The Lord spoke the following parable: a certain man of high birth went to a distant country to obtain a kingdom for himself and return; Having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them: use them until I return. But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying: we don’t want him to reign over us. And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered to call to himself the slaves of those to whom he had given the silver, in order to find out who had acquired what. The first one came and said: Master! your mine brought ten mines. And he said to him: Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in small things, take control of ten cities. The second one came and said: Master! your mine brought five mines. He also said to this one: you too be over five cities. A third came and said: Master! Here is your mine, which I kept wrapped in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a cruel person: you take what you did not put in, and you reap what you did not sow. The master said to him: with your mouth I will judge you, wicked servant! You knew that I am a cruel man, I take what I did not put in, and I reap what I did not sow; Why didn’t you give my silver into circulation, so that when I came, I would receive it at a profit? And he said to those present: take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas. And they said to him: Master! He has ten mines. I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away; Bring my enemies, those who did not want me to reign over them, here and kill them before me. Having said this, He went further, ascending to Jerusalem.
This parable is about our life and death, and about the Second Coming of Christ. When Christ ascended into heaven, He was like this man who went to a far country to receive a kingdom for himself. When He set out, He took care to provide His Church with everything necessary during His absence. “And he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.” We know that the mina was the currency of the time, just like the “talent” that we hear about in the parallel parable of the Gospel of Matthew. Not a single person is deprived of his face, his talent. The Lord does not forget anyone, wanting to receive a return from everyone according to his strength. He wants us not to remain idle, but to multiply His gifts.
Next we hear about the citizens of the country who hated this gentleman of “high birth” and continued to quarrel against him, even after his departure. “We don’t want him to reign over us,” they said. This was fulfilled in the infidelity of God's chosen people after the Ascension of the Lord. The majority of the Jews did not want to bow their necks under the yoke of Christ. And this applies to all non-believers in Christ. They don't mind Christ saving them, but they don't want Him to be their King. The fate of these people is eternal torment and death: “Bring my enemies who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and kill them before me.”
And so we see from the parable that one of the slaves turned out to be lazy and crafty. He returns to his master only one mina, which was given to him and which he “kept, wrapped in a scarf.” It seems that he has done nothing wrong, but the Lord pronounces a strict sentence on him: “Take the mina from him and give ten minas to the one who has... I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Gift and responsibility are inseparable. The unfaithful slave thought only of himself and his safety. He risked nothing and achieved nothing. He was not interested in the work of the Lord, he did not think about saving his soul, but only about saving his skin. He who is afraid to put his life in danger will not take risks for the sake of the Lord.
And his judgment is carried out according to his choice. What was given to him is taken away from him. For “whoever saves his life will lose it,” says the Lord. The outer darkness into which the wicked and lazy servant is cast out is an image of the final separation from the Lord, from the light of His Divine good.
This parable is about how great our responsibility is before God and other people. And the judgment of our unpardonable irresponsibility is terrible. “Why didn’t you put my silver into circulation, so that when I came, I would receive it at a profit?” - asks the Lord. Everything is determined not by external results, but by the measure of faithfulness to the Lord, by giving one’s life to other people. How many of us go to God’s temple and observe everything, but somehow cautiously, with caution, as if we are afraid to do too much for God. They are completely pious Christians, but they are afraid that the Lord will suddenly demand from them everything that they have, themselves. While the Lord says: “Son, give Me your heart.”
Life given to others is the acquisition of everything that the Lord wants to give us. There is an immutable law in spiritual life: the more we give to other people, the more we gain ourselves. This is the law of combustion - a candle, a flaming heart, when it can, by giving itself to others, give birth to countless numbers of newly burning candles dedicated to God.
There is no person who could not learn this through the gift of Christ. Each of us, who has received his gift from the Lord, is called to serve other people, for through this giving of himself he participates in the love of Christ - the wealth that He has. But the crafty and lazy slave thought only of himself. He had no gratitude to God, and this deprived him of the Kingdom of Heaven.
If I, like a crafty and lazy slave, apparently observe everything prescribed by the law, thinking only about how to avoid punishment and fearing any risk, how will I know about the incomprehensible love of Christ, which gives itself to the end? How can I not find myself outside of God’s mercy at the Last Judgment?
The secret of life is love - being grateful to God for all His gifts. To be able to bring them to Him without reserve and to know that the joy of our Lord, which He purchased at a great price, belongs to us. And for this reason life is given to us, so that we can enter into this joy and be joint heirs with our Lord forever.
The Holy Church reads the Gospel of Luke. Chapter 19, art. 12-28.
