Luke 19:30

19:30 you will see a young donkey: It is unclear whether Jesus had arranged for the donkey ahead of time, or whether he used divine insight. Either way, Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem was a symbolic action. He rode a humble donkey rather than a war horse to confirm that he was fulfilling the role of the Messiah by bringing reconciliation and peace (Zech 9:9-10).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

whereon, &c.--(See on Joh 19:41).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(30, 31) Go ye into the village over against you.—The agreement with St. Matthew and St. Mark is singularly close.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30. a colt tied] St Luke is here less circumstantial than the other Evangelists, and does not refer to the prophecy of Zec_9:9.

whereon yet never man sat] and therefore adapted for a sacred use. See Num_19:2; Deu_21:3; 1Sa_6:7.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And if any man ask you, why do ye loose him?.... As our Lord, being God omniscient, knew this question would be asked by the owners, and therefore prepares his disciples with an answer to it:

thus shall ye say unto him, because the Lord hath need of him. The Syriac and Persic versions read "our Lord", yours, and ours; probably the owners of the colt might be such as knew the Lord Jesus Christ, and by this way of speaking of him, knew, at once, who was meant, and so made no scruple of sending him, as Christ told them they would not, and so they found it; See Gill on Mat 21: 3 and See Gill on Mar 9:3

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Ver. 30. Go ye into the village] Into Bethphage, that was in their view as they went from Bethany.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. The account of this transaction is less circumstantial in St. Luke than in the other evangelists. The reference to the prophecy of Zec_9:9 is here left out. This prophecy is, however, necessary for the full understanding of the mystic act of riding upon an ass"s colt. St. Luke, compiling especially for Gentile readers, would feel that such a reference to the old Hebrew story would scarcely interest a foreigner, and would serve to distract such a one"s interest in the progress of the great recital. For us, however, the meaning of the scene, read in the light of the Zec_9:9 words and of Hebrew story generally, is as follows: The disciples and multitude wished their Master to claim a kingdom. At this moment in his eventful history, aware that death awaited him in the course of the next few days, he chose to gratify them; so he claimed his kingdom, but a kingdom utterly unlike what they longed for. He came to his royal, sacred city in the strange guise.foreshadowed by Zechariah, as a Prince of Peace, not with chariot and horse, but meekly riding on an ass"s colt, claiming, too, a dominion from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth. (Zec_9:10) Whereon yet never man sat. For this reason specially adapted for a sacred use. (see Num_19:2 Deu_21:3 1Sa_6:7)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30. πῶλον δεδεμένον. St Luke is here less circumstantial than the other Evangelists, and does not refer to the prophecy of Zec 9:9.

οὐδεὶς … ἐκάθισεν. And therefore adapted for a sacred use. See Num 19:2; Deu 21:3; 1Sa 6:7.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30. Ὑπάγετε. So also Mk., while Mt. has his favourite πορεύεσθε. The details which Mk. alone records render the conjecture that Peter was one of the two who were sent reasonable.

τὴν κατέναντι κώμην. Whether Bethany, or Bethphage, or an unnamed village, is quite uncertain. This compound preposition is not found in profane writers, but is common in bibl. Grk. (Mat 21:2; Mar 11:2; Rom 4:17; 2Co 12:19; Exo 19:2, Exo 32:5, etc). L & S Lex. quote C. I. 2905 D. 13.

ἐφʼ ὂν οὐδεὶς πώποτε ἀνθρώπων ἐκάθισεν. This intimates to the disciples that it is no ordinary journey which He contemplates, but a royal progress: comp. Deu 21:3; Num 19:2; 1Sa 6:7. The birth of a virgin and the burial in a new tomb are facts of he same kind.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.