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§49 The Triumphal Entry (Luke 19:28–48)

This section comprises four parts: (1) the Triumphal Entry (vv. 28–40), (2) the lament over Jerusalem (vv. 41–44), (3) the Cleansing of the Temple (vv. 45–46), and (4) a summary of Jerusalem’s reaction to Jesus’ teaching in the temple area (vv. 47–48). The journey to Jerusalem is finally concluded. Now we see Jesus presenting himself to the Jerusalem religious establishment as the first phase of passion week. But before Jesus will be arrested (22:47–53), he will have a brief teaching ministry in Jerusalem (19:47–22:46).

19:28–40 / Because Jesus is hailed king in v. 38, Fitzmyer (p. 1241) refers to this part of Luke’s Gospel as Jesus’ “Royal Entry” (Tiede, p. 327: “royal procession”). The observation is an important one, for among the Synoptics only Luke adds, the king, to the quotation of Ps. 118:26 (see John 12:15). The cry of “king” links the Triumphal (or Royal) Entry to the preceding Parable of the Ten Minas (19:11–27), where the man of noble birth is “appointed king” (19:12). Jesus is that “man of noble birth” (as seen in the Infancy Narrative, 1:26–38; 2:1–38) who is to be absent for a time, but who will receive a kingdom.

As Jesus and his followers approached Bethphage and Bethany (see note below) he sent two of his disciples ahead to fetch a colt (either a young horse or donkey; see Matt. 21:2). Some commentators have argued that Jesus’ instructions in vv. 30–31 imply that Jesus has made a special prior arrangement with the colt’s owner (so Marshall, p. 713), but this is not likely, for the sense of the passage suggests that Jesus, as Lord, is in control. At the very least it would suggest divine foreknowledge (so Fitzmyer, p. 1249).

The disciples follow Jesus’ instructions and so bring the animal to Jesus. By placing their cloaks on the colt and on the road, his followers demonstrate their enthusiastic support for Jesus, whom they hail as their king. (Fitzmyer [p. 1250] notes that the spreading of the garments upon the ground may allude “to the homage paid to the newly anointed Jehu in 2 Kings 9:13.”) As Jesus approaches Jerusalem his followers, described as a crowd of disciples (see note below), began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. The first part of their praise in v. 38 comes from Ps. 118:26, a greeting customarily extended to pilgrims who have come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover (Fitzmyer, p. 1246).

Luke adds the king to this quotation, thus underscoring that Jesus’ disciples do not regard Jesus as just another pilgrim. Rather, Jesus is the king. Equally significant is Luke’s omission of the second part of the greeting as it occurs in Mark 11:10: “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” By omitting this exclamation, Luke is careful to convey the idea that what has arrived is not the “kingdom,” but the “king.” Saying that the kingdom is coming could leave the impression that the kingdom of God should have been inaugurated with Jesus’ arrival at Jerusalem (or shortly thereafter). This idea Luke is careful to avoid. This may explain why Luke omits mention of the palm branches (see Mark 11:8), which signify political ideas (see 2 Macc. 10:7; Talbert, p. 179). As the man of noble birth in the parable above (19:11–27), Jesus arrives in Jerusalem to be made king, but soon he will depart and remain absent for a period of time. Only when he returns will the kingdom be established.

Jesus’ arrival at Jerusalem begins the “fulfillment” of what awaits him in the city of destiny (9:51). Although the kingdom of God is not to be inaugurated at this time (nor at the time immediately following Easter; see Acts 1:6–7), it is the beginning of peace in heaven and glory in the highest. Because of what will be accomplished in Jerusalem, Jesus’ atoning death on the cross, there will be “peace in heaven” and, in fulfillment of the angelic announcement in 2:14, “peace on earth.”

In stark contrast to the shouts of joyful exclamation, some of the Pharisees, who have apparently accompanied Jesus since 13:31, tell Jesus to rebuke his disciples. This exchange is found only in Luke and provides the transition to the rejection that Jesus will soon experience in the city. Jesus’ reply (… the stones will cry out) indicates that his kingship is a reality whether it is recognized by people or not. The inhabitants of Jerusalem may not accept their true king, but the very stones of which the city is built do.

19:41–44 / The rejection by the Pharisees in v. 39 also prepares for Jesus’ lament over the city of Jerusalem, a passage also found only in Luke’s Gospel. Jesus weeps not for himself, though his own death is only days away, but he weeps for the city, knowing what grim fate awaits it.

When Jesus says, If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace, he means if only the city had known that it must receive Jesus as its king, if it was to find true, lasting peace. Fitzmyer (pp. 1256–57) has noted that the reference to “peace” may play on the popular understanding that the name Jerusalem meant “peace” (from an association between Salem [Gen. 14:18] and šālôm, the Hebrew word for “peace”; see note below). Therefore, Jesus laments ironically that the city of peace does not know what to do in order to secure peace.

