Luke 18:31-19:48

REJECTION

At this point we enter the period of Christ’s formal rejection by His nation with which we have been made acquainted in the other synoptics, and hence we pass on to that which is peculiar to Luke, the conversion of Zaccheus (Luke 19:1-10) Jesus never declined an invitation to hospitality, but this is the first instance in which He ever invited himself (Luke 19:5). Murmured at for lodging with a “winner,” He justified the act (Luke 19:9-10) and then spake the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-17) to “dispel the mistaken supposition that the Kingdom of God would immediately appear.”

In this parable Christ is the nobleman. The pound represents the opportunity for service given each of His disciples, and on that disciple’s use of it will be determined his place in the Kingdom, which the nobleman returns to set it up. This parable differs from that of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), though the two resemble each other. This speaks of opportunity, that of ability; and yet they agree in this, that the character of the service in the age to come will be that of ruling. But notice the reference to the “citizens” as distinguished from the servants. When Christ went away these two classes were left on the earth, and when He comes back the same two classes will meet Him, friends and enemies. Hence there can be no millennium before He comes. Notice also where this parable was spoken Jericho. There is still to be seen there a palace of Archelaus, who had gone to Rome to get Kingly power confirmed upon him. His citizens did send after him to frustrate his object, but he returned to reign in spite of all their efforts to influence Caesar against Him. As their attempt failed in the one case, so will it in the other.

The triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-48) we pass over as sufficiently treated in Matthew 21, dwelling a moment however, on verses 41-44 which are original with Luke. Compare here Luke 13:34-35. Christ’s was the only sad heart in that rejoicing multitude, and sad not for Himself but the city that was soon to finally reject Him.

QUESTIONS

1. What three things in this lesson are original with Luke?

2. Why was the parable of the pounds spoken?

3. How does this parable differ from the talents?

4. Wherein do they agree?

5. What rendered the speaking of this parable in Jericho especially fitting and appropriate?