19.12. A certain man of high birth went to a distant country to obtain a kingdom for himself and return;
19.13. Having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them: use them until I return.
19.14. But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying: we don’t want him to reign over us.
19.15. And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered to call to himself the slaves of those to whom he had given the silver, in order to find out who had acquired what.
19.16. The first one came and said: Master! your mine brought ten mines.
19.17. And he said to him: Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in small things, take control of ten cities.
19.18. The second one came and said: Master! your mine brought five mines.
19.19. He also said to this one: you too be over five cities.
19.20. A third came and said: Master! here is your mine, which I kept wrapped in a scarf,
19.21. for I was afraid of you, because you are a cruel man: you take what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.
19.22. The master said to him: with your mouth I will judge you, wicked servant! You knew that I am a cruel man, I take what I did not put in, and I reap what I did not sow;
19.23. Why didn’t you give my silver into circulation, so that when I came, I would receive it at a profit?
19.24. And he said to those present: take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.
19.25. And they said to him: Master! he has ten minutes.
19.26. I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away;
19.27. Bring my enemies, those who did not want me to reign over them, here and kill them before me.
(Luke 19:12-28)
Today, on the day of the Feast of Entry into the Temple Holy Mother of God, in the Gospel reading, dear brothers and sisters, we hear the parable of the ten minas, told by the Lord while he was in Jericho, in the house of the publican Zacchaeus.
This parable is about a man of high birth who went to a distant country to take over a kingdom and return again, while his subjects did everything to prevent him from doing so. The basis of the prtichy was the real situation royal power in Judea at that time.
After the death of Herod the Great, his kingdom was divided between his sons: Herod Antipas, Herod Philip and Archelaus. This section was subject to the approval of Rome, which was the supreme ruler over Palestine.
Archelaus, who inherited Judea, went to Rome to obtain permission from Emperor Augustus to take over the rights of inheritance; at the same time, the Jews sent an embassy of fifty people to Rome to inform Emperor Augustus that they did not want to see Archelaus on the throne. But the emperor confirmed Archelaus' rights to the inheritance, without, however, giving him the royal title.
Every Jew, having heard the parable, undoubtedly immediately recalled the actual historical circumstances that underlay it.
In the parable, the man who went to a distant country refers to Christ Himself, from whom many Jews at that time expected to proclaim the glorious kingdom of the Messiah on earth. When he departs, he leaves ten minas, that is, ten pounds of silver, to ten slaves, saying: use them until I get back(Luke 19:13).
By slaves we mean disciples and followers of Christ who receive from the Lord both various gifts and various external benefits, which they must use and multiply for the glory of God, for the benefit of their neighbors and for the salvation of their souls.
But the citizens hated this high-born man and sent an embassy after him, saying: we don't want him to reign over us(Luke 19:14).
Archbishop Averky (Taushev) notes: “In relation to the Lord Jesus Christ, this refers to the rejection of Him by the Jewish people as their Messiah, but in vain, for He remained both theirs and the whole world’s King and Judge, Who will demand an account from His servants and He will punish those who did not want to recognize His authority.”
Upon the return of the master, that is, during the Second Coming of Christ, when everyone will have to give an account at the Last Judgment about the use of the gifts given to him by God, those who have made good use of the benefits received will be praised and each will receive a reward corresponding to their diligence. Those who do not want to work on the gifts of God’s goodness they have received will lose what they have, since to everyone who has, more will be given, but from everyone who does not have, even what he has will be taken away(Luke 19:26).
Each of us, dear brothers and sisters, receives our gift from the Lord and is called to serve other people, sharing the love of Christ through this self-giving. There is an immutable law in spiritual life: the more we give to other people, the more we gain ourselves, receiving the highest reward in the Kingdom of Heaven!
Help us in this, Lord!
Hieromonk Pimen (Shevchenko)
1–10. Publican Zacchaeus. – 11–27. The parable of mines. – 28–48. Entry into Jerusalem and cleansing of the temple.
Luke 19:1. Then Jesus entered Jericho and passed through it.
Luke 19:2. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, a chief of tax collectors and a rich man,
Luke 19:3. I sought to see Jesus, who He was, but could not follow the people, because He was small in stature,
Luke 19:4. and, running ahead, he climbed up a fig tree to see Him, because He had to pass by it.
The story of the publican Zacchaeus is a feature of Luke's Gospel; it is not reported by other evangelists. When the Lord, heading to Jerusalem, passed through Jericho (about Jericho, see comments on Matthew 20:29), the chief of the local tax collectors (in Jericho there were a lot of taxes from the production and export of balm and therefore there were several tax collectors), a rich man, according to named Zacchaeus (from Hebrew - pure), obviously a Jew, tried to see Jesus among those passing by. "Who is He", i.e. Which of those passing by is Jesus. But he did not succeed because he was short.
