Luke 18:15-19:48

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Luke 18:15 tn Grk “they.”
2. Luke 18:15 tn The term βρέφος (brephos) here can refer to babies or to toddlers (2:12, 16; Acts 7:19; 2 Tim 3:15; 1 Pet 2:2).
3. Luke 18:15 tn Grk “so that he would touch them.” Here the touch is connected with (or conveys) a blessing (cf. Mark 10:16; also BDAG 126 s.v. ἅπτω 2.c).
4. Luke 18:15 tn Grk “the disciples began to scold them.” In the translation the referent has been specified as “those who brought them,” since otherwise the statement could be understood to mean that the disciples began scolding the children rather than their parents who brought them.
5. Luke 18:16 tn Grk “summoned them”; the referent (the children) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6. Luke 18:16 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
7. Luke 18:16 sn The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as insignificant.
8. Luke 18:17 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
9. Luke 18:17 sn On receive see John 1:12.
10. Luke 18:17 sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.
11. Luke 18:17 tn The negation in Greek used here (οὐ μή, ou mē) is very strong.
12. Luke 18:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
13. Luke 18:18 tn Grk “a certain ruler.” BDAG 140 s.v. ἄρχων 2.a takes this to be a member of the Sanhedrin, but Bock understands this to be “an influential wealthy man or civic leader who may have been known for his piety” (D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT] 2:1476).sn Only Luke states this man is a leader (cf. the parallels in Matt 19:16-22 and Mark 10:17-22, where the questioner is described only as “someone”). He is probably a civic leader of some kind, a leader in the society.
14. Luke 18:18 sn The rich man wanted to know what he must do to inherit eternal life, but Jesus had just finished teaching that eternal life was not earned but simply received (18:17). See the similar question about inheriting eternal life in Luke 10:25.
15. Luke 18:19 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
16. Luke 18:19 sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the ruler to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.
17. Luke 18:20 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12-16 and Deut 5:16-20. Jesus cited the parts of the ten commandments that relate to how others should be treated.
18. Luke 18:21 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the ruler mentioned in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
19. Luke 18:21 tn Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail throughout his life, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.
20. Luke 18:21 tn Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.sn While the rich man was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, he had confined his righteousness to external obedience. The rich man’s response to Jesus’ command to give away all he had revealed that internally he loved money more than God.
21. Luke 18:21 sn Since my youth. Judaism regarded the age of thirteen as the age when a man would have become responsible to live by God’s commands.
22. Luke 18:22 sn See Luke 14:33.
23. Luke 18:22 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
24. Luke 18:22 sn See Luke 1:50-53; 6:20-23; 14:12-14.
25. Luke 18:22 sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward:…you will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.
26. Luke 18:22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the conversation.
27. Luke 18:23 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
28. Luke 18:23 tn Or “very distressed” (L&N 25.277).
29. Luke 18:24 tc ‡ The phrase περίλυπον γενόμενον (perilupon genomenon, “[When Jesus saw him] becoming sad”) is found in the majority of mss (A [D] W Θ Ψ 078 ƒ¹³ 33^vid M latt sy), and it is not unknown in Lukan style to repeat a word or phrase in adjacent passages (TCGNT 143). However, the phrase is lacking in some significant mss (א B L ƒ¹ 579 1241 2542 co). The shorter reading is nevertheless difficult to explain if it is not autographic: It is possible that these witnesses omitted this phrase out of perceived redundancy from the preceding verse, although intentional omissions, especially by several and varied witnesses, are generally unlikely. NA²⁸ places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.tn Grk “him.”
30. Luke 18:24 sn For the rich it is hard for wealth not to be the point of focus, as the contrast in vv. 28-30 will show, and for rich people to trust God. Wealth was not an automatic sign of blessing as far as Jesus was concerned.
31. Luke 18:24 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. See the note on this phrase in v. 16.
32. Luke 18:25 sn The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle, one of the smallest items one might deal with on a regular basis, in contrast to the biggest animal of the region. (Although the story of a small gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” has been widely circulated and may go back as far as the middle ages, there is no evidence that such a gate ever existed.) Jesus is saying rhetorically that this is impossible, unless God (v. 27) intervenes.
33. Luke 18:26 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of thought.
34. Luke 18:26 sn The assumption is that the rich are blessed, so if they risk exclusion, who is left to be saved?
35. Luke 18:27 sn The term impossible is in the emphatic position in the Greek text. God makes the impossible possible.
36. Luke 18:27 tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποις (anthrōpois) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NASB 1995 update, “people”). Because of the contrast here between mere mortals and God (“impossible for men…possible for God”) the phrase “mere humans” has been used in the translation.
