Verse 1. And Jesus entered, &c. See Barnes "Matthew 20:29".
This means, perhaps, he was passing through Jericho when Zaccheus
saw him. His house was in Jerico.
{b} "Jericho" Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 16:34
Verse 2. A man named Zaccheus. The name Zaccheus is Hebrew, and shows
that this man was a Jew. The Hebrew name properly means pure,
and is the same as Zacchai in Ezra 2:9; Nehemiah 7:14. The publicans,
therefore, were not all foreigners.
Chief among the publicans. Who presided over other tax-gatherers,
or who received their collections and transmitted them to the Roman
government
He was rich. Though this class of men was despised and often
infamous, yet it seems that they were sometimes wealthy. They sustained,
however, the general character of sinners, because they were
particularly odious in the eyes of the Jews. See Barnes "Luke 19:7".
The evangelist has thought it worthy of record that he was rich,
perhaps, because it was so unlikely that a rich man should follow so
poor and despised a personage as Jesus of Nazareth, and because it was
so unusual a thing during his personal ministry. Not many rich were
called, but God chiefly chose the poor of this world.
Compare 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.
Verse 3. Who he was. Rather what sort of person he was, or how he
appeared. He had that curiosity which is natural to men to see one of
whom they have heard much. It would seem, also, that in this case mere
curiosity led to his conversion and that of his family. Comp.
1 Corinthians 14:23-25. God makes use of every principle--of curiosity, or
sympathy, or affection, or hope, or fear --to lead men in the way of
salvation, and to impress truth on the minds of sinners.
The press. The crowd; the multitude that surrounded Jesus. Earthly
princes are often borne in splendid equipages, or even carried, as in
Eastern nations, in palanquins on the shoulders of men. Jesus mingled
with the multitude, not seeking distinctions of that sort, and
perhaps, in appearance, not distinguished from thousands that followed
him.
Little of stature. Short. Not a tall man.
Verse 4. A sycamore-tree. See Barnes "Luke 17:6"
Verse 5.Abide at thy house. Remain there, or put up with him. This
was an honour which Zaccheus did not expect. The utmost, it seems, which
he aimed at was to see Jesus; but, instead of that, Jesus proposed
to remain with him, and to give him the benefit of his personal
instruction. It is but one among a thousand instances where the Saviour
goes, in bestowing mercies, far beyond the desert, the desire, or the
expectation of men; and it is not improper to learn from this example
that solicitude to behold the Saviour will not pass unnoticed by him,
but will meet with his warm approbation, and be connected with his
blessing. Jesus was willing to encourage efforts to come to him, and
his benevolence prompted him to gratify the desires of the man who was
solicitous to see him. He does not disdain the mansions of the rich
any more than he does the dwelling-places of the poor, provided there
be a humble heart; and he did not suppose there was less need of his
presence in order to save in the house of the rich man than among the
poor. He set an example to all his ministers, and was not afraid or
ashamed to proclaim his gospel amid wealth. He was not awed by external
splendour or grandeur.
{b} "saw him" Psalms 139:1-3
{c} "abide at thy house" John 14:23; Revelation 3:20
Verse 6. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 7. Murmured. Found fault, complained.
To be a guest. To remain with, or to be entertained by.
A man that is a sinner. All publicans they regarded as great
sinners, and the chief of the publicans, therefore, they regarded as
peculiarly wicked. It would appear also from Zaccheus' confession that
his character had been that of an oppressive man. But the people
seemed to forget that he might be a penitent, and that the Messiah came
to save that which was lost.
{d} "That he was gone" Matthew 9:11; Luke 5:30
Verse 8. The half of my goods I give to the poor. It is not
necessary to understand this as affirming that this had been his
practice, or that he said this in the way of proclaiming his own
righteousness. It may be understood rather as a purpose which he then
formed under the teaching of Christ. He seems to have been sensible that
he was a sinner. Of this he was convinced, as we may suppose, by the
presence and discourse of Jesus. At first, attracted only by curiosity,
or, it may be, by partial conviction that this was the Messiah, he had
sought to see the Saviour; but his presence and conversation convinced
him of his guilt, and he stood and openly confessed his sins, and
expressed his purpose to give half his ill-gotten property to the poor.
