Discovery BoxLuke 19:1-29
Context19:1 Jesus 1 entered Jericho 2 and was passing through it. 19:2 Now 3 a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector 4 and was rich. 19:3 He 5 was trying to get a look at Jesus, 6 but being a short man he could not see over the crowd. 7 19:4 So 8 he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree 9 to see him, because Jesus 10 was going to pass that way. 19:5 And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up 11 and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, 12 because I must 13 stay at your house today.” 14 19:6 So he came down quickly 15 and welcomed Jesus 16 joyfully. 17 19:7 And when the people 18 saw it, they all complained, 19 “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 20 19:8 But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give 21 to the poor, and if 22 I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” 19:9 Then 23 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation 24 has come to this household, 25 because he too is a son of Abraham! 26 19:10 For the Son of Man came 27 to seek and to save the lost.”
19:11 While the people were listening to these things, Jesus 28 proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, 29 and because they thought 30 that the kingdom of God 31 was going to 32 appear immediately. 19:12 Therefore he said, “A nobleman 33 went to a distant country to receive 34 for himself a kingdom and then return. 35 19:13 And he summoned ten of his slaves, 36 gave them ten minas, 37 and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 19:14 But his citizens 38 hated 39 him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man 40 to be king 41 over us!’ 19:15 When 42 he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned 43 these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted 44 to know how much they had earned 45 by trading. 19:16 So 46 the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir, 47 your mina 48 has made ten minas more.’ 19:17 And the king 49 said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful 50 in a very small matter, you will have authority 51 over ten cities.’ 19:18 Then 52 the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’ 19:19 So 53 the king 54 said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 19:20 Then another 55 slave 56 came and said, ‘Sir, here is 57 your mina that I put away for safekeeping 58 in a piece of cloth. 59 19:21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe 60 man. You withdraw 61 what you did not deposit 62 and reap what you did not sow.’ 19:22 The king 63 said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, 64 you wicked slave! 65 So you knew, did you, that I was a severe 66 man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow? 19:23 Why then didn’t you put 67 my money in the bank, 68 so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’ 19:24 And he said to his attendants, 69 ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’ 70 19:25 But 71 they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’ 72 19:26 ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, 73 but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 74 19:27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, 75 bring them here and slaughter 76 them 77 in front of me!’”
19:28 After Jesus 78 had said this, he continued on ahead, 79 going up to Jerusalem. 80 19:29 Now 81 when he approached Bethphage 82 and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, 83 he sent two of the disciples,
[19:1] 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.
[19:1] 2 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[19:2] 3 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).
[19:2] 4 sn This is the one place in the NT the office of chief tax collector is noted. He would organize the other tax collectors and collect healthy commissions (see also the note on the word tax collector in 3:12).
[19:3] 5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:3] 6 tn Grk “He was trying to see who Jesus was.”
[19:3] 7 tn Grk “and he was not able to because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.”
[19:4] 8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Zacchaeus not being able to see over the crowd.
[19:4] 9 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).
[19:4] 10 tn Grk “that one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:5] 11 tc Most
[19:5] 12 tn Grk “hastening, come down.” σπεύσας (speusa") has been translated as a participle of manner.
[19:5] 13 sn I must stay. Jesus revealed the necessity of his associating with people like Zacchaeus (5:31-32). This act of fellowship indicated acceptance.
[19:5] 14 sn On today here and in v. 9, see the note on today in 2:11.
[19:6] 15 tn Grk “hastening, he came down.” σπεύσας (speusas) has been translated as a participle of manner.
[19:6] 16 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:6] 17 tn The participle χαίρων (cairwn) has been taken as indicating manner.
[19:7] 18 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.
[19:7] 19 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 (legonte") is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[19:7] 20 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.
[19:8] 21 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).
[19:8] 22 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text. It virtually confesses fraud.
[19:9] 23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative
[19:9] 24 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.
[19:9] 25 sn The household is not a reference to the building, but to the people who lived within it (L&N 10.8).
[19:9] 26 sn Zacchaeus was personally affirmed by Jesus as a descendant (son) of Abraham and a member of God’s family.
[19:10] 27 sn The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost is Jesus’ mission succinctly defined. See Luke 15:1-32.
[19:11] 28 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:11] 29 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[19:11] 30 tn The present active infinitive δοκεῖν (dokein) has been translated as causal.
[19:11] 31 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.
[19:11] 32 tn Or perhaps, “the kingdom of God must appear immediately (see L&N 71.36).
[19:12] 33 tn Grk “a man of noble birth” or “a man of noble status” (L&N 87.27).
[19:12] 34 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).
[19:12] 35 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
[19:13] 36 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
[19:13] 37 sn That is, one for each. A mina was a Greek monetary unit worth one hundred denarii or about four months’ wages for an average worker based on a six-day work week.
[19:14] 38 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).
[19:14] 39 tn The imperfect is intense in this context, suggesting an ongoing attitude.
[19:14] 40 tn Grk “this one” (somewhat derogatory in this context).
[19:15] 42 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.
[19:15] 43 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.”
[19:15] 44 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.
[19:15] 45 sn The Greek verb earned refers to profit from engaging in commerce and trade (L&N 57.195). This is an examination of stewardship.
[19:16] 46 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the royal summons.
[19:16] 47 tn Or “Lord”; or “Master.” (and so throughout this paragraph).
[19:16] 48 tn See the note on the word “minas” in v. 13.
[19:17] 49 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:17] 50 tn See Luke 16:10.
[19:17] 51 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.
[19:18] 52 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[19:19] 53 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the second slave’s report.
[19:19] 54 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:20] 55 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.
[19:20] 56 tn The word “slave” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for stylistic reasons.
[19:20] 58 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.’”
[19:20] 59 tn The piece of cloth, called a σουδάριον (soudarion), could have been a towel, napkin, handkerchief, or face cloth (L&N 6.159).
[19:21] 60 tn Or “exacting,” “harsh,” “hard.”
[19:21] 61 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 (airei") as a finite verb.
[19:21] 62 tn The Greek verb τίθημι (tiqhmi) 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.
[19:22] 63 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the nobleman of v. 12, now a king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:22] 64 tn Grk “out of your own mouth” (an idiom).
[19:22] 65 tn Note the contrast between this slave, described as “wicked,” and the slave in v. 17, described as “good.”
[19:22] 66 tn Or “exacting,” “harsh,” “hard.”
[19:23] 67 tn That is, “If you really feared me why did you not do a minimum to get what I asked for?”
[19:23] 68 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).
[19:24] 69 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.
[19:24] 70 tn Grk “the ten minas.”
[19:25] 71 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.
[19:25] 72 tc A few
[19:26] 73 tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.”
[19:26] 74 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).
[19:27] 75 tn Grk “to rule over them.”
[19:27] 76 tn This term, when used of people rather than animals, has some connotations of violence and mercilessness (L&N 20.72).
[19:27] 77 sn Slaughter them. To reject the king is to face certain judgment from him.
[19:28] 78 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:28] 79 tn This could mean “before [his disciples],” but that is slightly more awkward, requiring an elided element (the disciples) to be supplied.
[19:28] 80 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.
[19:29] 81 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.
[19:29] 82 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.
[19:29] 83 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.