“Running ahead”, i.e. to that street which Christ had not yet passed, but had to pass (according to better reading– εἰς ἔμπροσθεν, and according to the Textus receptus – simply ἔμπροσθεν).
“Climbed a fig tree” - this tree was obviously quite tall.
"Past her." The Greek text contains the word δί ἐκείνης, but the preposition διά is superfluous here, it is not in the best codes.
Luke 19:5. When Jesus came to this place, he looked, saw him and said to him: Zacchaeus! come down quickly, for today I need to be in your house.
Luke 19:6. And he hastened down and received Him with joy.
Whether the Lord knew Zacchaeus before is unknown. He could hear the name of the publican from those around Him, who knew Zacchaeus and called him by name, seeing him in a strange position on the tree.
“Today I need to be...” The Lord points out to Zacchaeus the special importance of this day for him: Christ, according to the highest definition (cf. verse 10), must stay with Zacchaeus for the night (cf. the expression μεῖναι - “to be” with John. 1:39).
Luke 19:7. And everyone, seeing this, began to murmur and said that He had come to a sinful man;
“Everything” is a hyperbolic expression. We are talking about the Jews who accompanied Christ to the house of Zacchaeus and saw how Zacchaeus met the Lord at the entrance.
“Went in” - more precisely: came in in order to stay here (εἰσῆλθε καταλῦσαι).
Luke 19:8. Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord: Lord! I will give half of my property to the poor, and if I have offended anyone, I will repay him fourfold.
Probably, the conversation that Christ had with Zacchaeus, having come to him, made a huge impression on the soul of the tax collector. By making a vow to pay back the poor and those offended by him, he thereby expresses the consciousness of his unworthiness before such great happiness as he has now received - the Messiah Himself has come to him.
“Offended” (ἐσυκοφάντησα), i.e. if I have harmed anyone financially with my denunciations. Zacchaeus could, indeed, as the head of publicans, play a large role in fining merchants who did not pay the legal duty for goods.
"Four times." He considers his act as theft, and for theft, according to the law of Moses, he was supposed to pay four or even five times the value of what was stolen (Ex. 22:1).
Luke 19:9. Jesus said to him, “Now salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham,
“He told him” is more correct: in relation to him, Zacchaeus (πρός αὐτόν), while addressing His disciples and the guests in the house.
“To this house”, i.e. to the entire Zacchaeus family.
“And he is the son of Abraham,” that is, despite his occupation, which is despised by all Jews, Zacchaeus also has well-known theocratic rights to salvation through the Messiah. There is no talk about his moral worth here, and the next verse confirms the idea that Zacchaeus really belonged to the people who were not in vain called “lost.”
Luke 19:10. for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Here the Lord confirms the truth of what He said in verse 9. Indeed, salvation came to Zacchaeus’ family because the Messiah came to seek out and save those who had fallen into eternal destruction (cf. Matt. 18:11).
Luke 19:11. When they heard this, he added a parable: for He was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the Kingdom of God would soon open.
The parable of the mines is similar to the parable of the talents given by the Evangelist Matthew (Matthew 25:14-30). The reason for the utterance of this parable by Evangelist Luke is the fact that the Lord’s announcement of the salvation of the house of Zacchaeus (verse 9) was heard by the disciples of Christ and, probably, by the guests of Zacchaeus, who understood this announcement in the sense that Christ would soon open the Kingdom of God to everyone (The Lord was only 150 furlongs from Jerusalem). It is clear that the kingdom they all expected was external, political. To dispel such expectation, the Lord spoke the following parable.
Luke 19:12. So he said: a certain man of high birth went to a distant country in order to receive a kingdom for himself and return;
It may very well be that when the Lord spoke about a man who was trying to obtain royal power for himself, he had in mind the Jewish king Archelaus, who, through a trip to Rome, achieved his confirmation in royal dignity, despite the protests of his subjects (Josephus, “Jewish Antiquities ", XVII, 11, 1). So Christ, before receiving a glorious kingdom, will have to go to a “distant country” - to heaven, to His Father, and then appear on earth in His glory. However, there is no need to make such a comparison, since the main idea in the parable it is not this, but the idea of \u200b\u200bthe condemnation of wicked servants (verses 26–27).
Luke 19:13. Having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them: use them until I return.
Man called ten of his own (ἑαυτοῦ) slaves, from whom he could expect to look after His interests (cf. Matt. 25:14).
