Luke 19:43 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side

NIV: The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.

NASB: For the days will come upon you when your enemies will put up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,

CSB: For the days will come on you when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side.

NLT: Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side.

KJV: For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

NKJV: For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,

Many of Jesus' prophesies are subject to interpretation. Here, readers may wonder if He's speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70, less than forty years after His triumphal entry (Luke 19:28–40). Or perhaps He is speaking of the tribulation and end times. In this case, we know Jesus is talking about AD 70.

Josephus explained that the initial unrest between the Jews and the Romans was caused by several factors, many having to do with money. Because of decades of Roman taxation, the Jewish peasants were destitute. The craftsmen in Jerusalem were out of work after the temple renovations were completed in AD 63. The Jewish leaders had a working relationship with the Romans and were normally able to control the populace; yet the peasants believed their leaders were corrupt. Added to that, in AD 66, Nero told the Roman governor of Judea to raid the temple treasury for money. When some Jews mocked the governor but couldn't be found, the governor had random people arrested and crucified.

Jewish militias began attacking Roman outposts, eventually taking Judea and Galilee. Nero brought in General Vespasian who brought his son Titus. By AD 68, they had retaken Galilee. Meanwhile, the Zealots and the Sadducees were fighting in Jerusalem; many Jews left Jerusalem and Vespasian decided to wait and let the Jewish leaders weaken themselves before attacking the well-fortified city. Before Vespasian was ready, Nero killed himself, and Vespasian left for Rome to become emperor.

Titus was inexperienced, but his lieutenant was not. They besieged Jerusalem during Passover in AD 70, a time of year when the city's population was at a maximum. For a time, the factions in Jerusalem kept fighting each other, delaying a unified defense. Eventually, they reconciled and the Romans learned the Jews were capable defenders. Titus changed tactics, withdrew, and waited. He crucified anyone who tried to escape Jerusalem: some five hundred a day. Over a hundred thousand Jews died of starvation during the siege.

The Romans finally managed to retake the Antonia garrison. They disassembled the stones to reach the Temple Mount and set fire to the porticos. By mid-August, the temple was aflame. The money in the treasury and some of the sacred vessels were taken to Rome, but much of the gold and silver fittings melted between the cracks in the stones, leading the Roman soldiers to literally take them apart one by one (Luke 19:44) to get to the precious metal.

The great irony is that when Jesus finally reaches the temple, He sees the same problems. With the priests' approval, the Court of Gentiles is filled with thieving merchants (Luke 19:45–48). The lust for money and the corruption of the leadership are normal on the Temple Mount.

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).