Luke 19

Luke 19:1

One of them . . . turned back. To give glory to God, and thanks to Jesus for his salvation.

Luke 19:2

A Samaritan. The nine were Jews; one belonged to the hated race.

Luke 19:3

Where [are] the nine? What a striking illustration of the ingratitude of men! One returns, the alien; the other, saved from a living death, are heard no more.

Luke 19:5

Thy faith hath made thee whole. Saved him by leading him to obedience. His faith had added to it another grace, that of love. His faith had not only saved his body, but he had been born to the new life, his soul was saved.

Luke 19:6

When the kingdom of God should come. These Pharisees expected a visible, temporal kingdom. Cometh not with observation. As a visible, earthly monarchy, like that of David.

Luke 19:7

Is within you. A kingdom that has its throne in the heart, on which Christ, the King, sits. It has to be formed by yielding our hearts to Christ.

Luke 19:8

Ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man. His second coming. The church longs for his appearing. See 2 Timothy 4:8.

Luke 19:10

For as the lightning. See notes on Matthew 24:16-18. The remainder of the chapter is a condensed and fragmentary report of a part of Matthew, chapter 24.

Luke 19:11

But first must he suffer many things, etc. See notes on Matthew 16:21 24:37-39. Compare Colossians 3:3-4 2 Thessalonians 1:7 1 Peter 1:7.

Luke 19:17

In that day, etc. See notes on Matthew 24:16-18.

Luke 19:18

Remember Lot’s wife. By tarrying and looking back, the warning came to flee, she lost her life (see Genesis 19:15-17,26). So hesitation and delay at this great crisis will be perilous.

Luke 19:19

Whosoever shall seek to save his life. See PNT Matthew 10:39.

Luke 19:20

In that night, etc. See notes on Matthew 24:37,41.

Luke 19:23

Wheresoever the body [is],etc. See PNT Matthew 24:28.

Luke 19:25

Parables Concerning Prayer SUMMARY OF LUKE 18: The Widow and the Unjust Judge. The Pharisee and the Publican. Little Children Brought to Christ. The Young Ruler Seeking for Eternal Life. Going Through the Needle’s Eye. The Lord’s Sufferings Declared to the Twelve. Blind Bartimaeus Healed at Jericho. Men ought always to pray. Prayer is a privilege and a duty. Not to faint. Persistence in prayer is requisite to making it effectual. See Ephesians 6:18. Augustine says: ``God reserves for thee that which he is slow to give thee, that thou mayest learn to entertain a supreme desire and longing for it.''

Luke 19:26

A judge. The judges of the East are irresponsible, often unjust, usually delay justice for the sake of bribes.

Luke 19:27

A widow. The widow of the East, unless she has powerful friends, is absolutely helpless. In India, she is regarded almost as an outcast. It is only the Bible that proclaims God as the widow’s friend. Avenge me of my adversary. That is, redress the wrong I have suffered.

Luke 19:28

And he would not for a while. Because selfishly indifferent.

Luke 19:29

This widow troubleth me. What neither the fear of God nor the regard for human rights could do, her persistence accomplished, because her “continual coming wearied him”.

Luke 19:30

The Lord said. This is the application of the parable.

Luke 19:31

Shall not God avenge his own elect? If an unjust, hard-hearted judge can be moved by the persistent prayers of a widow, will not the tender, loving, good Father hear the cries of his children? Though he bear long with them. Rather, as in the Revised Version, “He is long-suffering over them”. He is long-suffering for them for their own good, and long-suffering towards their enemies in order that they may have opportunity to repent.

Luke 19:32

Shall he find faith on the earth? Prayer is the utterance of faith. Prayerlessness is proof of unbelief. The Lord, pained by the unbelief of even his disciples, shows in these words what a burden to him is our unbelief (see Matthew 17:17).

Luke 19:33

He spake this parable, etc. The persons described in this verse are so much like the Pharisees that we can hardly believe that they were not. Rabbi Simeon, one of them, said, that if there were only thirty religious men in the world like Abraham, he and his son would be two of them; if only two, he and his son would be those; and if only one, that would be himself.

Luke 19:34

A Pharisee . . . a publican. The one the type of orthodoxy; the other regarded by orthodox Jews a religious outcast. See notes on Matthew 3:7 9:9.

Luke 19:35

The Pharisees stood. Stood forth where he could be seen. Prayed thus with himself. Self was the center of his thoughts. Not as other men [are]. Pride and contempt of others are manifest.

Luke 19:36

I fast twice in the week. He enumerates his claims on God. He is very scrupulous about fasting and paying tithes (Leviticus 27:30).

Luke 19:37

The publican, standing afar off. Remote from other worshipers, like a pariah. Would not lift up so much as [his] eyes. His spirit was so humble and contrite. The Pharisees probably had both hands and eyes lifted up. Smote upon his breast. An act denoting sorrow. God be merciful to me a sinner. A humble confession.

Luke 19:38

This man went . . . justified. With his sins forgiven. His prayer was answered; not the proud boasts of the Pharisee. Ryle says: ``This parable teaches us the spirit that should pervade our prayers. The first parable encourages us to pray, and faint not. The second reminds us how we ought to pray. Both should be often pondered by every true Christian.''

Luke 19:39

They brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them. See notes on Matthew 19:13-15 Mr 10:13-16 It was the customs of the Jews to bring their babes to the synagogue for the rabbi to lay his hands upon and bless. So says the Talmud.

Luke 19:42

And a certain ruler asked him. For notes on the case of the Rich Young Ruler, see Matthew 19:16-30; also Mr 10:17-31. The ruler was probably ruler of a synagogue. See Matthew 4:23.