37. Luke 18:28 tn Or “left our homes,” “left our possessions”; Grk “left our own things.” The word ἴδιος (idios) can refer to one’s home (including the people and possessions in it) or to one’s property or possessions. Both options are mentioned in BDAG 467 s.v. 4.b. See also I. H. Marshall, Luke (NIGTC), 688; D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1488.
38. Luke 18:29 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
39. Luke 18:29 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
40. Luke 18:29 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
41. Luke 18:29 tn The term “brothers” could be understood as generic here, referring to either male or female siblings. However, it is noteworthy that in the parallel passages in both Matt 19:29 and Mark 10:29, “sisters” are explicitly mentioned in the Greek text.
42. Luke 18:30 sn Jesus reassures his disciples with a promise that (1) much benefit in this life (many times more) and (2) eternal life in the age to come will be given.
43. Luke 18:30 tn Grk “this time” (καιρός, kairos), but for stylistic reasons this has been translated “this age” here.
44. Luke 18:30 sn Note that Luke (see also Matt 19:29; Mark 10:30; Luke 10:25) portrays eternal life as something one receives in the age to come, unlike John, who emphasizes the possibility of receiving eternal life in the present (John 5:24).
45. Luke 18:31 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
46. Luke 18:31 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
47. Luke 18:31 tn Or “fulfilled.” Jesus goes to Jerusalem by divine plan as the scripture records (Luke 2:39; 12:50; 22:37; Acts 13:29). See Luke 9:22, 44.
48. Luke 18:32 sn The passive voice verb be handed over does not indicate by whom, but other passages note the Jewish leadership and betrayal (9:22, 44).
49. Luke 18:32 sn See Luke 22:63; 23:11, 36.
50. Luke 18:32 tn Or “and insulted.” L&N 33.390 and 88.130 note ὑβρίζω (hubrizō) can mean either “insult” or “mistreat with insolence.”
51. Luke 18:32 sn And spat on. Later Luke does not note this detail in the passion narrative in chaps. 22-23, but see Mark 14:65; 15:19; Matt 26:67; 27:30 where Jesus’ prediction is fulfilled.
52. Luke 18:33 tn Traditionally, “scourge” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1. states, “Of the beating (Lat. verberatio) given those condemned to death…J 19:1; cf. Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33.” Here the term has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (phragelloō) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.
53. Luke 18:33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
54. Luke 18:34 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
55. Luke 18:34 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the twelve, v. 31) has been specified in the context for clarity.
56. Luke 18:34 tn Grk “And this.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
57. Luke 18:34 sn This failure of the Twelve to grasp what Jesus meant probably does not mean that they did not understand linguistically what Jesus said, but that they could not comprehend how this could happen to him, if he was really God’s agent. The saying being hidden probably refers to God’s sovereign timing.
58. Luke 18:34 tn Grk “the things having been said.” The active agent, Jesus, has been specified for clarity, and “said” has been translated as “meant” to indicate that comprehension of the significance is really in view here.
59. Luke 18:35 tn Grk “Now it happened that as.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
60. Luke 18:35 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
61. Luke 18:35 tn The phrase is “he drew near to” (19:29; 24:28). It is also possible the term merely means “is in the vicinity of.” Also possible is a reversal in the timing of the healing and Zacchaeus events for literary reasons as the blind man “sees” where the rich man with everything did not.
62. Luke 18:37 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. “They” could refer to bystanders or people in the crowd.
63. Luke 18:38 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the blind man learning that Jesus was nearby.
64. Luke 18:38 tn Grk “called out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
65. Luke 18:38 sn Jesus was more than a Nazarene to this blind person, who saw quite well that Jesus was Son of David. He understood what Luke 7:22-23 affirms. There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).
66. Luke 18:38 sn Have mercy on me is a request for healing (cf. 17:13). It is not owed the man. He simply asks for God’s kind grace.
67. Luke 18:39 sn That is, those who were at the front of the procession.
68. Luke 18:39 tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.
69. Luke 18:39 sn Public opinion would not sway the blind man from getting Jesus’ attention. The term shouted is strong as it can be used of animal cries.
