Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 19:38
saying, Blessed [be] the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
38. Blessed be the King ] The various cries recorded by the three Evangelists all come from the Great Hallel (Psalms 113-118). St John alone (Joh 12:17 reading on) points out that the Messianic enthusiasm had been mainly kindled by the raising of Lazarus.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 38. Glory in the highest.] Mayst thou receive the uttermost degrees of glory! See Clarke on Mt 21:9.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
38. Blessed bethe King, c.Mark (Mar 11:9Mar 11:10) more fully, “Hosanna,”that is, “Save now,” the words of Ps118:25, which were understood to refer to Messiah; and so theyadd, “to the Son of David, blessed is He that cometh in the nameof the Lord (Ps 118:26),Hosanna in the highest.” This was the very loftiest style inwhich He could be saluted as the promised Deliverer.
peace, &c.(See onLu 2:13, 14).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Saying, blessed be the King,…. The King Messiah, the King of Israel, the son of David, the Christ of God; so the Ethiopic version adds, “blessed be the King of Israel”; they sung their “Hosannas” to him, as the other evangelists say:
that cometh in the name of the Lord; [See comments on Mt 21:9]
peace in heaven; all heavenly peace and prosperity attend him; or let peace be made with God in heaven, by the Prince of Peace on earth, for sinful men:
and glory in the highest; glory be given to God for peace, life, and salvation by his son; and that in the highest heavens, by the angels there, as well as by men on earth, and in the highest notes and strains.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The king cometh ( , ). The Messianic hopes of the people were now all ablaze with expectation of immediate realization. A year ago in Galilee he had frustrated their plans for a revolutionary movement “to take him by force to make him king” (Joh 6:15). The phrase “the coming king” like “the coming prophet” (John 6:14; Deut 18:15) expressed the hope of the long-looked-for Messiah. They are singing from the Hallel in their joy that Jesus at last is making public proclamation of his Messiahship.
Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest ( ). This language reminds one strongly of the song of the angels at the birth of Jesus (Lu 2:14). Mark 11:10; Matt 21:9 have “Hosannah in the highest.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord:” (legontes eulogemenos ho erchomenos ho basileus en onomati kuriou) “Repeatedly saying, blessing is the king who comes in the name of the Lord,” As the Son of David and King of Israel. They shouted “Hosanna to the son of David,” to the Messiah, who had come in the name (by the authority) as authorized, prophesied, and fulfilled by the Lord (so loudly) that all Jerusalem was shook-up, Mat 21:9-11; Mar 11:9-10.
2) “Peace In heaven,” (eirene en ourano) “Peace (let) be in heaven,” between God and man; and because of it through this Jesus, Rom 5:1; This is what the angels cried at His birth, Luk 2:1-14; Eph 2:14. The Hebrew Hosanna is omitted, as used in Luk 2:14, and here simply is translated the meaning, Psa 118:25; Joh 12:13.
3) “And glory in the highest.” (kai diksa en hupsistois) “And glory in (the) highest places.” Let glory be given to God in the highest and to the highest decree; Let the glory shine and ring in heaven, before the throne of God, in Jerusalem, long known as the city of peace, by all you religious rulers, and above all let peace, and glory, and praise be given by Christ Jesus, through the church of this one, Jesus Christ, Eph 3:21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(38) Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. The substitution of glory for the Hosanna of St. Matthew and St. Mark is characteristic of the Gentile Evangelist. The parallelism between the shouts of the multitude before the Passion, and the song of the angels at the Nativity (Luk. 2:14) is, in many ways, suggestive. There the voices spoke of peace on earth; here the multitude, prophesying unconsciously, speak of peace in heaven.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘Saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” ’
At first sight this appears to give the solution to the question of how the crowds saw it. But in fact it does not. For this quotation from the Psa 118:26, which probably referred to the entry of the king into Jerusalem, (with ‘king’ thus here able to replace ‘one’) was regularly shouted out year by year in greeting to pilgrims entering Jerusalem for the Passover, in remembrance of the promise in Zec 9:9. Each pilgrim to the Passover was a reminder of God’s great past deliverance, and of the future deliverance of which they were so confident. Each one was a reminder that one day the King would come. This was presumably why the Romans did not get excited over the matter. They saw little in it that was different from the normal greeting of pilgrims at Passover, possibly slightly increased because of the nature of the One Who was entering, whom they would know of as the Jewish prophet of Galilee. As far as they were concerned the people could shout all that they liked as long as no weapons could be seen, and no attempts were made to stir up the crowds. They knew that it was a regular part of their annual festival. (In this regard we cannot doubt that Jesus had been constantly subject to surveillance by them. No one who had gathered such huge crowds would have been ignored. And they would have sufficiently gathered that whatever He was, He was not preaching insurrection).
