ACC ~ Luke 19 v37 - 48

OVERVIEW:

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, apostles and children proclaim his divine glory, while the Pharisees call to Jesus to rebuke his disciples (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). Jerusalem was in turmoil at his birth and now at his death. In both events the voices of children are intertwined. Even the stones will cry out at his crucifixion (EPHREM THE SYRIAN). Jesus tells the Pharisees that if his followers were prevented from announcing the arrival of the Messiah to the city, then even inanimate objects such as stones would react against their nature (AMBROSE) by announcing his arrival (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). At Jesus’ birth there is peace on earth. As he enters Jerusalem for his passion and resurrection, there is peace in heaven. Earth and heaven are joined together in peace through the incarnation and atonement of Christ (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA).

By weeping over this city, Jesus fulfills in himself the beatitude “blessed are those who weep.” [1] Jesus weeps not only for this city but also for all believers who fall away because of sin and the evil spirits that surround them (ORIGEN). Jesus prophetically describes with detailed accuracy here and later during his eschatological discourse in the temple how devastating the city’s future destruction will be at the hands of Titus during the reign of Vespasian (EUSEBIUS).

The temple will become the locale for Jesus’ teaching during these final days. Hence it must be cleansed so that the holiness of Jesus may dwell in a holy place. Some of the moneychangers cannot distinguish good from evil and do not realize that all money is the Lord’s (AMBROSE). Casting them out is a violent act by Jesus, but no more violent than the casting out of demons (AUGUSTINE). The temple must return to its original purpose—a place of petitionary prayer for someone like the tax collector in the parable. [2] It must not be a place of sacrifice. The temple is now a place of conflict, and the chief priests and scribes are seeking to kill Jesus for cleansing the temple and teaching there (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA).

[1] Luke 6:21.

[2] Lk 18:9-14.

19:37-40 | The Response to Jesus’ Entrance

HIS DISCIPLES AND THE PEOPLE PRAISE JESUS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Christ therefore sits upon the colt. Since he now came to the descent of the Mount of Olives close to Jerusalem, the disciples went before him praising him. They were called to bear witness to the wonderful works that he performed and of his godlike glory and sovereignty. We likewise should always praise him, considering who and how great he is. Another holy Evangelist mentioned that children, holding high branches of palm trees, ran before him. With the rest of the disciples, they celebrated his glory. [1] COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 130. [2]

[1] Mt 21:8; Mk 11:8; Jn 12:13.

[2] CGSL 516**.

THE PHARISEES REBUKE THE DISCIPLES

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Pharisees truly complained because Christ was praised. They came near and said, “Rebuke your disciples.” O Pharisee, what wrong action did they do? What charge do you bring against the disciples or how would you rebuke them? They have not sinned in any way but have rather done what is praiseworthy. They extol as King and Lord the One the law had before pointed out by many symbols and types. The ancient company of the holy prophets had preached of him. You despised him and grieved him by your great jealousy. Your duty was to join the rest in their praises. Your duty was to withdraw far from your innate wickedness and to change your way for the better. Your duty was to follow the sacred Scriptures and to thirst after the knowledge of the truth. You did not do this, but transferring your words to the contrary, you wanted to rebuke the heralds of the truth. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 130. [1]

[1] CGSL 516-17**.

JERUSALEM IN TURMOIL AT JESUS’ BIRTH AND DEATH

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: The children were shouting and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” This displeased the chief priests and the scribes, and they said to him, “Do you not hear what these are saying?” [1] That means, “If these praises do not please you, make them keep silent.” At his birth and at his death, children were intertwined in the crown of his sufferings. When he met Christ, the infant John jumped for joy within the womb. [2] Children were murdered at his birth. [3] They were like the grapes of his wedding feast. Children also proclaimed his praise when the time of his death approached. Jerusalem was in turmoil [4] at his birth, just as it was in turmoil again and trembling [5] the day that he entered it. When the scribes heard, they were displeased, and they were saying to him, “Stop them!” he said to them, “If these become silent, the stones will cry out.” The scribes preferred that the children would cry out rather than the stones. This, however, was reserved for later, because the stones were crying out at the time of his crucifixion, [6] but those with words were silent. Speechless things proclaimed his greatness. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 118.2. [7]

[1] Mt 21:15-16.

[2] Lk 1:41.

[3] Mt 2:16-18.

[4] Mt 2:3.

[5] Mt 21:10.

[6] See Mt 27:51-52.

[7] ECTD 271**.

EVEN STONES WILL PRAISE JESUS

AMBROSE: It is not strange if the rocks would respond against their nature with praises of the Lord since murderers, harder than rocks, also proclaim them. Perhaps this means when the Jews are speechless after the Lord’s passion, the living stones, according to Peter, will cry out. [1] Even with mixed emotions, the crowd nevertheless leads God to his temple with praise. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 9.16. [2]

[1] See 1 Pet 2:5.

[2] EHG 376**.

JESUS CALLS FOR THE STONES TO PRAISE HIM

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: What does Christ answer to these things? “I tell you that if these be silent, the stones will cry out.”

It is impossible for God not to be glorified, although those of the race of Israel refuse to do so. The worshipers of idols were once as stones and hardened, but they have been delivered from their former error and rescued from the hand of the enemy. They have escaped from devilish darkness. They have been called to the light of truth. They have awakened as from drunkenness. They have acknowledged the Creator. They do not praise him secretly, in concealment, in a hidden way and silently, but with freedom of speech and a loud voice. They praise him diligently, as it were, calling out to one another and saying, “Come, let us praise the Lord and sing psalms to God our Savior.” They acknowledged Christ the Savior of all. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 130. [1]

[1] CGSL 517**.