70. Luke 18:40 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the beggar’s cries.
71. Luke 18:40 tn Grk “ordered him”; the referent (the blind beggar, v. 35) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
72. Luke 18:40 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the beggar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
73. Luke 18:40 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
74. Luke 18:41 tn Grk “said.”
75. Luke 18:41 tn Grk “Lord, that I may see [again].” The phrase can be rendered as an imperative of request, “Please, give me sight.” Since the man is not noted as having been blind from birth (as the man in John 9 was) it is likely the request is to receive back the sight he once had.
76. Luke 18:42 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
77. Luke 18:42 tn Or “Regain” (see the note on the phrase “let me see again” in the previous verse).
78. Luke 18:42 tn Grk “has saved you,” but in a nonsoteriological sense; the man has been delivered from his disability.
79. Luke 18:43 tn Or “received” (see the note on the phrase “let me see again” in v. 41).
80. Luke 18:43 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
81. Luke 18:43 sn The presence of God’s work leads again to joy, with both the beggar and the people praising God (1:64; 2:20; 5:25-26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 19:37).
82. Luke 18:43 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
83. Luke 18:43 tn The word “too” has been supplied for stylistic reasons.
84. Luke 19:1 tn Grk “And entering, he passed through”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
85. Luke 19:2 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of a new character. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
86. Luke 19:2 sn This is the one place in the NT the office of chief tax collector is noted. If the term refers to a managerial rank, this individual would organize and oversee the other tax collectors and collect significant commissions (see also the note on the word tax collector in 3:12). It is possible, however, that in this context the term simply means “major tax collector” and is a comment on the individual’s importance or wealth rather than his rank (see D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT] 1:1516).
87. Luke 19:3 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
88. Luke 19:3 tn Grk “He was trying to see who Jesus was.”
89. Luke 19:3 tn Grk “and he was not able to because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.”
90. Luke 19:4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Zacchaeus not being able to see over the crowd.
91. Luke 19:4 sn A sycamore tree would have large branches near the ground like an oak tree and would be fairly easy to climb. These trees reach a height of some 50 ft (about 15 m).
92. Luke 19:4 tn Grk “that one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
93. Luke 19:5 tc Most mss (A [D] W [Ψ] ƒ¹³ 33^vid M latt) read “Jesus looking up, saw him and said.” The words “saw him and” are not in א B L T Θ ƒ¹ 579 1241 2542 co. Both the testimony for the omission and the natural tendency toward scribal expansion argue for the shorter reading here.
94. Luke 19:5 tn Grk “hastening, come down.” σπεύσας (speusas) has been translated as a participle of manner.
95. Luke 19:5 sn I must stay. Jesus revealed the necessity of his associating with people like Zacchaeus (5:31-32). This act of fellowship indicated acceptance.
96. Luke 19:5 sn On today here and in v. 9, see the note on today in 2:11.
97. Luke 19:6 tn Grk “hastening, he came down.” σπεύσας (speusas) has been translated as a participle of manner.
98. Luke 19:6 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
99. Luke 19:6 tn The participle χαίρων (chairōn) has been taken as indicating manner.sn Zacchaeus responded joyfully. Luke likes to mention joy as a response to what God was doing (1:14; 2:10; 10:20; 13:17; 15:5, 32; 19:37; 24:41, 52).
100. Luke 19:7 tn Grk “they”; the referent is unspecified but is probably the crowd in general, who would have no great love for a man like Zacchaeus who had enriched himself many times over at their expense.
101. Luke 19:7 tn This term is used only twice in the NT, both times in Luke (here and 15:2) and has negative connotations both times (BDAG 227 s.v. διαγογγύζω). The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
102. Luke 19:7 sn Being the guest of a man who is a sinner was a common complaint about Jesus: Luke 5:31-32; 7:37-50; 15:1-2.
103. Luke 19:8 sn Zacchaeus was a penitent man who resolved on the spot to act differently in the face of Jesus’ acceptance of him. In resolving to give half his possessions to the poor, Zacchaeus was not defending himself against the crowd’s charges and claiming to be righteous. Rather as a result of this meeting with Jesus, he was a changed individual. So Jesus could speak of salvation coming that day (v. 9) and of the lost being saved (v. 10).
104. Luke 19:8 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text. It virtually confesses fraud.
105. Luke 19:9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative
106. Luke 19:9 sn This is one of the few uses of the specific term salvation in Luke (1:69, 71, 77), though the concept runs throughout the Gospel.
