LUKE LESSON 46


     We will begin this lesson in Luke 19:1 "And [Jesus] entered and
passed through Jericho."

     Jericho was a town with much history.  When Joshua was headed for
the promised land, this city's fortified walls fell down before them.
Jericho has been remembered for that event.  Some historians must
remember Jericho for the miracles Jesus did here, as well.

     Luke 19:2 "And, behold, [there was] a man named Zacchaeus, which
was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich."

     Luke is the only one of the writers that tell us of this rich,
little man who had been a collector of taxes.  Tax collectors were
hated among the Israelites.  He had gained great wealth perhaps from
tax collecting.

     Luke 19:3 "And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not
for the press, because he was little of stature."

     It seems the multitude that followed Jesus prevented this small
man from seeing Jesus.  He had heard of His fame and wanted to see
Him.

     Luke 19:4 "And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree
to see him: for he was to pass that [way]."

     This does not sound like something a rich man would do. Zacchaeus
would not be denied.  He was going to see Jesus, one way or the other.

     Luke 19:5 "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and
saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for
to day I must abide at thy house."

     Jesus was pleased that Zacchaeus would go to that much trouble to
be able to see Him.  Zacchaeus being a rich man would have ordinarily
kept him from climbing a tree.  It seemed this rich man was not full
of pride.  Jesus knows his heart and tells Zacchaeus that He is going
home with him.

     Luke 19:6 "And he made haste, and came down, and received him
joyfully."

     This was beyond his greatest expectations that Jesus could want
to stay with him.  He was overjoyed.

     Luke 19:7 "And when they saw [it], they all murmured, saying,
That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner."

      Remember that the Hebrews hated publicans because they were tax
 collectors.  They classified Zacchaeus as unfit to fellowship with.
 God never did like murmuring, not in the wilderness journeying and
 not here, either.

     Luke 19:8 "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold,
Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any
thing from any man by false accusation, I restore [him] fourfold."

     This man truly has a repentant heart.  He does not wait for Jesus
to tell him this; he volunteers.  He wants nothing to stand between
him and Jesus.  He has made Jesus Lord of his life, he even calls Him
Lord.  This was a very wealthy man and 1/2 was a tremendous amount to
give away.

     Luke 19:9 "And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to
this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham."

     When Jesus calls Zacchaeus the son of Abraham, He was speaking of
Zacchaeus' faith, just as all believers in Christ are sons of Abraham
because of their faith.  Galatians 3:7, "Know ye therefore that they
which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Zacchaeus
received salvation because of his faith.

     Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost."

     Jesus came to save sinners.  Just as in the parable where the
shepherd went to find the lost sheep, Jesus left the security of
heaven and came to earth to save the lost.  The wonderful thing is
that He would have come if there had been just one.

     Luke 19:11 "And as they heard these things, he added and spake a
parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought
that the kingdom of God should immediately appear."

     Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem to be crucified, but those
traveling with Him thought that He would overthrow the Romans and set
up His kingdom at this time.  They still did not understand how the
victory would come.

     Luke 19:12 "He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far
country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return."

     This parable, here, is similar to the parable about the ten
talents in Matthew, but there are marked differences, as well.  I
believe this is a spiritual parable about Jesus leaving His apostles
to take care of His followers while He goes away into heaven to build
us a home.  Jesus is the nobleman.

     Luke 19:13 "And he called his ten servants, and delivered them
ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come."

     We see here that Jesus has equipped the disciples to take care of
His followers until He returns.  Jesus told all believers in Christ to
occupy until He comes.

     Luke 19:14 "But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after
him, saying, We will not have this [man] to reign over us."

     I can see in this the rejection by the people of the gospel
message.  The world rejected Jesus as Saviour and Lord; the Hebrews in
particular, but really this covers all who reject Him.

      Luke 19:15 "And it came to pass, that when he was returned,
having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be
called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know
how much every man had gained by trading."