We may note the differences in what was cried out in the different Gospels. This merely demonstrates that they did not copy directly from each other and were not shouting the same thing. It was not orchestrated. In such a varied crowd the cries would be many and varied, given with different inflections. Different witnesses would remember the different cries that he had heard, and all would be right. The evangelists could thus pick and choose.
Note the cry of the crowds here, ‘peace in Heaven and glory in the Highest.’ These were not the cries of insurrectionists. They were the cries of those who were looking to Heaven. We may compare this with the words of the angels in Luk 2:14, at the birth of the ‘Saviour Who is Christ the Lord’, where they cried “glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace among men on whom His favour rests”. There it was the angels who sang of His glory. This is man’s reply to God at the coming of this One sent from God. Men may now find peace with God in Heaven through His Prophet, because through His words God’s favour rests on His chosen ones (compare Act 10:36. Also contrast Luk 19:42 below). Alternately it may be an ascription of praise to the God of peace, Who brings peace to all (Rom 15:33), Who bruises Satan under men’s feet (Rom 16:20, Who sanctifies men wholly and preserves them blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1Th 5:23), and equips them with every good work to do His will that they may be well pleasing in His sight (Heb 13:20).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
38. ] = , and was probably added by them to fill out the parallelism.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 19:38 . A free reproduction of the popular acclaim as reported by Mt. and Mk., not without variations even between them. The Hebrew Hosanna is omitted and translated into equivalents which recall the gloria in excelsis (Luk 2:14 ), “already become a church hymn” (Holtz., H. C.). Lk.’s version runs:
Blessed is He that cometh, the King, in the name of the Lord!
In heaven peace,
And glory in the highest.
In comparison with Mt. and Mk. this version seems secondary.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Saying, &c. Quoted from Psa 118:26.
name. See note on Psa 20:1.
the LORD = Jehovah. See App-98.
heaven. Singular. without Art. See note on Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
38.] = , and was probably added by them to fill out the parallelism.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 19:38. [, saying) The very prophecy which the Saviour had uttered in Galilee, ch. Luk 13:35, was in this place fulfilled.-Harm., p. 445.[210]]-, King) It was a noble movement on the part of the people [although His external appearance was not kingly.-V. g.]; but yet they did not understand in its deep significance what they were saying. Comp. Luk 19:11, and Joh 12:16.- , peace in heaven) See note, ch. Luk 2:14.[211]
[210] But see my note, Luk 13:35, winch shows that the full accomplishment of the prophecy must be yet future: see below Luk 19:44; Luk 19:46.-E. and T.
[211] See also note, at the latter end, on Col 1:20. Angels looked on men with displeasure, because of the sin of the latter. Jesus hath reconciled the former to the latter by the atonement, and so there is peace in heaven.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Blessed: Luk 13:35, Psa 72:17-19, Psa 118:22-26, Zec 9:9, Mat 21:9, Mar 11:9, Mar 11:10
peace: Luk 2:10-14, Rom 5:1, Eph 2:14-18, Col 1:20
glory: Eph 1:6, Eph 1:12, Eph 3:10, Eph 3:21, 1Ti 1:17, 1Pe 1:12, Rev 5:9-14, Rev 19:1-6
Reciprocal: Num 23:21 – the shout 1Ki 1:25 – God save king Adonijah 1Ki 1:47 – God 1Ch 12:40 – there was joy Psa 27:6 – joy Psa 118:26 – Blessed Psa 138:5 – they shall Psa 149:2 – let the Pro 28:12 – righteous Zec 14:16 – the King Mat 2:2 – born Mat 6:10 – Thy kingdom Mat 11:3 – he that Mat 25:34 – the King Mat 27:42 – the King Luk 1:42 – blessed is Luk 2:14 – Glory Luk 2:20 – General Luk 8:40 – the people Luk 23:3 – the King Joh 1:49 – the King Joh 6:15 – take Joh 16:33 – in me Joh 18:33 – the king Act 5:13 – but Rom 11:36 – to whom
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE COMING KING
Blessed he the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Luk 19:38
All the city moved. As our whole nation stirred by the war, defeats or victories. Great things at stake.