This was not a proclamation of his own righteousness, nor the ground of
his righteousness, but it was the evidence of the sincerity of his
repentance, and the confession which with the mouth is made unto
salvation, Romans 10:10.
And if I have taken. His office gave him the power of oppressing
the people, and it seems that he did not deny that it had been done.
By false accusation. This is the same word which in Luke 3:14 is
rendered "neither accuse any falsely." The accusation seems to have
been so made that the person accused was obliged to pay much greater
taxes, or so that his property came into the hands of the informer.
There are many ways in which this might be done, but we do not know the
exact manner.
I restore him. We cannot suppose that this had been always his
practice, for no man would wantonly extort money from another, and then
restore him at once four times as much; but it means that he was made
sensible of his guilt; perhaps that his mind had been a considerable
time perplexed in the matter, and that now he was resolved to make the
restoration. This was the evidence of his penitence and conversion.
And here it may be remarked that this is always an indisputable
evidence of a man's conversion to God. A man who has hoarded ill-gotten
gold, if he becomes a Christian, will be disposed to do good with it. A
man who has injured others--who has cheated them or defrauded them, even
by due forms of law, must, if he be a Christian, be willing, as far
as possible, to make restoration. Zaceheus, for anything that appears to
the contrary, may have obtained this property by the decisions of
courts of justice, but he now felt that it was wrong; and though the
defrauded men could not legally recover it, yet his conscience told
him that, in order to his being a true penitent, he must make
restitution. One of the best evidences of true conversion is when it
produces this result; and one of the surest evidences that a professed
penitent is not a true one, is when he is not disposed to follow the
example of this son of Abraham and make proper restitution.
Four-fold. Four times as much as had been unjustly taken. This was
the amount that was required in the Jewish law when a sheep had been
stolen, and a man was convicted of the theft by trial at law,
Exodus 22:1. If he confessed it himself, without being detected
and tried, he had only to restore what was stolen, and add to it a fifth
part of its value, Numbers 5:6,7. The sincerity of Zaccheus' repentance
was manifest by his being willing to make restoration as great as if it
had been proved against him, evincing his sense of the wrong, and his
purpose to make full restitution. The Jews were allowed to take
no interest of their brethren (Leviticus 25:35,36), and this is the
reason why that is not mentioned as the measure of the restitution. When
injury of this kind is done in other places, the least that is proper is
to restore the principal and interest; for the injured person has a right
to all that his property would have procured him if it had not been
unjustly taken away.
{e} "I give to the poor" Psalms 41:1
{f} "by false accusation" Exodus 20:16; Luke 3:14
{g} "restore him four-fold" Exodus 22:1; 2 Samuel 12:6
Verse 9. Salvation is come to this house. This family. They have this
day received the blessings of the gospel, and become interested in the
Messiah's kingdom. Salvation commences when men truly receive Christ
and their sins are pardoned; it is completed when the soul is
sanctified and received up into heaven.
Forasmuch. Because. For he has given evidence that he is a new man,
and is disposed to forsake his sins and receive the gospel.
The son of Abraham. Hitherto, although a Jew, yet he has been a
sinner, and a great sinner. He was not worthy to be called a son of
Abraham. Now, by repentance, and by receiving the Christ whose day
Abraham saw and was glad (John 8:56), he has shown himself to be
worthy to be called his son. Abraham was an example of distinguished
piety; the father of the faithful (Romans 4:11), as well as the
ancestor of the Jews. They were called his sons who were descended from
him, and particularly they who resembled him. In this place the
phrase is used in both senses.
