Luke 19:38 - Printer Friendly

ESV: saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

NIV: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'

NASB: shouting: 'BLESSED IS the King, THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'

CSB: Blessed is the King who comesin the name of the Lord. Peace in heavenand glory in the highest heaven!

NLT: 'Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!'

KJV: Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

NKJV: saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Jesus is sitting on a donkey colt's back, barely padded by His disciples' cloaks. More cloaks, as well as palm fronds, cover the road. He is going down the west side of the Mount of Olives. Soon He will reach the Kidron Valley and ascend again into Jerusalem. A massive crowd of His disciples surround Him, shouting in celebration (Luke 19:28–37).

Luke keeps the chant short and culturally neutral for his Greek audience. Matthew quotes, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21:9). Mark's is similar: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!" (Mark 11:9–10). John has, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" (John 12:13). Likely, different people are shouting different things, including praising God for the miracles they have seen Jesus perform (Luke 19:37), but the gist is the same: Yahweh's chosen king, in the line of David, is coming to take His rightful throne in Jerusalem.

Many in the crowd are Jesus' disciples. Yet any crowd in Jerusalem will include Pharisees. They are horrified by the spectacle. They have been trying to destroy Jesus since His public ministry began (Mark 3:6). They tell Jesus to control His disciples. He replies, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out" (Luke 19:39–40). What neither the crowd nor the Pharisees understand is that Jesus is not coming to re-establish the earthly kingdom of David. He is continuing His work to establish the kingdom of God. He is going to the cross, not a throne. The stones recognize their Creator-God-King.

The first part of this call is from Psalm 118:26 but specifies that the one who comes in the name of the Lord is the king. Luke likely leaves out the part about David because Theophilus (Luke 1:1–4) needs to remember Jesus is his King, not just the King of the Jews.

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.