Luke 19:40-42

19:40 He answered, ¹  “I tell you, if they ²  keep silent, the very stones ³  will cry out!”

Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem under Judgment

19:41 Now ⁴  when Jesus ⁵  approached ⁶  and saw the city, he wept over it, 19:42 saying, “If you had only known on this day, ⁷  even you, the things that make for peace! ⁸  But now they are hidden ⁹  from your eyes.

[19:40]  ¹ 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.

[19:40]  ² tn Grk “these.”

[19:40]  ³ 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.

[19:41]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[19:41]  ⁵ tn Grk “he.”

[19:41]  ⁶ 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.

[19:42]  ⁷ sn On this day. They had missed the time of Messiah’s coming; see v. 44.

[19:42]  ⁸ tn Grk “the things toward peace.” This expression seems to mean “the things that would ‘lead to,’ ‘bring about,’ or ‘make for’ peace.”

[19:42]  ⁹ 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).