November 15, Luke 19: Jesus in Control
This chapter has many narratives and scenes as Jesus moves to the cross. In all of them, he is in control of the past, present, and future as he enters Jerusalem for the last week of his “earthly existence” life.
I. Prior to entrance; in control of historical timeline
A. Zacchaeus. A song we’ve known since childhood. He is not being overly generous in his restitution. It was the expectation.
1. “Under the Law of Moses, confessing a wrong to a neighbor generally required repaying the principal amount plus an added fifth (Leviticus 6:1–5; Numbers 5:6–7). A fourfold penalty was specifically the requirement for a convicted thief who sold or killed a stolen sheep (Exodus 22:1). By choosing the strictest standard of restitution, Zacchaeus demonstrated deep repentance and accountability.” (https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/zacchaeus).
2. Rabbinic law said not to give more than a fifth to the poor, and he gives half.
B. The parable of the minas
1. Not the same as the parable of talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Different details.
2. “The king going to a far country to become king” had a basis in recent history; the king of Judea under Romans went to Rome to become the official or accepted king in that area. It is of course also about the Lord Jesus going to a far country and returning.
3. Humanity is divided between those to whom the king gives a trust to use faithfully and the enemies who do not want him as king and rebel.
C. Key verse is 19:11: “Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.”
II. The Entrance to Jerusalem: in control of the past and presentation
A. Turn to Zechariah 9. This passage is not understandable without that background.
B. Our guide in Greece talked a great deal about how the pagan world was prepared for the Messiah, and one of those preparations was Alexander the Great. Some scholars think the early part of Zechariah 9 is referring to Alexander. I do not know about that, but the passage says someone will prepare the world for a Messiah who comes not at conquering king on a big white horse but as a victorious, humble king, just and having salvation, riding on the colt of a donkey that was never ridden before (Luke 19:30)
C. Jesus is in control of the mob and the Pharisees: they are not going to tell him what to say, verses 39-40.
D. Jesus is accepting praise here and says nature would praise him; this is a reference to his deity and Messiahship, not just a pretty phrase.
E. Dispelling the misconceptions about a political Messiah was the core of the message of the early church as it preached the gospel. Luke 24. However, although the Roman empire did not change after Jesus’ death and resurrection, he did throw off the oppression of Rome’s sin, hopelessness, and idolatry. We do not have a sense of how antiquity was for the average person and what the gospel did for them. Corinth was a revelation in this regard for me.
III. Inside the gates: Jesus in control of the future—and himself
A. As he weeps over the city, he is prophesying their future, AD 70 under Emperor Titus.
B. He cleanses the temple. Whether this changed their practices is unknown, but the resurrection probably shook things up! Jesus seems to be out of control emotionally in these two passages, but he is not. The religious opponents have lost control.
Big question: How does seeing Jesus in full control even as he walked toward suffering and death strengthen your trust in his control over your own life?
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