{h} "son of Abraham" Luke 13:16
Verse. 10 See Barnes "Matthew 18:11"
Verse 11. He spake a parable. This parable has in some respects a
resemblance to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-28, but
it is not the same. They differ in the following respects: That was
spoken after he had entered Jerusalem; this, while on his way there.
That was delivered on the Mount of Olives; this, in the house of Zaccheus.
That was delivered to teach them the necessity of improving the
talents committed to them; this was for a different design. He was now
near Jerusalem. A great multitude attended him. His disciples regarded
him as the Messiah, and by this they understood a temporal prince who
should deliver them from the dominion of the Romans and set them at
liberty. They were anxious for that, and supposed that the time was at
hand, and that now, as soon as he entered Jerusalem, he would assume
the appearance of such a prince and set up his kingdom. To correct
that notion seems to have been the main design of this parable. To do
that, he tells them of a man who had a right to the kingdom, yet who,
before taking possession of it, went into another kingdom to receive
a confirmation of his title, thus intimating that he would also go
away before he would completely set up his kingdom (Luke 19:12); he
tells them that this nobleman left to his servants property to be
improved in his absence, as he would leave to his disciples talents
to be used in his service (Luke 19:12,13); he tells them that this
nobleman was rejected by his own citizens (Luke 19:14), as he
would be by the Jews; and that he received the kingdom and called them
to an account, as he also would his own disciples.
Because he was nigh to Jerusalem. The capital of the country, and
where they supposed he would probably set up his kingdom.
The kingdom of God should immediately appear. That the reign of the
Messiah would immediately commence. He spake the parable to correct
that expectation.
{i} "because they thought that" Matthew 18:11
Verse 12. A certain nobleman. A prince; a man descended from kings,
and having a title, therefore, to succeed in the kingdom.
Went into a far country, &c. This expression is derived from the
state of things in Judea in the time of the Saviour. Judea was subject
to the Romans, having been conquered by Pompey about sixty years before
Christ. It was, however, governed by Jews, who held the government
under the Romans. It was necessary that the prince or king should
receive a recognition of his right to the kingdom by the Roman emperor,
and, in order to this, that he should go to Rome; or, as it is said here,
that he might receive to himself a kingdom. This actually occurred
several times. Archelaus, a son of Herod the Great, about the time of
the birth of Jesus, went to Rome to obtain a confirmation of the title
which his father had left him, and succeeded in doing it. Herod the
Great, his father, had done the same thing before to secure the aid and
countenance of Antony. Agrippa the younger, grandson of Herod the
Great, went to Rome also to obtain the favour of Tiberius, and to be
confirmed in his government. Such instances, having frequently
occurred, would make this parable perfectly intelligible to those to
whom it was addressed. By the nobleman, here, is undoubtedly represented
the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ; by his going into a far country is
denoted his going to heaven, to the right hand of his Father,
before he should fully set up his kingdom and establish his reign
among men.
{m} "A certain nobleman" Matthew 25:14; Mark 13:34
Verse 13. Ten servants. Nothing in particular is denoted by the number
ten. It is a circumstance intended to keep up the narrative. In
general, by these servants our Saviour denotes his disciples, and
intends to teach us that talents are given us to be improved, for which
we must give an account at his return.
Ten pounds. The word translated pound here denotes the Hebrew
minah, which was equal to about 15 dollars, or œ3. The pounds here
denote the talents which God has given to his servants on earth to
improve, and for which they must give an account in the day of
judgment.
Occupy till I come. The word occupy here means not merely
to possess, as it often does in our language, but to improve, to
employ in business, for the purpose of increasing it or of making
profit on it. The direction was to use this money so as to gain more
against his return. So Jesus commands his disciples to improve
their talents; to make the most of them; to increase their capability of
doing good, and to do it until he comes to call us hence, by death,
to meet him. See 1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:7.
{1} "Mina" translated here a pound is 12 ounces and a half, which,
at 5 shillings the ounce, is œ3, 2s. 6d.