"Min." The Hebrew mina was equal to one hundred shekels, i.e. 80 rubles. The Attic mina was equal to one hundred drachmas - if it was a silver mina, i.e. 20 rubles. But the gold mina was equal to 1,250 rubles. In the Gospel of Matthew, the account is larger - for talents, but there the man gives away all his property, which is not said here about the man who went to seek a kingdom for himself.
“Use them into circulation,” i.e. start trading on them.
By “slaves,” of course, we must understand the disciples of Christ, and by “minas” – the various gifts they received from God.
Luke 19:14. But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying: we don’t want him to reign over us.
By “citizens” who did not want the man mentioned above to be their king, we must understand Christ’s fellow tribesmen, the unbelieving Jews.
Luke 19:15. And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered to call to himself the slaves of those to whom he had given the silver, in order to find out who had acquired what.
(See Matt. 25:19).
“Who acquired what” – more correctly: “who did what.”
Luke 19:16. The first one came and said: Master! your mine brought ten mines.
Luke 19:17. And he said to him: Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in small things, take control of ten cities.
(See Matthew 25:20-21).
Luke 19:18. The second one came and said: Master! your mine brought five mines.
Luke 19:19. He also said to this one: you too be over five cities.
Luke 19:20. A third came and said: Master! here is your mine, which I kept wrapped in a scarf,
Luke 19:21. for I was afraid of you, because you are a cruel man: you take what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.
Luke 19:22. The master said to him: with your mouth I will judge you, wicked servant! You knew that I am a cruel man, I take what I did not put in, and I reap what I did not sow;
Luke 19:23. Why didn’t you give my silver into circulation, so that when I came, I would receive it at a profit?
Luke 19:24. And he said to those present: take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.
Luke 19:25. And they said to him: Master! he has ten minutes.
Luke 19:26. I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away;
(See Matt. 25:22-29).
Luke 19:27. Bring my enemies, those who did not want me to reign over them, here and kill them before me.
Here the king turns his gaze away from the wicked servant and remembers his enemies discussed in verse 14.
“Be beaten before me” is an image denoting the condemnation of Christ’s enemies to eternal death.
The parable, therefore, concerns both the fate of the Jews who do not believe in Christ, and - and this is its main subject - the future fate of Christ's disciples. Each disciple is given a certain gift with which he must serve the Church, and if he does not use this gift properly, he will be punished by exclusion from the Kingdom of the Messiah, while diligent doers of the will of Christ will receive the highest rewards in this Kingdom.
Luke 19:29. And when he approached Bethphage and Bethany, to the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,
Luke 19:30. saying: go to the opposite village; entering it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has ever sat; having untied him, bring him;
Luke 19:31. and if anyone asks you: why are you untying? tell him this: the Lord needs him.
Luke 19:32. Those who were sent went and found as He had told them.
Luke 19:33. When they untied the colt, its owners said to them: Why are you untying the colt?
Luke 19:34. They answered: the Lord needs him.
Luke 19:35. And they brought him to Jesus, and throwing their garments over the colt, they set Jesus on it.
Luke 19:36. And as He rode, they spread their clothes along the road.
Luke 19:37. And when He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to praise God loudly with joy for all the miracles that they saw,
Luke 19:38. saying: Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! peace in heaven and glory in the highest!
Here the evangelist Luke speaks about the entry of Christ into Jerusalem in accordance with the evangelist Mark (Mark 11:1-10; cf. Matthew 21:1-16). But at the same time he makes some additions, and in some places – reductions.
“To the mount called Olivet” (verse 29) – more correctly: “to the mount of Olives” (ἐλαιῶν – olive grove; Josephus also uses the name “Mount of Olives” (“Josephus.” “Antiquities of the Jews,” VII, 9, 2 ).
“When He drew near to descend from the Mount of Olives” (verse 37). Where there was a descent from the mountain, one could see Jerusalem in all its splendor. Therefore, the sudden explosion of enthusiastic cries of the people accompanying Christ as their king entering His capital is understandable.
"Disciples". These are the students in in a broad sense this word.
“What they saw” - of course, before, when they followed Christ.
“Blessed is the King” (verse 38). The disciples designate the Lord as king only in the evangelists Luke and John (John 12:13).
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” These words replace the exclamation “Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew and Mark) in the Evangelist Luke. He, so to speak, divides “hosanna” into two exclamations: “peace in heaven,” i.e. salvation is in heaven, with God, who will now distribute this salvation through the Messiah, and then “glory in the highest,” i.e. God will be glorified for this by the Angels on high.
Luke 19:39. And some Pharisees from among the people said to Him: Teacher! rebuke your disciples.
Luke 19:40. But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if they remain silent, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:41. And when he approached the city, he looked at it and cried for it.