107. Luke 19:9 sn The household is not a reference to the building, but to the people who lived within it (L&N 10.8).
108. Luke 19:9 sn Zacchaeus was personally affirmed by Jesus as a descendant (son) of Abraham and a member of God’s family.
109. Luke 19:10 sn The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost is Jesus’ mission succinctly defined. See Luke 15:1-32.
110. Luke 19:11 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
111. Luke 19:11 tn The present active infinitive δοκεῖν (dokein) has been translated as causal.
112. Luke 19:11 sn Luke means here the appearance of the full kingdom of God in power with the Son of Man as judge as Luke 17:22-37 describes.
113. Luke 19:11 tn Or perhaps, “the kingdom of God must appear immediately (see L&N 71.36).
114. Luke 19:12 tn Grk “a man of noble birth” or “a man of noble status” (L&N 87.27).
115. Luke 19:12 sn Note that the receiving of the kingdom takes place in the far country. This suggests that those in the far country recognize and acknowledge the king when his own citizens did not want him as king (v. 14; cf. John 1:11-12).
116. Luke 19:12 sn The background to this story about the nobleman who went…to receive for himself a kingdom had some parallels in the area’s recent history: Archelaus was appointed ethnarch of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea in 4 b.c., but the people did not like him. Herod the Great also made a similar journey to Rome where he was crowned King of Judea in 40 b.c., although he was not able to claim his kingdom until 37 b.c.
117. Luke 19:13 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
118. Luke 19:13 sn That is, one for each. A mina was a Greek monetary unit worth 100 denarii or about four months’ wages for an average worker based on a six-day work week.
119. Luke 19:14 tn Or “subjects.” Technically these people were not his subjects yet, but would be upon his return. They were citizens of his country who opposed his appointment as their king; later the newly-appointed king will refer to them as his “enemies” (v. 27).
120. Luke 19:14 tn The imperfect is intense in this context, suggesting an ongoing attitude.
121. Luke 19:14 tn Grk “this one” (somewhat derogatory in this context).
122. Luke 19:14 tn Or “to rule.”
123. Luke 19:15 tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
124. Luke 19:15 tn Grk “he said for these slaves to be called to him.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one and simplified to “he summoned.”
125. Luke 19:15 tn Grk “in order that he might know” (a continuation of the preceding sentence). Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he” as subject and the verb “wanted” to convey the idea of purpose.
126. Luke 19:15 sn The Greek verb earned refers to profit from engaging in commerce and trade (L&N 57.195). This is an examination of stewardship.
127. Luke 19:16 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the royal summons.
128. Luke 19:16 tn Or “Lord”; or “Master.” (and so throughout this paragraph).
129. Luke 19:16 tn See the note on the word “minas” in v. 13.
130. Luke 19:17 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
131. Luke 19:17 tn See Luke 16:10.
132. Luke 19:17 sn The faithful slave received expanded responsibility (authority over ten cities) as a result of his faithfulness; this in turn is an exhortation to faithfulness for the reader.
133. Luke 19:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
134. Luke 19:19 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the second slave’s report.
135. Luke 19:19 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
136. Luke 19:20 sn Though ten were given minas, the story stops to focus on the one who did nothing with the opportunity given to him. Here is the parable’s warning about the one who does not trust the master. This figure is called “another,” marking him out as different than the first two.
137. Luke 19:20 tn The word “slave” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for stylistic reasons.
138. Luke 19:20 tn Grk “behold.”
139. Luke 19:20 tn Or “that I stored away.” L&N 85.53 defines ἀπόκειμαι (apokeimai) here as “to put something away for safekeeping—‘to store, to put away in a safe place.’”
140. Luke 19:20 tn The piece of cloth, called a σουδάριον (soudarion), could have been a towel, napkin, handkerchief, or face cloth (L&N 6.159).
141. Luke 19:21 tn Or “exacting,” “harsh,” “hard.”
142. Luke 19:21 tn Grk “man, taking out.” The Greek word can refer to withdrawing money from a bank (L&N 57.218), and in this context of financial accountability that is the most probable meaning. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “you” as subject and translating the participle αἴρεις (aireis) as a finite verb.
143. Luke 19:21 tn The Greek verb τίθημι (tithēmi) can be used of depositing money with a banker to earn interest (L&N 57.217). In effect the slave charges that the master takes what he has not earned.
144. Luke 19:22 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
145. Luke 19:22 tn Grk “out of your own mouth” (an idiom).
146. Luke 19:22 tn Note the contrast between this slave, described as “wicked,” and the slave in v. 17, described as “good.”
