LUKE LESSON 47

      We will begin this lesson in Luke 19:28  "And when he had thus
spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem."

     We see, here, again, that even though Jesus knew that crucifixion
awaited Him in Jerusalem, He was determined to go there.  He is
steadily getting nearer and nearer.

     Luke 19:29 "And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to
Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called [the mount] of Olives, he
sent two of his disciples,"

      We have previously dealt with this in Matthew 21 and Mark 11,
 but there are always a few details to add.  This mount of Olives is a
 very short distance outside the walls of Jerusalem.  Notice He sent
 two.  Two means agreement.

     Luke 19:30 "Saying, Go ye into the village over against [you]; in
the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet
never man sat: loose him, and bring [him hither]."

     We discussed before that the Lord Jesus had foreknowledge of
everything, and He knew this colt would be tied there.  Perhaps, the
Spirit of God had spoken to someone and had them bring the colt to
this spot for this purpose.  In Zechariah 9:9, this was prophesied.

     Luke 19:31 "And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose [him]? thus
shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him."

     This is probably what the Spirit had told the owner of the colt
to expect.  There would be no argument, because this had been
prearranged by the Spirit of God.

     Luke 19:32 "And they that were sent went their way, and found
even as he had said unto them."  Luke 19:33 "And as they were loosing
the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?"

     Here we see even more prominently the deity of Jesus.  He is all
knowing of the future, the past, and the present.  He knew the colt
would be here at this exact time, and He even knew the question the
man would ask.

     Luke 19:34 "And they said, The Lord hath need of him."

     This seemed to be the exact words he needed to hear, because he
did not argue with the two Jesus sent.

     Luke 19:35 "And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their
garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon."

     When they cast their garments on the colt for Jesus to ride upon,
they were recognizing Jesus as their King.  In II Kings 9:13, we see
this recognition of a worldly king the same way.  Jesus was to ride
this colt to show His humbleness, even though the people would herald
Him as their King.

     Luke 19:36 "And as he went, they spread their clothes in the
way."  Luke 19:37 "And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent
of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to
rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that
they had seen;"

      It is very interesting here that His entrance into Jerusalem
 begins from the mount of Olives.  There will come a time when Jesus
 returns to the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, that Jesus
 will set His foot on the mount of Olives; and the mountain will break
 in two (cleave).  He will come into the city of Jerusalem to set His
 kingdom up on the earth.  (Zechariah 14:4)  Notice in the Scripture
 above, the disciples are a multitude.  This is not the twelve.  They
 really believed Jesus would take over as King now.  They are praising
 and rejoicing.  My question is: where were they when He was
 crucified?

     Luke 19:38 "Saying, Blessed [be] the King that cometh in the name
of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest."

     This same blessing is found in Psalms 118:26.  Jesus is the King
of Peace and there will be no true peace upon the earth until the King
of Peace comes and establishes His peace.  This was a victorious cry.
Perhaps, they would have all taken up arms and fought if Jesus had
asked them.

     Luke 19:39 "And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude
said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples."

     These Pharisees were numbered among His disciples, so they
 undoubtedly had decided to follow Jesus.  They even call Him, Master.
 Whether they were fearful of the Romans or their own rulers of the
 synagogue is not said.  At any rate, they thought Jesus had allowed
 His disciples to go too far with this praise and worship.

     Luke 19:40 "And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that,
if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry
out."

     Everything in the universe must cry out praises to its Creator.
This is what Jesus is saying here, that even these stones are created
of God.  If these disciples had not cried praises, then the lower
things would.  John the Baptist had previously told them that God
could raise up children of Abraham from the stones, if necessary.
(Luke 3:8)  The Lord of all the earth is passing by.  It was necessary
for them to cry out praises.  In David's time when he danced before
the Ark of the Covenant, we are told if David had not cried out
praises, the rocks would have.

     Luke 19:41  "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and
wept over it,"
     Jesus loved Jerusalem.  Jerusalem killed prophets and of course,
Jesus was crucified right outside the city wall.

     Luke 19:42 "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."

     Jesus is speaking here of the destruction of Jerusalem which
would come in just a few short years.  He is saying, if you only know
what awaits you.

     Luke 19:43 "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,"  Luke 19:44 "And shall lay thee even with the
ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee
one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy
visitation."

     Here, again, this is Jesus speaking in foreknowledge of the
destruction of Jerusalem.  It just goes into detail about the
happening.  We do see, here, why this destruction came was because
they did not accept Jesus at His visitation.

     Luke 19:45 "And he went into the temple, and began to cast out
them that sold therein, and them that bought;"  Luke 19:46 "Saying
unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have
made it a den of thieves."

     This is a warning for then and for now.  We must be very careful
 what goes on in the temple of God.  No business transactions should
 be made inside the sanctuary.  The place of worship is a holy place.
 Prayer should be first and foremost.  Many of us take this holy place
 far too casually.  This place of worship is to be used to communicate
 with God.  It is not a place of entertainment.

     Luke 19:47 "And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief
priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy
him,"  Luke 19:48 "And could not find what they might do: for all the
people were very attentive to hear him."

     The chief priests and the scribes tried over and over to get
 evidence to convict Him.  I personally believe that they were jealous
 because His ministry was with power and miracles which they
 themselves did not have and could not do.  The people (masses)
 followed Him; because He had answers to their problems, and He gave
 them hope, not a set of rules that no one could keep.  Either these
 priests and scribes did not understand the Scriptures they were
 reading and rejected Jesus for that reason or else they understood,
 but did not want to lose their power grip over the people.  At any
 rate, they killed the Saviour of the world.




                           Luke 47 Questions

1.  Why was Jesus not headed away from Jerusalem, instead of toward
    it?
2.  What mount did Jesus go to near Jerusalem?
3.  Who did He send to town?
4.  What did He send them after?
5.  What does the Lord tell them to say to anyone inquiring why they
    want it?
6.  When they brought it to Jesus, what did they do that showed they
    believed Jesus to be their King?
7.  What did the disciples praise Jesus for in verse 37?
8.  When is another time Jesus will come to the mount of Olives to
    triumphantly enter Jerusalem ?
9.  What is the blessing that was spoken in verse 38 and in Psalms?
10. Who is the King of Peace?
11. What did some of the Pharisees tell Jesus to do?
12. What did Jesus say would cry out if the disciples stopped?
13. Who danced before the Ark of the Covenant?
14. Why is that long ago happening important here?
15. When Jesus saw Jerusalem, what did He do?
16. In what city's outskirts was Jesus crucified?
17. What is Jesus saying is hid from their eyes in verse 42?
18. In verse 43, Jesus says the enemies will do what about the city?
19. They shall not leave one -------- upon -------.
20. Why would this destruction come?
21. Who did Jesus cast out of the temple?
22. What did Jesus call the temple?
23. What did He say they had made it?
24. What lesson can we receive from this?
25. When He taught in the temple daily, who tried to destroy Him?
26. Why were they not successful at destroying Jesus then?
27. What does the author believe was really behind their reason for
    wanting to destroy Him?
28. He gave them ----- to their problems and He gave them --------.