Luke 19:42. and said: Oh, if only you, even on this day of yours, knew what serves for your peace! But it is now hidden from your eyes,
Luke 19:43. for the days will come upon you when your enemies will surround you with trenches and surround you and press you in on every side,
Luke 19:44. and they will ruin you, and beat your children within you, and will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.
This section is found only in the Evangelist Luke. Some Pharisees, emerging from the crowd of people in which they were, turned to Christ with a proposal to forbid His disciples to shout like that. The Lord responded to this that such an explosion of praise addressed to God could not be stopped. At the same time, He used a saying about stones, which is also found in the Talmud. Then, when He approached the city, looking at it, he wept - wept loudly for it (ἔκλαυσεν ἐπ´ αὐτήν, and not ἐδάκρυσεν, as at the tomb of Lazarus, John 11:35).
“If you also...” (verse 42). The speech breaks off, as “happens to those who cry” (Evfimy Zigavin). Faith in Christ as the promised Messiah should have served “to peace” or to the salvation of Jerusalem (cf. Luke 14:32).
“And you” - like My disciples.
“On this day of yours,” i.e. on this day, which could be a day of salvation for you.
“Now...” I.e. but in a real relationship this is impossible, God has hidden this salvation from you (ἐκρύβη indicates God’s determination, cf. John 12 et seq.; Rom. 11 et seq.).
“For the days will come upon you...” (verse 43). The Lord has just said that what is hidden from the Jewish people is what serves to save them. Now He proves this point by referring to the punishment that undoubtedly awaits this people.
“They will surround you with trenches.” This was fulfilled during the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, when Titus, in order to prevent the supply of food supplies to Jerusalem, surrounded it with a rampart or palisade, which was burned by the besieged and then replaced by a wall.
“They will ruin you” (verse 44) – more precisely: “they will raze you to the ground” (ἐδαφιοῦσι).
“They will kill your children in you.” The city in the Holy Scriptures is often represented by the image of a mother (see Joel 2:23; Isaiah 31:8), and therefore children must be understood as the inhabitants of the city.
“The time of your visitation,” i.e. a certain point in time when God showed special care for you, inviting you to accept messianic salvation through Me (τόν καιρόν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς - cf. 1 Pet. 2:12).
Luke 19:45. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in it,
Luke 19:46. saying to them, “It is written, My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”
Luke 19:47. And he taught every day in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people sought to destroy Him,
Luke 19:48. and they did not find anything to do with Him; because all the people continually listened to Him.
Evangelist Luke speaks about the cleansing of the temple in agreement with Mark (Mark 11:15-17) and partly with Matthew (Matthew 21:12-13).
“And he taught every day in the temple.” Evangelist Luke notes the fact of Christ's daily appearance in the temple as a teacher in order to make a transition to the subject of the next chapter. The Evangelist Mark also hints at this “teaching” (Mark 11:17).
“He listened relentlessly.” The attention with which the people listened to Christ was an obstacle to the Savior’s enemies in their plans against Him.
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1–10. Publican Zacchaeus. – 11–27. The parable of mines. – 28–48. Entry into Jerusalem and cleansing of the temple.
Luke 19:1. Then Jesus entered Jericho and passed through it.
Luke 19:2. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, a chief of tax collectors and a rich man,
Luke 19:3. I sought to see Jesus, who He was, but could not follow the people, because He was small in stature,
Luke 19:4. and, running ahead, he climbed up a fig tree to see Him, because He had to pass by it.
The story of the publican Zacchaeus is a feature of Luke's Gospel; it is not reported by other evangelists. When the Lord, heading to Jerusalem, passed through Jericho (about Jericho, see comments on Matthew 20:29), the chief of the local tax collectors (in Jericho there were a lot of taxes from the production and export of balm and therefore there were several tax collectors), a rich man, according to named Zacchaeus (from Hebrew - pure), obviously a Jew, tried to see Jesus among those passing by. "Who is He", i.e. Which of those passing by is Jesus. But he did not succeed because he was short.
“Running ahead”, i.e. to the street that Christ had not yet passed, but had to pass (according to the best reading - εἰς ἔμπροσθεν, and according to the Textus receptus - simply ἔμπροσθεν).
“Climbed a fig tree” - this tree was obviously quite tall.
"Past her." The Greek text contains the word δί ἐκείνης, but the preposition διά is superfluous here, it is not in the best codes.
Luke 19:5. When Jesus came to this place, he looked, saw him and said to him: Zacchaeus! come down quickly, for today I need to be in your house.
Luke 19:6. And he hastened down and received Him with joy.