147. Luke 19:22 tn Or “exacting,” “harsh,” “hard.”
148. Luke 19:23 tn That is, “If you really feared me why did you not do a minimum to get what I asked for?”
149. Luke 19:23 tn Grk “on the table”; the idiom refers to a place where money is kept or managed, or credit is established, thus “bank” (L&N 57.215).
150. Luke 19:24 tn Grk “to those standing by,” but in this context involving an audience before the king to give an accounting, these would not be casual bystanders but courtiers or attendants.
151. Luke 19:24 tn Grk “the ten minas.”
152. Luke 19:25 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. Those watching the evaluation are shocked, as the one with the most gets even more. The word “already” is supplied at the end of the statement to indicate this surprise and shock.
153. Luke 19:25 tc A few mss (D W 69 and a few versional witnesses) omit this verse either to harmonize it with Matt 25:28-29 or to keep the king’s speech seamless.
154. Luke 19:26 tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.” sn Everyone who has will be given more. Again, faithfulness yields great reward (see Luke 8:18; also Matt 13:12; Mark 4:25).
155. Luke 19:26 sn The one who has nothing has even what he seems to have taken away from him, ending up with no reward at all (see also Luke 8:18). The exact force of this is left ambiguous, but there is no comfort here for those who are pictured by the third slave as being totally unmoved by the master. Though not an outright enemy, there is no relationship to the master either. Three groups are represented in the parable: the faithful of various sorts (vv. 16, 18); the unfaithful who associate with Jesus but do not trust him (v. 21); and the enemies (v. 27).
156. Luke 19:27 tn Grk “to rule over them.”
157. Luke 19:27 tn This term, when used of people rather than animals, has some connotations of violence and mercilessness (L&N 20.72).
158. Luke 19:27 sn Slaughter them. To reject the king is to face certain judgment from him.
159. Luke 19:28 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
160. Luke 19:28 tn This could mean “before [his disciples],” but that is slightly more awkward, requiring an elided element (the disciples) to be supplied.
161. Luke 19:28 sn This is yet another travel note on the journey to Jerusalem. See also Luke 18:31; 19:11. Jesus does not actually enter Jerusalem until 19:45.
162. Luke 19:29 tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
163. Luke 19:29 sn The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most locate it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.
164. Luke 19:29 tn Grk “at the mountain called ‘of Olives.’” This form of reference is awkward in contemporary English, so the more familiar “Mount of Olives” has been used in the translation.sn “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 1.8 mi (3 km) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
165. Luke 19:30 tn Grk “saying.”
166. Luke 19:30 tn Grk “the village lying before [you]” (BDAG 530 s.v. κατέναντι 2.a).
167. Luke 19:30 tn Grk “in which entering.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, but because of the length and complexity of the construction a new sentence was started here in the translation.
168. Luke 19:30 tn Grk “a colt tied there on which no one of men has ever sat.”
169. Luke 19:31 sn The custom called angaria allowed the impressment of animals for service to a significant figure.
170. Luke 19:32 tn Grk “sent ahead and went and found.”
171. Luke 19:32 sn Exactly as he had told them. Nothing in Luke 19-23 catches Jesus by surprise. Often he directs the action.
172. Luke 19:33 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
173. Luke 19:33 tn Grk “said to them.”
174. Luke 19:35 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
175. Luke 19:35 tn Grk “garments,” but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13.
176. Luke 19:35 sn See Zech 9:9.
177. Luke 19:35 tn Although ἐπεβίβασαν (epebibasan) is frequently translated “set [Jesus] on it” or “put [Jesus] on it,” when used of a riding animal the verb can mean “to cause to mount” (L&N 15.98); thus here “had Jesus get on it.” The degree of assistance is not specified.
178. Luke 19:36 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
179. Luke 19:36 tn The disciples initiated this action (since in 19:35 and 37 they are the subject) but the other gospels indicate the crowds also became involved. Thus it is difficult to specify the referent here as “the disciples” or “people.”
180. Luke 19:37 tn Grk “the descent of”; this could refer to either the slope of the hillside itself or the path leading down from it (the second option has been adopted for the translation, see L&N 15.109).
181. Luke 19:37 sn See the note on the name Mount of Olives in v. 29.
182. Luke 19:37 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
183. Luke 19:37 tn Here the participle χαίροντες (chairontes) has been translated as a finite verb in English; it could also be translated adverbially as a participle of manner: “began to praise God joyfully.”
