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Luke 19 General Notes
Structure and formatting
Luke 19:11-27 forms a single parable. This parable instructs believers how to live in light of the coming kingdom of God. Jesus' hearers wrongly believed that the kingdom was going to appear very quickly. Although the kingdom could appear at any time, this does not mean it is going to happen today or tomorrow, just that it could. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/kingdomofgod)
Special concepts in this chapter
"Sinner"
The Pharisees refer to a group of people as "sinners." The Jewish leaders thought these people were sinful, but in reality the leaders were also sinful. This can be taken as irony. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sin and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-irony)
Stewardship
Although this word is not used in this chapter, it is a concept which plays a significant part of the teaching of this chapter. Stewardship is being trustworthy in the handling of the things which have been entrusted to you. God expects each person to use the gifts that he has given to them. This includes not only the natural gifts or abilities that God has given to man, but a person's life lived in expectation of eternal life. God also expects people to live in the expectation of the imminent return of Jesus.
The donkey and the colt
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on an animal. In this way he was like a king who came into a city after he had won an important battle. Also, the kings of Israel in the Old Testament rode on a donkeys. Other kings rode on horses. So Jesus was showing that he was the king of Israel and that he was not like other kings.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all wrote about this event. Matthew, Mark, and John all wrote that the disciples brought Jesus a donkey. Luke wrote that they brought him a colt. Only Matthew wrote that there were both a donkey had a colt. No one knows for sure whether Jesus rode the donkey or the colt. It is best to translate each of these accounts as it appears in the ULB without trying to make them all say exactly the same thing. (See:Matthew 21:1-7 and Mark 11:1-7 and John 12:14-15)
Spreading the garments and branches
This was a way to honor a king.
"[Jesus] began to cast out those who were selling"
Jesus is recorded as cleaning the ungodly merchants from the temple. This event shows the authority Jesus had over the temple and the nation of Israel. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/clean and rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/ungodly)