts in harming the neighbor, is like a den where thieves reside and they kill those who walk simply when they strike with the swords of harm against those innocent in any way. For the mind of the faithful is no longer a house of prayer but a den of thieves when, leaving behind innocence and the simplicity of holiness, it strives to do that from which it can harm its neighbors. But because we are endlessly instructed against all these perverse things by the words of our Redeemer through the sacred pages, now this is happening which is said to have been done, when it is said:

And he was teaching daily in the temple. For when he skillfully instructs the minds of the faithful to guard against evil, Truth teaches daily in the temple.

But the chief priests, and the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy him, and they did not find what they might do to him. Either because he taught daily in the temple, or because he had cast out the thieves from the temple, or because when he came as King and Lord, he received the praise of a heavenly hymn from such a great throng of believers, the envious leaders sought to destroy him.

Either because He daily taught in the temple, or because He had cast the thieves therefrom, or that coming thereto as King and Lord, He was greeted with the honour of a heavenly hymn of praise.

The conversion of Zaccheus, Luk 19:1-10. The parable of the nobleman, his ten servants, and the ten pounds, vv. 11-27. Christ sends his disciples for a colt on which he rides into Jerusalem, Luk 19:28-40. He weeps over the city, and foretells its destruction, Luk 19:41-44. Goes into the temple, and casts out the buyers and sellers, Luk 19:45, Luk 19:46. The chief priests and the scribes seek to destroy him, but are afraid of the people, who hear him attentively, Luk 19:47, Luk 19:48.

And he taught daily in the temple - This he did for five or six days before his crucifixion. Some suppose that it was on Monday in the passion week that he thus entered into Jerusalem, and purified the temple; and on Thursday he was seized late at night: during these four days he taught in the temple, and lodged each night at Bethany. See the note on Mat 21:17.

ZACCHEUS THE PUBLICAN. (Luk 19:1-10) chief among the publicans--farming a considerable district, with others under him. rich--Ill-gotten riches some of it certainly was. (See on Luk 19:8.)

sought--continued seeking, that is, daily, as He taught.