Luke 19:11

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.)

Our Lord Jesus is now upon his way to Jerusalem, to his last passover, when he was to suffer and die; now here we are told, I. How the expectations of his friends were raised upon this occasion: They thought that the kingdom of God would immediately appear, Luk 19:11. The Pharisees expected it about this time (Luk 17:20), and, it seems, so did Christ's own disciples; but they both had a mistaken notion of it. The Pharisees thought that it must be introduced by some other temporal prince or potentate. The disciples thought that their Master would introduce it, but with temporal pomp and power, which, with the power he had to work miracles, they knew he could clothe himself with in a short time, whenever he pleased. Jerusalem, they concluded, must be the seat of his kingdom, and therefore, now that he is going directly thither, they doubt not but in a little time to see him upon the throne there. Note, Even good men are subject to mistakes concerning the kingdom of Christ, and to form wrong notions of it, and are ready to think that will immediately appear which is reserved for hereafter. II. How their expectations were checked, and the mistakes rectified upon which they were founded; and this he does in three things: - 1. They expected that he should appear in his glory now presently, but he tells them that he must not be publicly installed in his kingdom for a great while yet. He is like a certain nobleman anthrōpos tis eugenēs - a certain man of high birth (so Dr. Hammond), for he is the Lord from heaven, and is entitled by birth to the kingdom; but he goes into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom. Christ must go to heaven, to sit down at the right hand of the Father there, and to receive from him honour and glory, before the Spirit was poured out by whic…

19:11-27 This parable has two main purposes: (1) to teach stewardship, the need to manage gifts and resources well while the king (Jesus) is away (cp. Matt 25:14-30); and (2) to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away upon Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Most Jews of Jesus’ day expected that when the Messiah came, God’s Kingdom would be established physically on earth, with Jerusalem at its center (see Isa 2:2-4; 35:1-10; 65:17-25; Jer 30–31; Ezek 37, 40-48; Mic 4:1-5).