Whether the Lord knew Zacchaeus before is unknown. He could hear the name of the publican from those around Him, who knew Zacchaeus and called him by name, seeing him in a strange position on the tree.
“Today I need to be...” The Lord points out to Zacchaeus the special importance of this day for him: Christ, according to the highest definition (cf. verse 10), must stay with Zacchaeus for the night (cf. the expression μεῖναι - “to be” with John. 1:39).
Luke 19:7. And everyone, seeing this, began to murmur and said that He had come to a sinful man;
“Everything” is a hyperbolic expression. We are talking about the Jews who accompanied Christ to the house of Zacchaeus and saw how Zacchaeus met the Lord at the entrance.
“Went in” - more precisely: came in in order to stay here (εἰσῆλθε καταλῦσαι).
Luke 19:8. Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord: Lord! I will give half of my property to the poor, and if I have offended anyone, I will repay him fourfold.
Probably, the conversation that Christ had with Zacchaeus, having come to him, made a huge impression on the soul of the tax collector. By making a vow to pay back the poor and those offended by him, he thereby expresses the consciousness of his unworthiness before such great happiness as he has now received - the Messiah Himself has come to him.
“Offended” (ἐσυκοφάντησα), i.e. if I have harmed anyone financially with my denunciations. Zacchaeus could, indeed, as the head of publicans, play a large role in fining merchants who did not pay the legal duty for goods.
"Four times." He considers his act as theft, and for theft, according to the law of Moses, he was supposed to pay four or even five times the value of what was stolen (Ex. 22:1).
Luke 19:9. Jesus said to him, “Now salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham,
“He told him” is more correct: in relation to him, Zacchaeus (πρός αὐτόν), while addressing His disciples and the guests in the house.
“To this house”, i.e. to the entire Zacchaeus family.
“And he is the son of Abraham,” that is, despite his occupation, which is despised by all Jews, Zacchaeus also has well-known theocratic rights to salvation through the Messiah. There is no talk about his moral worth here, and the next verse confirms the idea that Zacchaeus really belonged to the people who were not in vain called “lost.”
Luke 19:10. for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Here the Lord confirms the truth of what He said in verse 9. Indeed, salvation came to Zacchaeus’ family because the Messiah came to seek out and save those who had fallen into eternal destruction (cf. Matt. 18:11).
Luke 19:11. When they heard this, he added a parable: for He was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the Kingdom of God would soon open.
The parable of the mines is similar to the parable of the talents given by the Evangelist Matthew (Matthew 25:14-30). The reason for the utterance of this parable by Evangelist Luke is the fact that the Lord’s announcement of the salvation of the house of Zacchaeus (verse 9) was heard by the disciples of Christ and, probably, by the guests of Zacchaeus, who understood this announcement in the sense that Christ would soon open the Kingdom of God to everyone (The Lord was only 150 furlongs from Jerusalem). It is clear that the kingdom they all expected was external, political. To dispel such expectation, the Lord spoke the following parable.
Luke 19:12. So he said: a certain man of high birth went to a distant country in order to receive a kingdom for himself and return;
It may very well be that when the Lord spoke about a man who was trying to obtain royal power for himself, he had in mind the Jewish king Archelaus, who, through a trip to Rome, achieved his confirmation in royal dignity, despite the protests of his subjects (Josephus, “Jewish Antiquities ", XVII, 11, 1). So Christ, before receiving a glorious kingdom, will have to go to a “distant country” - to heaven, to His Father, and then appear on earth in His glory. However, there is no need to make such a comparison, since the main idea in the parable is not this, but the idea of \u200b\u200bthe condemnation of wicked slaves (verses 26-27).
Luke 19:13. Having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them: use them until I return.
Man called ten of his own (ἑαυτοῦ) slaves, from whom he could expect to look after His interests (cf. Matt. 25:14).
"Min." The Hebrew mina was equal to one hundred shekels, i.e. 80 rubles. The Attic mina was equal to one hundred drachmas - if it was a silver mina, i.e. 20 rubles. But the gold mina was equal to 1,250 rubles. In the Gospel of Matthew, the account is larger - for talents, but there the man gives away all his property, which is not said here about the man who went to seek a kingdom for himself.
“Use them into circulation,” i.e. start trading on them.
By “slaves,” of course, we must understand the disciples of Christ, and by “minas” – the various gifts they received from God.
Luke 19:14. But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying: we don’t want him to reign over us.
By “citizens” who did not want the man mentioned above to be their king, we must understand Christ’s fellow tribesmen, the unbelieving Jews.
Luke 19:15. And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered to call to himself the slaves of those to whom he had given the silver, in order to find out who had acquired what.
