Luke 19:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes.

NASB: saying, 'If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.

CSB: saying, "If you knew this day what would bring peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes.

NLT: How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.

KJV: Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

NKJV: saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

Sitting atop a donkey, Jesus is riding into Jerusalem. He descends the west slope of the Mount of Olives. He will cross the Kidron Valley and then climb into the city, to the temple. He is surrounded by a multitude of disciples, shouting their praises to God for the miraculous works they have seen, including Lazarus coming back to life (John 11). They are honoring Jesus as a king, covering the road with their own cloaks so His donkey colt's feet won't even touch the ground.

But as Jerusalem comes into view, Jesus begins to weep (Luke 19:41). He doesn't want to be crucified, but it must happen, so He goes willingly. What breaks His heart is the spiritual blindness that prevents people from seeing the rescue He provides. Jesus knows that while some in the crowd will accept the meaning of His crucifixion and the salvation He offers, Israel as a nation will not. The Jewish leadership as a group will not. The leadership will not lead the people of God into their role as lights on a hill, teaching the Gentiles to find eternal life in Jesus' name (Matthew 28:19; Acts 15:6–11; Galatians 3:8).

The proper response of the people and city leadership when their victorious king returns from battle is to go out, meet Him, and escort Him in. The Jewish leadership doesn't do this. They don't recognize their King. The final battle Jesus will fight for their protection and freedom is on the cross. But the priests and elders don't understand the significance (Luke 19:47). And so, they will be destroyed—the people, the city, and their 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.