Verse 14. But his citizens. His subjects, or the people whom he
was desirous of ruling.
Hated him. On account of his character, and their fear of
oppression. This was, in fact, the case with regard to Archelaus, the
Jewish prince, who went to Rome to be confirmed in his kingdom.
Sent a message, saying, &c. His discontented subjects, fearing what
would be the character of his reign, sent an embassy to remonstrate
against his being appointed as the ruler. This actually took place.
Archelaus went to Rome to obtain from Augustus a confirmation of his
title to reign over that part of Judea which had been left him by his
father, Herod the Great. The Jews, knowing his character (comp.
Matthew 2:22 sent an embassy of fifty to Rome, to prevail on Augustus
not to confer the title on him, but they could not succeed. He
received the kingdom, and reigned in Judea in the place of his
father. As this fact was fresh in the memory of the Jews, it makes this
parable much more striking. By this part of it Christ designed to denote
that the Jews would reject him --the Messiah, and would say that they did
not desire him to reign over them. See John 1:11. So it is true of
all sinners that they do not wish Jesus to reign over them, and, if
it were possible, would cast him off, and never submit to his reign.
{n} "his citizens" John 1:11; 15:18
Verse 15. See Barnes "Matthew 25:19".
{2} "money" "silver" and so, Luke 19:23.
Verses 16-19. See Barnes "Matthew 25:20,21".
Ten cities. We are not to suppose that this will be literally
fulfilled in heaven. Christ teaches here that our reward in heaven will
be in proportion to our faithfulness in improving our talents on earth.
Verse 17. No Barnes text on this verse.
{o} "faithful" Luke 16:10
Verse 18. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 19. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 20. A napkin. A towel. He means by it that he had not wasted it
nor thrown it by carelessly, but had been very careful of it; so
much so as to be at the pains to tie it up in a towel and put it in a
safe place, as if he had been very faithful to his trust. So many
men employ their talents, their learning, their property, their
influence. They have them; they keep them; but they never use them in
the service of the Lord Jesus; and, in regard to their influence on
the church or the world, it would be the same if God had never
conferred on them these talents.
Verse 21. An austere man. Hard, severe, oppressive. The word is
commonly applied to unripe fruit, and means sour, unpleasant, harsh. In
this case it means that the man was taking every advantage, and, while
he lived in idleness, was making his living out of the toils of
others.
Thou takest up, &c. Thou dost exact of others what thou didst not
give. The phrase is applied to a man who finds what has been lost by
another, and keeps it himself, and refuses to return it to the owner.
All this is designed to show the sinner's view of God. He regards him
as unjust, demanding more than man has power to render, and more,
therefore, than God has a right to demand. See Barnes "Matthew 25:24".
Verse 22. Out of thine own mouth. By your own statement, or your own
views of my character. If you knew that this was my character, and
knew that I would be rigid, firm, and even severe, it would have
been the part of wisdom in you to have made the best use of the money in
your power; but as you knew my character beforehand, and was well
acquainted with the fact that I should demand a strict compliance with
your obligation, you have no right to complain if you are condemned
accordingly.
We are not to suppose that God is unjust or austere; but what we
are to learn from this is, that as men know that God will be just, and
will call them to a strict account in the day of judgment, they ought to
be prepared to meet him, and that they cannot then complain if God
should condemn them.
{p} "Out of thine" 2 Samuel 1:16; Job 15:6; Matthew 12:37; 22:12; Romans 3:19
Verse 23. The bank. The treasury, or the place of exchange. Why did
you not loan it out, that it might be increased?
Usury. Interest.
{q} "Wherefore" Romans 2:4,5
Verse 24. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 25. And they said unto him. Those standing around him said.
He hath, &c. This was probably an observation made by some of the
by-standers, as if surprised at such a decision. "He has already ten
pounds. Why take away this one, and add to what he already possesses?