In vv. 43–44 Jesus describes the coming destruction with descriptive phrases derived from prophetic passages, for the most part having to do with the first destruction of Jerusalem and the first temple (see notes below). Jerusalem, the city of peace, will be besieged by enemies who will dash it to the ground, not leaving one stone on another. The reason for this catastrophe, for this inability to know what would bring peace, is because, Jesus says, Jerusalem did not recognize the time of God’s coming. The last part of this sentence reads literally: “the day of your visitation.” The idea of the Lord “visiting” his people is found frequently in the OT. In Exod. 3:16 God tells Moses that he has “visited” his people in Egypt and knows of their suffering. This visitation is not just a fact-finding visit; it is itself an act of deliverance. God visited his people in Egypt in order to lead them out of slavery to freedom. In Ruth 1:6 Naomi learns that God has visited his people in Judah by giving them a good harvest. Finally, in 1 Sam. 1:19–21 the Lord visits Hannah, enabling her to conceive and give birth to Samuel. The same idea is seen in Luke’s Gospel as well. After the birth of John the Baptist, his father Zechariah prophesies: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people” (1:68; see also 1:78). Later, when Jesus raises up the son of the widow from Nain (7:11–17), the amazed crowd proclaims: “A great prophet has appeared among us … God has come to help [lit. “visited”] his people” (7:16). Clearly, then, Luke understands the appearance of Jesus as one of these “visitations” of God through which an act of redemption will be accomplished. Because the people do not recognize this visitation, however, but reject Jesus, disaster and destruction await them. Realizing their blindness, Jesus weeps over the city.

19:45–46 / Luke’s account of the cleansing of the temple is briefest of the Gospel accounts (see note below). Luke’s account is briefest because he has omitted the various details regarding those who were selling and changing money (see Matt. 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:14–16). Also omitted in Luke is the cursing of the fig tree (see Mark 11:12–14), as well as a few other less noteworthy details.

The point of Jesus’ action is twofold: (1) Positively, Jesus purges the temple in order to prepare it as a place where he can teach the crowds (as indicated in v. 47); (2) negatively, Jesus purges the temple because of his objection to the buying and selling. It should be remembered that wealth, property, and money are items of major concern in Luke. The mercantile activities of those within the temple precincts amounted to a violation of the purpose of the temple. Instead of being a place where God is worshipped, it has become a place where profits are made (recall Luke 16:13, “You cannot serve both God and Money”). While driving out those who were selling, Jesus quotes Isa. 56:7: My house will be a house of prayer. This is the temple’s true purpose; it is a place where people commune with God. But, Jesus says alluding to Jer. 7:11, you have made it “a den of robbers.” Both OT passages utilized in this saying are noteworthy.

The text from Isaiah 56 is part of a passage that anticipates the day when salvation will come and when the Lord’s deliverance will be revealed (56:1); it will be a time when forgiveness will be offered (56:3, 6) and eunuchs will be welcomed into God’s house (56:4). Because of the acceptance of foreign peoples, God’s “house [or temple] will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (56:7). Ironically, at the Passover Jews and proselytes from many nations come to the temple in Jerusalem, but instead of entering a house of prayer, as the Isaianic passage describes, they enter a place of business.

The second part of Jesus’ statement is taken from Jer. 7:1–15, a passage where the sixth-century prophet condemned those who had desecrated the first temple with their idolatry and crimes (among which is stealing; Jer. 7:9). Passover celebrants were almost surely being overcharged for sacrificial birds and animals (see note below), and were perhaps even being cheated when money was exchanged for the shekels needed to buy these animals.

Jesus’ expulsion of those who were selling (and exchanging) would have been viewed by the temple leaders as contempt for their authority and possibly as contempt for the religion itself. It is sometimes wondered how Jesus could have gotten away with this action, for temple police were always present to prevent just such an occurrence. (Fitzmyer [p. 1264] raises the question but offers no answer.) Although far from certain, a plausible answer has been put forth that the year in which Jesus cleansed the temple was the first year that sellers of animals were permitted into the temple precincts (see notes below). If this is the case, then Caiaphas would hold the dubious distinction of being the first high priest to authorize this business activity in the temple. (The custom of exchanging money within the temple’s precincts had apparently been established earlier.) Opinion over the appropriateness of such a new policy would have been sharply divided. It may be (and here we are only guessing) that many priests, Levites, and temple guards were looking on sheepishly when Jesus strode boldly into the temple and began driving out the sellers and money changers. Indeed, quite possibly Jesus’ action not only did not provoke antagonism from most of the religious figures (although his action surely was upsetting to the merchants), but it may have actually been looked upon with secret approval. Seen in this light, it becomes understandable how Jesus could assault the temple and then not only escape arrest but continue teaching in the temple precincts.

19:47–48 / Following his dramatic entry, Jesus began to teach every day in the temple precincts. The chief (or ruling) priests, the teachers of the law, and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. We have been told from time to time in Luke that a plot against Jesus was afoot (6:11; 11:53–54). This statement comes immediately after the incident of the temple cleansing (vv. 45–46) and is probably to be understood as in part a result of Jesus’ action. They have plotted against Jesus for some time, but since he has directly challenged the religious authorities, steps must be taken to do away with him. Thus, the summary is a transition connecting Jesus’ public ministry, climaxed by the temple cleansing, and his arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

The authorities, however, could not find any way to do away with Jesus, because he was surrounded by too many people. Therefore Jesus is able to continue his ministry within Jerusalem, at least for a few days.