Day 28 - Luke 19-20

When I began reading chapter 19, I almost broke out into song, "Zacchaeus was a wee little man...", but I didn't. What I did notice was the way Zacchaeus responded to Jesus--he received Him joyfully (vs6)! The indicator that this receiving was more than a simple reception into the home was demonstrated in the change of heart that Zacchaeus had--he gave away money instead of taking it! This is a picture of true conversion--a changed life!

In the next parable, there is quite a different response to Jesus--rebellious rejection (vs14). What is striking is what happens to these rebellious people in the end--full and final judgment (vs27). How much better it is to submit ourselves to a loving ruler than to reject His rule and suffer for that rejection for eternity!

I've already commented about all of the events/parables of chapter 20 in other posts covering the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. One thing, though, did stick out to me in this chapter and that is the difficulty of understanding Messiah. The Jews knew that a Messiah would come, yet they didn't know it was Jesus. It's clear from this chapter that part of the reason was the irony of His person. He was rejected, yet chosen (vs17). He was David's "son" yet at the same time He was David's "Lord" (vs41-44). These things are quite clear to us as we look back on them, but it is quite understandable why there would be confusion even among those who "knew" the Scriptures. These "ironies" are actually wonderful truths. Jesus was indeed rejected by the religious leaders of that day, yet it was that very rejection that qualified Him to be Messiah and to carry out the purpose of Messiah--a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of His people. Also, Jesus was a "son" of David in that He came into the world through the house and line of David, yet because He was also God in the flesh, He was worthy of being called "Lord" by David in his prophetic Psalms. Both of these are truly beautiful pictures of the wisdom and sovereign plan of God.