Why should his property be increased at the expense of this man, who
has but one pound?" The answer to this is given in the following verse,
that every one that hath, to him shall be given; every man who is
faithful, and improves what God gives him, shall receive much more.
Verses 26,27. For I say, &c. These are the words of the nobleman
declaring the principles on which he would distribute the rewards of
his kingdom.
But those mine enemies. By the punishment of those who would not
that he should reign over them is denoted the ruin that was to come upon
the Jewish nation for rejecting the Messiah, and also upon all sinners
for not receiving him as their king. See Barnes on the parable of the
talents in See Barnes "Matthew 25:14" and following.
{r} "That unto everyone that hath" Matthew 13:12; 25:29; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18
Verse 27. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
{t} "came to pass" Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
{v} "they cast their garments" 2 Kings 9:13
{w} "set Jesus thereon" John 12:14
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
{x} "Blessed be the king" Psalms 118:26; Luke 13:35
{y} "peace in heaven" Luke 2:14
Verses 28-39. See Barnes "Matthew 21:1", also Matthew 21:2-16
Verse 40. The stones would--cry out. It is proper that they
should celebrate my coming. Their acclamations ought not to be
suppressed. So joyful is the event which they celebrate--the coming of
the Messiah--that it is not fit that I should attempt to impose silence
on them. The expression here seems to be proverbial, and is not to be
taken literally. Proverbs are designed to express the truth strongly,
but are not to be taken to signify as much as if they were to be
interpreted literally. The sense is, that his coming was an event of so
much importance that it ought to be celebrated in some way, and
would be celebrated. It would be impossible to restrain the people,
and improper to attempt it. The language here is strong proverbial
language to denote that fact. We are not to suppose, therefore, that
our Saviour meant to say that the stones were conscious of his coming,
or that God would make them speak, but only that there was
great joy among the people; that it was proper that they should
express it in this manner, and that it was not fit that he should
attempt to repress it.
{z} "the stones would cry out" Habakkuk 2:11; Matthew 3:9
Verses 41-44. He wept over it. Showing his compassion for the
guilty city, and his strong sense of the evils that were about to come
upon it. See Barnes "Matthew 23:37", also Matthew 23:38-39. As he
entered the city he passed over the Mount of Olives. From that
mountain there was a full and magnificent view of the city.
See Barnes "Matthew 21:1". the view of the splendid capital--the
knowledge of its crimes-- the remembrance of the mercies of god toward
it-- the certainty that it might have been spared if had received the
prophets and himself--the knowledge that it was about to put him,
their long-expected Messiah, to death, and for that to be given up to
utter desolation --affected his heart, and the triumphant King and Lord
of Zion wept! Amid all his prosperity, and all the acclamations of
the multitude, the heart of the Redeemer of the world was turned from the
tokens of rejoicing to the miseries about to come on a guilty people.
Yet they might have been saved. If thou hadst known, says he, even
thou, with all thy guilt, the things that make for thy peace; if thou
hadst repented, had been righteous, and had received the Messiah; if
thou hadst not stained thy hands with the blood of the prophets, and
shouldst not with that of the Son of God, then these terrible
calamities would not come upon thee. But it is too late. The national
wickedness is too great; the cup is full; mercy is exhausted; and
Jerusalem, with all her pride and splendour, the glow of her temple,
and the pomp of her service, must perish!
For the days shall come, &c. This took place under Titus, the Roman
general, A.D. 70, about thirty years after this was spoken.
Cast a trench about thee. The word trench now means commonly a
pit or ditch. When the Bible was translated, it meant also earth
thrown up to defend a camp (Johnson's Dictionary). This is the
meaning of the original here. It is not a pit or large ditch,
but a pile of earth, stones, or wood thrown up to guard a camp, and to
defend it from the approach of an enemy. This was done at the siege of
Jerusalem. Josephus informs us that Titus, in order that he might compel
the city to surrender by famine, built a wall around the whole
circumference of the city. This wall was nearly 5 miles in length, and
was furnished with thirteen castles or towers. This work was completed
with incredible labour in ten days. The professed design of this wall
was to keep the city in on every side. Never was a prophecy more
strikingly accomplished.