(See Matt. 25:19).
“Who acquired what” – more correctly: “who did what.”
Luke 19:16. The first one came and said: Master! your mine brought ten mines.
Luke 19:17. And he said to him: Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in small things, take control of ten cities.
(See Matthew 25:20-21).
Luke 19:18. The second one came and said: Master! your mine brought five mines.
Luke 19:19. He also said to this one: you too be over five cities.
Luke 19:20. A third came and said: Master! here is your mine, which I kept wrapped in a scarf,
Luke 19:21. for I was afraid of you, because you are a cruel man: you take what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.
Luke 19:22. The master said to him: with your mouth I will judge you, wicked servant! You knew that I am a cruel man, I take what I did not put in, and I reap what I did not sow;
Luke 19:23. Why didn’t you give my silver into circulation, so that when I came, I would receive it at a profit?
Luke 19:24. And he said to those present: take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.
Luke 19:25. And they said to him: Master! he has ten minutes.
Luke 19:26. I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away;
(See Matt. 25:22-29).
Luke 19:27. Bring my enemies, those who did not want me to reign over them, here and kill them before me.
Here the king turns his gaze away from the wicked servant and remembers his enemies discussed in verse 14.
“Be beaten before me” is an image denoting the condemnation of Christ’s enemies to eternal death.
The parable, therefore, concerns both the fate of the Jews who do not believe in Christ, and - and this is its main subject - the future fate of Christ's disciples. Each disciple is given a certain gift with which he must serve the Church, and if he does not use this gift properly, he will be punished by exclusion from the Kingdom of the Messiah, while diligent doers of the will of Christ will receive the highest rewards in this Kingdom.
Luke 19:29. And when he approached Bethphage and Bethany, to the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,
Luke 19:30. saying: go to the opposite village; entering it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has ever sat; having untied him, bring him;
Luke 19:31. and if anyone asks you: why are you untying? tell him this: the Lord needs him.
Luke 19:32. Those who were sent went and found as He had told them.
Luke 19:33. When they untied the colt, its owners said to them: Why are you untying the colt?
Luke 19:34. They answered: the Lord needs him.
Luke 19:35. And they brought him to Jesus, and throwing their garments over the colt, they set Jesus on it.
Luke 19:36. And as He rode, they spread their clothes along the road.
Luke 19:37. And when He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to praise God loudly with joy for all the miracles that they saw,
Luke 19:38. saying: Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! peace in heaven and glory in the highest!
Here the evangelist Luke speaks about the entry of Christ into Jerusalem in accordance with the evangelist Mark (Mark 11:1-10; cf. Matthew 21:1-16). But at the same time he makes some additions, and in some places – reductions.
“To the mount called Olivet” (verse 29) – more correctly: “to the mount of Olives” (ἐλαιῶν – olive grove; Josephus also uses the name “Mount of Olives” (“Josephus.” “Antiquities of the Jews,” VII, 9, 2 ).
“When He drew near to descend from the Mount of Olives” (verse 37). Where there was a descent from the mountain, one could see Jerusalem in all its splendor. Therefore, the sudden explosion of enthusiastic cries of the people accompanying Christ as their king entering His capital is understandable.
"Disciples". These are disciples in the broadest sense of the word.
“What they saw” - of course, before, when they followed Christ.
“Blessed is the King” (verse 38). The disciples designate the Lord as king only in the evangelists Luke and John (John 12:13).
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” These words replace the exclamation “Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew and Mark) in the Evangelist Luke. He, so to speak, divides “hosanna” into two exclamations: “peace in heaven,” i.e. salvation is in heaven, with God, who will now distribute this salvation through the Messiah, and then “glory in the highest,” i.e. God will be glorified for this by the Angels on high.
Luke 19:39. And some Pharisees from among the people said to Him: Teacher! rebuke your disciples.
Luke 19:40. But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if they remain silent, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:41. And when he approached the city, he looked at it and cried for it.
Luke 19:42. and said: Oh, if only you, even on this day of yours, knew what serves for your peace! But it is now hidden from your eyes,
Luke 19:43. for the days will come upon you when your enemies will surround you with trenches and surround you and press you in on every side,
Luke 19:44. and they will ruin you, and beat your children within you, and will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.
This section is found only in the Evangelist Luke. Some Pharisees, emerging from the crowd of people in which they were, turned to Christ with a proposal to forbid His disciples to shout like that. The Lord responded to this that such an explosion of praise addressed to God could not be stopped. At the same time, He used a saying about stones, which is also found in the Talmud. Then, when He approached the city, looking at it, he wept - wept loudly for it (ἔκλαυσεν ἐπ´ αὐτήν, and not ἐδάκρυσεν, as at the tomb of Lazarus, John 11:35).