     The Lord has given each of us a measure of faith.  He has
entrusted to us what we can handle.  Some of us have a little more
money than the other, but to whom much is given, much is required.
This reminds me so much of the parable of the seed which fell on good
ground.  Some brought forth a hundred fold, some sixty fold, and some
thirty fold.  You can read about it in Matthew, chapter 13.  This is
the same thing in verse 15 above.  We are to work until Jesus comes
back with His kingdom to set up here on the earth for His 1,000 year
reign.

     Luke 19:16 "Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath
gained ten pounds." Luke 19:17 "And he said unto him, Well, thou good
servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou
authority over ten cities."

     This Scripture, here, is saying this servant will rule over ten
cities.  A nobleman in the flesh would not have ten cities to turn
over to this man.  What this is really saying is, if we are faithful
until the end, working to win as many souls for His kingdom as we can,
then He will make us ruler.

     Luke 19:18 "And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath
gained five pounds."  Luke 19:19 "And he said likewise to him, Be thou
also over five cities."

     We see again, here, that this is obviously the Lord Jesus
awarding to the faithful the rule over cities.

     Luke 19:20 "And another came, saying, Lord, behold, [here is] thy
pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:"

     Fear is not of God.  This servant was afraid of losing what he
had.  Faith is the opposite of fear.  Without faith it is impossible
to please God.

     Luke 19:21 "For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man:
thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst
not sow."

     This fear, this person was feeling was not like fear the
Christian has of God which is really reverence.  He knew the Lord
reaped where He had not sown.  He will be punished, because he knew
and didn't do what he knew to do.

     Luke 19:22 "And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I
judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere
man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:"
Luke 19:23 "Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank,
that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?"

     This servant condemned himself.  He knew the Lord multiplied
without anything to start with.  This is just a flimsy excuse for not
having worked until the Lord came.

     Luke 19:24 "And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him
the pound, and give [it] to him that hath ten pounds."

     This seems unfair, but really all he is going to do is sit there
and hold it.  The Lord wants it in the hands of someone who will work
for Him.  When the Lord gives us a gift, He expects us to use it for
Him.

     Luke 19:25 "(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)"

     The world does not understand this and complains, but the Lord
has already tried this servant and he failed.

     Luke 19:26 "For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath
shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be
taken away from him."

     The Lord expects us to use what He gives, not to sit around
whining about what we don't have.  It is of no advantage to the Lord
at all to put tools in the hands of those who will not use them.

     Luke 19:27 "But those mine enemies, which would not that I should
reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me."

     This is speaking of judgement day for those who have totally
rejected Jesus.  They will be destroyed.
















                           Luke 46 Questions


1.  What is the city of Jericho known for?
2.  Who was Zacchaeus?
3.  Why did the Hebrews hate him?
4.  Why could Zacchaeus not see Jesus?
5.  What did he do to make it possible to see?
6.  What did Jesus say to Zacchaeus when He saw him?
7.  How did Zacchaeus react to Jesus' request?
8.  What was the crowd murmurming about?
9.  What did Zacchaeus voluntarily say that he was going to do which
    pleased Jesus?
10. What did Jesus say had come to Zacchaeus' house that day?
11. What did Jesus mean when He called Zacchaeus, Abraham's son?
12. What had Jesus come to the earth for?  (Verse 10)
13. The people thought what would immediately appear in Jerusalem?
14. Who is the nobleman symbolic of?
15. What did the nobleman tell the ten servants to do until he came
    back?
16. Who is this really speaking of in verse 14?
17. After He had received what, he returned?
18. When the servant reported he had gained 10 for the 1 pound, what
    did his master say to him?
19. Why do we know for sure this symbolizes Jesus and His servants and
    not really the nobleman ?
20. Why was the Lord disappointed in the servant who hid the talent?
21. Why will he be punished?
22. How will the Lord judge him?
23. What happened to the 1 pound he hid?
24. What was the final outcome of those enemies who did not want Him
    to reign over them?