Luke 19:34
in Luke 19“The Lord needs it,” they answered.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
KJV
And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
⋯
This verse in Luke 19
Commentary
12 notes on this verseBut they said: Because the Lord has need of him, by the lordship over his own property. Hence from this the power of the divine command is apparent, because they neither inquired further nor resisted. Hence Chrysostom: "The power of Christ prepared their heart to …
This site's exposition
those who were sent went out
on Luke 19:32-35
So those who were sent went out and found it just as Jesus had told them, down to the owners' question. Their whole answer, The Lord needs it, is enough. The cloaks they threw over the colt become the cloaks spread on the road in verse 36.
This site's exposition
The Lord needs it
The disciples repeat the exact words they were given, and the owners let the colt go. Bede notes that those who resisted the loosing grew quiet at the name of the Lord. Bonaventure sees the power of the divine command in it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Those men who were directed, when they were loosing the colt, did not use their own words, but spoke as Jesus had told them, that you may know that not by their own words, but the word of God, not in their own name but in Christ's, they implanted the faith among the Gentile nations; and by the command of God the hostile powers ceased, which claimed to themselves the obedience of the Gentiles.
And the prophecy, "He shall be the expectation of the nations," signified that there would be some of all nations who should look for Him to come again. And this indeed you can see for yourselves, and be convinced of by fact. For of all races of men there are some who look for Him who was crucified in Judaea, and after whose crucifixion the land was straightway surrendered to you as spoil of war. And the prophecy, "binding His foal to the vine, and washing His robe in the blood of the grape," was a significant symbol of the things that were to happen to Christ, and of what He was to do. For the foal of an ass stood bound to a vine at the entrance of a village, and He ordered His acquaintances to bring it to Him then; and when it was brought, He mounted and sat upon it, and entered Jerusalem, where was the vast temple of the Jews which was afterwards destroyed by you.
What then was the sign? He sat on a colt, as we have just heard the blessed Evangelist clearly telling us. Perhaps someone will say, "When he traveled all Judea—for he taught in their synagogues and added the working of miracles to his words—he did not ask for an animal on which to ride. When Christ could have purchased one, he would not, although he often was wearied by his long journeys on the way. When passing through Samaria, he was wearied with his journey, as it is written. Who can make us believe that when he was going from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, places separated from one another by so short an interval, that he would require a colt? Since the mother accompanied the colt, why did he not take the mother instead of choosing the colt? The donkey that bore the colt was brought to him also. We learn this from the words of Matthew, who says that he sent the disciples to a village opposite them. He said to them, "You will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie and bring them to me." "They brought," it says, "the donkey and the colt with her." We must consider, therefore, what are the explanations and the benefits that we derive from this occurrence and how we make Christ riding on the colt a type of the calling of the Gentiles. The colt of a donkey is mounted on which none has sat, because no one before Christ called the peoples of the nations to the church.
They who had tied the ass are struck dumb, because of the greatness of His mighty power, and are unable to resist the words of the Saviour; for "the Lord" is a name of majesty, and as a King was He about to come in the sight of all the people.
The Medieval Church1 voice
But they said: Because the Lord has need of him. And they brought him to Jesus. Those who had resisted the loosing of the colt, upon hearing the name of the Lord, became quiet, for the masters of errors who opposed the teachers of the …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And they said, the Lord hath need of him. Or, our Lord, as the above versions in verse 31 (Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic). They used the words Christ directed them to, and it had the effect he said it would; for the owners both let them go, and the colt with them directly; See Gill on Mat 21:6 and See Gill on Mar 11:6.
When he was returned - In his glory. With interest - Which does not appear to be contrary to any law of God or man. But this is no plea for usury, that is, the taking such interest as implies any degree of oppression or extortion.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
Let us mark, for one thing, in these verses — the perfect knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see Him sending two of His disciples to the entrance of a village, and telling them that they would find "a colt tied, which no one has ever ridden." We see Him describing what they would see and hear, with as much confidence as if the whole transaction had been previously arranged. In short, He speaks like one to whom nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight — everything is uncovered and laid bare before His eyes.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
Let us mark, for one thing, in these verses — the perfect knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see Him sending two of His disciples to the entrance of a village, and telling them that they would find "a colt tied, which no one has ever ridden." We see Him describing what they would see and hear, with as much confidence as if the whole transaction had been previously arranged. In short, He speaks like one to whom nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight — everything is uncovered and laid bare before His eyes. He speaks like one whose eyes were in every place — like one who knew things unseen, as well as things seen. An attentive reader will observe the same thing in other parts of the Gospel. We are told in one place that "He knew the thoughts" of His enemies. We are told in another chapter, that "He knew what was in man." We are told in another place, that "Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe, and who would betray him." (Luke 6:8; John 2:25; John 6:64.) Knowledge like this is a particular attribute of God. Passages like these are meant to remind us, that "the man Christ Jesus" is not only man. He is also "God blessed forever." (Romans 9:5.) The thought of Christ's perfect knowledge should alarm sinners and awaken them to repentance. The great and righteous Judge knows them, and all their doings. The Judge of all sees them continually, and marks down all their ways. There is "no darkness where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves." (Job 34:22.) If they go into the secret chamber — the eyes of Christ are there. If they privately scheme villainy and plot wickedness — Christ knows it and observes it. If they speak secretly against the righteous — Christ hears. They may deceive men all their life long — but they cannot deceive Christ.
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἱ | hoi | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | And | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἶπαν· | eipan | they said: | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριος | kurios | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| χρείαν | chreian | need | G5532 → | 49 times |
| ἔχει. | echei | has. | G2192 → | 707 times |
οἱ<the>
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲAnd
deG1161 →2765 times
εἶπαν·they said:
eipanG2036 →925 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
κύριοςLord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
αὐτοῦof it
autouG846 →5565 times
χρείανneed
chreianG5532 →49 times
ἔχει.has.
echeiG2192 →707 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
it leads to
- Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
- Philippians 2:6–8
Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
- Matthew 20:28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
- Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- 2 Corinthians 6:10
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
- Romans 8:32
Through
Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of…
it leads to
- Matthew 21:4–7
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
- Zephaniah 3:14–15
Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
- John 12:13–16
They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
- Matthew 21:4–7
Where this verse is studied
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About Luke

This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 19; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 130; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Justin Martyr, The First Apology, Chapter XXXII and Titus of Bostra, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.
