Luke 19:41 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,

NIV: As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it

NASB: When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,

CSB: As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it,

NLT: But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.

KJV: And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

NKJV: Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,

Jesus is in the middle of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28–40; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; John 12:12–16). He is riding a donkey in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. The road is lined with cloaks and palm fronds. The people around Him are celebrating the arrival of David's promised heir. They are going to celebrate the Passover, a feast in honor of God's miraculous rescue of the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt.

And Jesus is weeping.

The Pharisees have set the scene better than the multitudes of Jesus' disciples. They told Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples" (Luke 19:39). In this moment, they represent the Jewish leadership who will not follow the crowds in welcoming Jesus' arrival. They will reject their King and Messiah and manipulate the Roman governor to crucify Him.

The people are rejoicing, shouting, "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:38). Jesus laments, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:42). The Jewish leadership refuse to see who Jesus is. And so, after He is crucified and resurrected—which must happen no matter what—the priests and elders will not take their rightful place as leaders in spreading the worship of Jesus and salvation through grace to the Jews and then to the Gentiles (Genesis 12:1–3). Jerusalem will stand just long enough for Christianity to gain a toehold in Gentile countries, and then Rome will destroy the city and the temple (Luke 19:43–44).

Luke 19:41–44 records the scene as Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. He is on a donkey, riding toward the city. Soon, He will be mocked, beaten, humiliated, and crucified. Right now, however, He looks over the mighty walls and thinks about the city that holds the temple of God. The people there—the nation—will not accept Him as their Messiah. Then, in AD 70, Romans tear down the very stones. In the next passages, Jesus cleans out the temple and the Sanhedrin plot against Him, parallelling the conditions that will bring Jerusalem's destruction. Both Luke and Matthew record Jesus similarly lamenting over Jerusalem (Luke 13:31–35; Matthew 23:37–39). But Luke is the only Gospel writer to include this depiction of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem and its future.

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.