“If you also...” (verse 42). The speech breaks off, as “happens to those who cry” (Evfimy Zigavin). Faith in Christ as the promised Messiah should have served “to peace” or to the salvation of Jerusalem (cf. Luke 14:32).
“And you” - like My disciples.
“On this day of yours,” i.e. on this day, which could be a day of salvation for you.
“Now...” I.e. but in a real relationship this is impossible, God has hidden this salvation from you (ἐκρύβη indicates God’s determination, cf. John 12 et seq.; Rom. 11 et seq.).
“For the days will come upon you...” (verse 43). The Lord has just said that what is hidden from the Jewish people is what serves to save them. Now He proves this point by referring to the punishment that undoubtedly awaits this people.
“They will surround you with trenches.” This was fulfilled during the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, when Titus, in order to prevent the supply of food supplies to Jerusalem, surrounded it with a rampart or palisade, which was burned by the besieged and then replaced by a wall.
“They will ruin you” (verse 44) – more precisely: “they will raze you to the ground” (ἐδαφιοῦσι).
“They will kill your children in you.” The city in the Holy Scriptures is often represented by the image of a mother (see Joel 2:23; Isaiah 31:8), and therefore children must be understood as the inhabitants of the city.
“The time of your visitation,” i.e. a certain point in time when God showed special care for you, inviting you to accept messianic salvation through Me (τόν καιρόν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς - cf. 1 Pet. 2:12).
Luke 19:45. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in it,
Luke 19:46. saying to them, “It is written, My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”
Luke 19:47. And he taught every day in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people sought to destroy Him,
Luke 19:48. and they did not find anything to do with Him; because all the people continually listened to Him.
Evangelist Luke speaks about the cleansing of the temple in agreement with Mark (Mark 11:15-17) and partly with Matthew (Matthew 21:12-13).
“And he taught every day in the temple.” Evangelist Luke notes the fact of Christ's daily appearance in the temple as a teacher in order to make a transition to the subject of the next chapter. The Evangelist Mark also hints at this “teaching” (Mark 11:17).
“He listened relentlessly.” The attention with which the people listened to Christ was an obstacle to the Savior’s enemies in their plans against Him.
This is not exactly a phrase of Christ. These are the words of the hero of His parable about the talents:
A certain man of high birth went to a distant country to obtain a kingdom for himself and return;
Having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them: use them until I return.
But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying: we don’t want him to reign over us.
And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered to call to himself the slaves of those to whom he had given the silver, in order to find out who had acquired what.
The first one came and said: Master! your mine brought ten mines.
And he said to him: Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in small things, take control of ten cities.
The second one came and said: Master! your mine brought five mines.
He also said to this one: you too be over five cities.
A third came and said: Master! here is your mine, which I kept wrapped in a scarf,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a cruel man: you take what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.
The master said to him: with your mouth I will judge you, wicked servant! You knew that I am a cruel man, I take what I did not put in, and I reap what I did not sow;
Why didn’t you give my silver into circulation, so that when I came, I would receive it at a profit?
And he said to those present: take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.
And they said to him: Master! he has ten minutes.
I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away;
Bring my enemies, those who did not want me to reign over them, here and kill them before me.
(Holy Gospel of Luke 19:12-27)
Christ often uses very paradoxical images: some strange women who are throwing a bachelorette party over a found coin, huge trees growing from a mustard seed - as an image of the Kingdom of Heaven... Here, too, the situation is similar. God, whom Christ speaks of as a loving Father, here unexpectedly appears as a cruel ruler (in fact, this is an absolutely brilliant plot device in an almost post-modern vein - He describes one of His characters through the eyes of other characters).
So, people living under the authority of a king are people living under the authority of God (in in this case- Israel, because Christ addressed the Jews, but in any other nation this does not lose relevance). People want to live in contradiction to God's commandments and maliciously ignore them.
God gives each person certain abilities and opportunities. One begins to work for the common good, multiplying his talents - it seems that he works simply for the sake of God, without counting on anything, out of humility. The other one is idle. After death, one will bring his “merits” - good deeds and qualities, and the second will justify himself by saying that “well, I didn’t do anything bad, I didn’t do anything at all” (what does this mean? it means that he, calling himself a believer , i.e. a faithful servant of God, remained indifferent to the grief of others, making no effort to help; that he was sitting on his butt, not trying to change himself and the world for the better, etc.). The first will receive a reward (paradise), while the second will be deprived of everything. And at the end of time, everyone who tried to rebel against God, denying His Law, will generally go to hell.