Luke 19:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they said, "The Lord has need of it."

NIV: They replied, "The Lord needs it."

NASB: They said, 'The Lord has need of it.'

CSB: "The Lord needs it," they said.

NLT: And the disciples simply replied, 'The Lord needs it.'

KJV: And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

NKJV: And they said, “The Lord has need of him.”

Two of Jesus' disciples are in a village east of Jerusalem. Jesus has sent them there to find a donkey and her foal (Matthew 21:2) and bring them back to Him. He told them that if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to say, "The Lord has need of it" (Luke 19:29–31). So that's what they do.

Jesus chooses to ride a donkey colt to fulfill Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Conquering warriors would arrive on war horses, as a modern victor might sit in a tank or armored transport. Kings who came in peace came on donkeys (1 Kings 1:33). Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey is His declaration that He is King. The disciples won't understand the symbolism until after Jesus is resurrected (John 12:16).

"Lord," here, is from the Greek root word kyrios. It means "sir" or "master." The disciples anticipate that Jesus will be king—much sooner than it will actually happen—but they don't understand Him as Lord and Savior yet. From the point of view of the owners, these are servants of someone in authority who needs the donkeys.

We don't know why the owners acquiesce. Some think Jesus had gone to the village earlier and spoken to them. That may be why the donkeys are waiting in the street, ready to go (Mark 11:4). Maybe the culture is such that loaning out animals is normal. Maybe they had heard of Jesus, His miracles, and His teaching. Or maybe the Holy Spirit worked in them to give the animals to strangers. We don't really know.

Luke 19:28–40 is the account of the triumphal entry when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for His final Passover. Jesus presents Himself as the King of the Jews, challenging His followers, the religious leaders, and the many celebrants to choose whether to accept or reject Him. The triumphal entry is the first passage in the so-called "presentation of Jesus in Jerusalem" (Luke 19:28—21:38) where Jesus declares His authority (Luke 19:28—21:4) and reveals the future (Luke 21:5–38). The triumphal entry is one of the few events recorded in every Gospel (Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; John 12:12–15).

Jesus approaches Jerusalem by way of Jericho. Along the road, he encounters Zacchaeus: an unusually short man and infamous tax collector. Zacchaeus responds to Jesus' invitation and demonstrates humility and repentance. Jesus gives a parable explaining a believer's obligation to encourage the spread of the gospel. Jesus enters Jerusalem to great fanfare, upsetting local Pharisees. As He rides, Jesus weeps to think of the future destruction in store for the city. He once again drives corrupt businessmen from the temple grounds. His enemies are furious, but too afraid of the adoring crowds to take direct action.

Luke 19 finishes the "travelogue of Christ to Jerusalem" and introduces His first actions there (Luke 9:51—19:27). This long passage semi-chronologically records Jesus' journey to Jerusalem and the theological reasons why He must go to the cross. It finishes here, in this chapter, with Jesus meeting Zacchaeus and the parable of the ten minas. The chapter continues with Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as its king—the triumphal entry. Jesus mourns over Jerusalem, its rejection of their Messiah, and its coming destruction in AD 70. He also cleanses the temple and teaches there. In the next segments, Luke covers the last hours of Jesus' earthly life (Luke 22—23) as well as Jesus' resurrection (Luke 24).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.