I. The King coming in humility.Are hearts stirred? What is at stake? Are we concerned in His life, work, and death?
II. How does He come?
(a) Anticipating victory. The way of the Cross necessary to the great overcoming. Victory in Christs time all through. Joy set before Him.
(b) Offering Himself for acceptance. Another opportunity for recognising Him.
(c) Deeply caring for men. If thou hadst known. Tears.
III. What men thought of Him.The multitude; passing excitement; interest of worldly gain to be got. The disciples. Our King! to show His glory. We have full confidence in Him. We know His thoughts. And how blessed His rule! Are these our grateful thoughts of our Saviour?
Rev. F. S. Legg.
Illustration
It seems generally thought that our Lords principal object in thus entering Jerusalem was to manifest His kingly power and His dominion, when He thought fit to exercise it, over the wills of men. I cannot help thinking that this theory falls short of the true meaning of the event. I have a firm conviction that our Lord did what He did in anticipation of His approaching death on the Cross. Before dying for our sins He called public attention to Himself, and filled Jerusalem with the report of His arrival. The consequence was that when He was crucified a few days after, the attention of the whole multitude assembled at Jerusalem for the Passover was directed to Him. He was offered up as a sacrifice with the greatest possible publicity, and with the eyes of the whole nation upon Him. One of the greatest helps to this publicity, beyond doubt, was His remarkable entry into Jerusalem. Myriads of Jews from foreign parts came up to the holy city at the feast of the Passover. There was probably not one among them who did not hear that a wonderful Teacher had arrived, Who claimed to be the Messiah, and rode into the city in the manner predicted by Zechariah. His death on the Cross a few days after, would doubtless raise many thoughts in their minds, and in many cases would never be forgotten.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Luk 19:38. Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. Here Luke, by a poetic parallelism, paraphrases the Hosanna mentioned by the other Evangelists.
Luk 19:39-40. THE MURMUR OF THE PHARISEES. Peculiar to Luke.
Some of the Pharisees from the multitude, etc. Evidently not of His disciples, whom they would have Him rebuke.
Master, or, Teacher. They objected to the cry of the disciples, because it recognized Him as more than a Teacher. They would, however, hold Him responsible for what they held to be unwise and unwarranted enthusiasm.
If these should hold their peace, the stones, etc. A proverbial expression, to show that this outburst could not and ought not to be restrained, and thus a most pointed rebuke of the objectors. There is possibly an allusion to Hab 2:11; and probably an intimation that the stones of the temple, which now reechoed the Hosannas, should in the future proclaim the judgments of the Lord, and thus acknowledge Christ as King.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Luke omitted "Hosanna" from the disciples’ praise. His Greek readers probably would not have understood it. The repetition of Psa 118:26 from Luk 13:35 points to one fulfillment of that messianic prophecy here. There will be another fulfillment at the Second Coming. Luke noted that the King rather than the kingdom (Mar 11:10) was the focus of the disciples’ praise. The kingdom was not yet to appear (Luk 19:11), but the King was at hand.
The words "peace in heaven and glory in the highest" recall Luk 2:14 where the angels expressed similar words in praise to God for providing a Savior. However there they thanked Him for peace on earth, not peace in heaven. Probably the disciples were honoring God as the author of peace as He is the source of glory in the highest (i.e., in heaven).