PEACE OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The disciples praise Christ the Savior of all, calling him King and Lord, and the peace of heaven and earth. Let us also praise him, taking the psalmist’s harp and saying, “How great are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have made them.” [1] Only wisdom is in his works because he guides all useful things in their proper manner and assigns to his acts the season that suits them. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 130. [2]

[1] Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX).

[2] CGSL 514*.

19:41-44 | The Response of Jesus to Jerusalem

JESUS FULFILLS THE BEATITUDE FOR THOSE WHO WEEP

ORIGEN: When our Lord and Savior approached Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept. … By his example, Jesus confirms all the Beatitudes that he speaks in the Gospel. By his own witness, he confirms what he teaches. “Blessed are the meek,” he says. He says something similar to this of himself: “Learn from me, for I am meek.” “Blessed are the peacemakers.” What other man brought as much peace as my Lord Jesus, who “is our peace,” who “dissolves hostility” and “destroys it in his own flesh”? [1] “Blessed are those who suffer persecution because of justice.”

No one suffered such persecution because of justice as did the Lord Jesus, who was crucified for our sins. The Lord therefore exhibited all the Beatitudes in himself. For the sake of this likeness, he wept, because of what he said, “Blessed are those who weep,” to lay the foundations for this beatitude as well. He wept for Jerusalem “and said, ‘If only you had known on that day what meant peace for you! But now it is hidden from your eyes,’” and the rest, to the point where he says, “Because you did not know the time of your visitation.” HOMILY ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 38.1-2. [2]

[1] :1–24:53 PRELIMINARY REMARKS | ON THE GOSPEL

[2] FC 94:156-57**.

LUKE RECORDS JESUS’ PROPHECIES ABOUT JERUSALEM’S DESTRUCTION

EUSEBIUS: These things took place in this way in the second year of the reign of Vespasian in agreement with the prophetic pronouncements of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. By divine power, he foresaw these events as if already present and wept over them and mourned, according to the writings of the holy Evangelists. They add his own words, when on one occasion he spoke as if to Jerusalem itself. “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! Now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation.” On another occasion, as if concerning the people, he said, “There will be great distress in the land and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captives into all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the nations be fulfilled.” [1] Again he says, “When you shall see Jerusalem encircled by an army, then know that its desolation is near.” [2] If one should compare the words of our Savior with the other narratives of the historian, how could he help but marvel and confess the truly divine and supernaturally wonderful foreknowledge and prophecy of our Savior? ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.7. [3]

[1] Lk 21:23-24.

[2] Lk 21:20.

[3] FC 19:153-54*.

19:45-46 | Jesus Cleanses the Temple

THE HOME OF SANCTITY

AMBROSE: God does not want his temple to be a trader’s lodge but the home of sanctity. He does not preserve the practice of the priestly ministry by the dishonest duty of religion but by voluntary obedience. Consider what the Lord’s actions impose on you as an example of living. … He taught in general that worldly transactions must be absent from the temple, but he drove out the moneychangers in particular. Who are the moneychangers, if not those who seek profit from the Lord’s money and cannot distinguish between good and evil? Holy Scripture is the Lord’s money. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 9.17-18. [1]

[1] EHG 376**.

THE CASTING OUT OF SELLERS

AUGUSTINE: In another place, when I said the following about our Lord Jesus Christ, “He did nothing by force but everything by persuasion and admonition,” I forgot that he threw out the sellers and buyers from the temple by flogging them. [1] What does this matter to us? How is it important if he also cast out demons from people against their will, not by persuasive words but by force of his power? [2] RETRACTATIONS 12.6. [3]

[1] Mk 11:15; Mt 21:12.

[2] Mt 9:32-33; Mk 1:34; 5:13.

[3] FC 60:54*.

A HOUSE OF PRAYER, NOT A PLACE OF SACRIFICE

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: There was in it a crowd of merchants and others guilty of the charge of the shameful love of money. I mean moneychangers or keepers of exchange tables, sellers of oxen, dealers of sheep, and sellers of turtledoves and pigeons. All these things were used for the sacrifices according to the legal ritual. The time had now come for the shadow to draw to an end and for the truth to shine forth. The truth is the lovely beauty of Christian conduct, the glories of the blameless life and the sweet rational flavor of worship in spirit and in truth.

The Truth, Christ as One who with his Father was also honored in their temple, commanded that those things that were by the law should be carried away, even the materials for sacrifices and burning of incense. He commanded that the temple clearly should be a house of prayer. His rebuking the dealers and driving them from the sacred courts when they were selling what was wanted for sacrifice means certainly this, as I suppose, and this alone. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 132. [1]

[1] CGSL 522-23**.

19:47-48 | Jesus Teaches in the Temple

THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES SEEK TO KILL JESUS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: As one who possessed authority over the temple, he took care of it. … Their duty was to worship him, as One who with God the Father was Lord of the temple. In their great folly, they did not do this, but rather being savagely eager for hatred, they set up the sharp sting of wickedness against him and hurried to murder, which is the neighbor and brother of envy. It says that they sought to destroy him but could not, because all the people were hanging on him to hear him. Does this not make the punishment of the scribes and Pharisees, and all the rulers of the Jewish ranks, heavier? The whole people, consisting of unlearned persons, hung upon the sacred doctrines and drank the saving word like the rain. They were ready to produce the fruits of faith and place their neck under his commandments. They who had the position to urge on their people to this very thing savagely rebelled and wickedly sought the opportunity for murder. With unbridled violence, they ran upon the rocks, not accepting the faith and wickedly hindering others. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 132. [1]

[1] CGSL 523**.