Shall lay thee even with the ground, &c. This was literally done.
Titus caused a plough to pass over the place where the temple stood.
See Barnes "Matthew 24:1", and following. All this was done, says Christ,
because Jerusalem knew not the time of its visitation--that is, did not
know, and would not know, that the Messiah had come. His coming
was the time of their merciful visitation. That time had been predicted,
and invaluable blessings promised as the result of his advent; but they
would not know it. They rejected him, they put him to death, and it was
just that they should be destroyed.
{a} "wept over it" Psalms 119:36; Jeremiah 9:1; 13:17; John 11:35
Verse 42. No Barnes text on this verse.
{b} "this, thy day" Psalms 85:7,8; Hebrews 3:7,13,15
Verse 43. No Barnes text on this verse.
{c} "cast a trench around thee" Isaiah 29:2,3; Jeremiah 6:5,6
Verse 44. No Barnes text on this verse.
{d} "shall lay thee even" 1 Kings 9:7,8; Micah 3:12; Matthew 23:37,38; Luke 13:34,35
{e} "they shall not leave" Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2
{f} "thou knowest not the time" Lamentations 1:8; 1 Peter 2:12
Verses 45, 46. See Barnes "Matthew 21:12,13"
{g} "went into the temple" Matthew 21:12,13; Mark 11:15-17; John 2:15,17
Verse 46. No Barnes text on this verse.
{h} "My house" Isaiah 56:7
{i} "den of thieves" Jeremiah 7:11
Verse 47. Daily in the temple. That is, for five or six days before
his crucifixion.
{k} "taught daily" John 18:20
Verse 48. Could not find, &c. Were not able to accomplish their
purpose; they did not know how to bring it about.
Very attentive. Literally, hung upon him to hear him. The word
denotes an anxious desire, a fixed attention, a cleaving to him, and an
unwillingness to leave him, so that they might hear his words. This is
always the case when men become anxious about their salvation. They
manifest it by hanging on the preaching of the gospel; by fixed
attention; and by an unwillingness to leave the place where the word of
God is preached. In view of the fact that the Lord Jesus wept over
Jerusalem, we may remark:
(1.) It was on account of the sins and danger of the inhabitants, and of
the fact that they had rejected offered mercy.
(2.) There was occasion for weeping. Jesus would not have wept had
there been no cause for it. If they were in no danger, if there was no
punishment in the future world, why should he have wept? When the
Lord Jesus weeps over sinners, it is the fullest proof that they are in
danger,
(3.) Sinners are in the same danger now. They reject Christ as sinners
did then. They despise the gospel as they did then. They refuse now to
come to him as the inhabitants of Jerusalem did. Why are they not then
in the same danger?
(4.) Deep feeling, gushing emotions, lively affections, are proper in
religion. If the Saviour wept, it is not improper for us to weep--it
is right. Nay, can it be right not to weep over the condition of lost
man.
(5.) Religion is tenderness and love. It led the Saviour to weep, and
it teaches us to sympathize and to feel deeply. Sin hardens the heart,
and makes it insensible to every pure and noble emotion; but religion
teaches us to feel "for others' woes," and to sympathize in the danger
of others.
(6.) Christians and Christian ministers should weep over lost sinners.
They have souls just as precious as they had then; they are in the same
danger; they are going to the judgment-bar; they are wholly insensible
to their danger and their duty.
"Did Christ o'er sinners weep?
And shall our cheeks be dry?
Let floods of penitential grief
Burst forth from every eye.
"The Son of God in tears,
Angels with wonder see!
Be thou astonished, O my soul;
He shed those tears for thee.
"He wept that we might weep;
Each sin demands a tear;
In heaven alone no sin is found,
And there's no weeping there."
{3} "were very attentive" or, "hanged on him"
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