184. Luke 19:37 sn See 2:13, 20; Acts 2:47; 3:8-9.
185. Luke 19:37 tn Or “works of power,” “miracles.” Jesus’ ministry of miracles is what has drawn attention. See Luke 7:22.
186. Luke 19:37 tn Grk “they had seen, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
187. Luke 19:38 sn Luke adds the title king to the citation from Ps 118:26 to make clear who was meant (see Luke 18:38). The psalm was used in looking for the deliverance of the end, thus leading to the Pharisees’ reaction.
188. Luke 19:38 sn A quotation from Ps 118:26.
189. Luke 19:39 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. Not all present are willing to join in the acclamation.
190. Luke 19:39 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
191. Luke 19:39 sn Teacher, rebuke your disciples. The Pharisees were complaining that the claims were too great.
192. Luke 19:40 tn Grk “and answering, he said.” This has been simplified in the translation to “He answered.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
193. Luke 19:40 tn Grk “these.”
194. Luke 19:40 sn This statement amounts to a rebuke. The idiom of creation speaking means that even creation knows what is taking place, yet the Pharisees miss it. On this idiom, see Gen 4:10 and Hab 2:11.
195. Luke 19:41 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
196. Luke 19:41 tn Grk “he.”
197. Luke 19:41 sn When Jesus approached and saw the city. This is the last travel note in Luke’s account (the so-called Jerusalem journey), as Jesus approached and saw the city before entering it.
198. Luke 19:42 sn On this day. They had missed the time of Messiah’s coming; see v. 44.
199. Luke 19:42 tn Grk “the things toward peace.” This expression seems to mean “the things that would ‘lead to,’ ‘bring about,’ or ‘make for’ peace.”
200. Luke 19:42 sn But now they are hidden from your eyes. This becomes an oracle of doom in the classic OT sense; see Luke 13:31-35; 11:49-51; Jer 9:2; 13:7; 14:7. They are now blind and under judgment (Jer 15:5; Ps 122:6).
201. Luke 19:43 sn Jesus now predicted the events that would be fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. The details of the siege have led some to see Luke writing this after Jerusalem’s fall, but the language of the verse is like God’s exilic judgment for covenant unfaithfulness (Hab 2:8; Jer 6:6, 14; 8:13-22; 9:1; Ezek 4:2; 26:8; Isa 29:1-4). Specific details are lacking and the procedures described (build an embankment against you) were standard Roman military tactics.
202. Luke 19:43 sn An embankment refers to either wooden barricades or earthworks, or a combination of the two.
203. Luke 19:44 tn Grk “They will raze you to the ground.” sn The singular pronoun you refers to the city of Jerusalem personified.
204. Luke 19:44 tn Grk “your children within you.” The phrase “[your] walls” has been supplied in the translation to clarify that the city of Jerusalem, metaphorically pictured as an individual, is spoken of here.
205. Luke 19:44 sn (Not) one stone on top of another is an idiom for total destruction.
206. Luke 19:44 tn Grk “leave stone on stone.”
207. Luke 19:44 tn Grk “the time of your visitation.” To clarify what this refers to, the words “from God” are supplied at the end of the verse, although they do not occur in the Greek text.sn You did not recognize the time of your visitation refers to the time God came to visit them. They had missed the Messiah; see Luke 1:68-79.
208. Luke 19:45 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
209. Luke 19:45 tn Grk “he.”
210. Luke 19:45 tn Grk “the temple” (also in v. 47).sn The merchants (those who were selling things there) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.
211. Luke 19:45 sn Matthew (21:12-27), Mark (11:15-19) and Luke (here, 19:45-46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John (2:13-16) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in John 2:14 for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.
212. Luke 19:46 sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.
213. Luke 19:46 tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).
214. Luke 19:46 sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.
215. Luke 19:47 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
216. Luke 19:47 tn Grk “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
217. Luke 19:47 tn Grk “to destroy.”sn The action at the temple was the last straw. In their view, if Jesus could cause trouble in the holy place, then he must be stopped, so the leaders were seeking to assassinate him.
218. Luke 19:48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
219. Luke 19:48 tn Grk “they did not find the thing that they might do.”
220. Luke 19:48 sn All the people hung on his words is an idiom for intent, eager listening. Jesus’ popularity and support made it unwise for the leadership to seize him.