Luke 19:47
in Luke 19Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him:
KJV
And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
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This verse in Luke 19
Commentary
16 notes on this verseAs one who possessed authority over the temple, he took care of it.… Their duty was to worship him, as One who with God the Father was Lord of the temple. In their great folly, they did not do this, but rather being savagely eager for hatred, they set up the sharp sting of wickedness against him and hurried to murder, which is the neighbor and brother of envy. It says that they sought to destroy him but could not, because all the people were hanging on him to hear him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Now from what Christ had said and done it was meet that men should worship Him as God, but far from doing this, they sought to slay Him; as it follows, But the chief priests and scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him.
The Medieval Church4 voices
(Hom. 39. in Ev.) And these make the house of God a den of thieves, because when corrupt men hold religious offices, they slay with the sword of their wickedness their neighbours, whom they ought to raise to life by the intercession of their prayers. The temple also is the soul of the faithful, which if it put forth corrupt thoughts to the injury of a neighbour, then is it become as it were a lurking place of thieves. But when the soul of the faithful is wisely instructed to shun evil, truth teaches daily in the temple.
But because our Redeemer does not withhold the words of preaching even from the unworthy and ungrateful, after he maintained the vigor of discipline by casting out the perverse, he soon showed the gift of grace. For it is added: "And he was teaching daily in the temple." We have run through these things briefly, treating them according to the historical sense. But because against all these perverse things we are ceaselessly instructed by the words of our Redeemer through the sacred pages, what is reported to have been done is still being done now, when it says: "And he was teaching daily in the temple." For when he subtly instructs the mind of the faithful to guard against evils, Truth teaches daily in the temple. But we must know that we are truly instructed by the words of truth if we look upon our final evils with fear and without ceasing, according to what is said by a certain wise man: "In all your works remember your last end, and you will never sin." Indeed, we ought to consider daily what we have heard from the voice of our same Redeemer: "If only on this day of yours you knew the things that are for your peace; but now they are hidden from your eyes." For while the strict Judge waits and does not yet extend his hand in striking, while there seems to be a certain security of time before the retribution of final vengeance, we ought to consider the evil that follows, and considering it, groan; groaning, avoid it; and look upon the sins we have committed without ceasing; looking upon them, weep; and weeping, wipe them away. Let no joy of passing prosperity dissolve us, nor let transitory things obstruct the eyes of our mind, nor lead us blind to the fire. […]
(Hom. 39. in Ev.) But our Redeemer does not withdraw His word of preaching even from the unworthy and ungrateful. Accordingly after having by the ejection of the corrupt maintained the strictness of discipline, He now pours forth the gifts of grace. For it follows, And he was teaching daily in the temple.
And he was teaching daily in the temple. We briefly run through these things according to history, now let us repeat the same to be discussed with moral understanding. Seeing the city, he wept over it, saying: Because if you also had known. This he …
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
And he was teaching daily in the temple. For when he skillfully instructs the minds of the faithful to guard against evil, Truth teaches daily in the temple.
He shows that he possesses the promised magisterial authority through three things. And he was teaching daily etc. After he described how Christ showed by deed that he was king, high priest, and judge, here fourthly he describes how Christ showed himself to be a …
Either because He daily taught in the temple, or because He had cast the thieves therefrom, or that coming thereto as King and Lord, He was greeted with the honour of a heavenly hymn of praise.
But the chief priests, and the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy him, and they did not find what they might do to him. Either because he taught daily in the temple, or because he had cast out the thieves from …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And he taught daily in the temple,....
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Many, no doubt, were converted to the faith of Christ of whom no account is kept in the gospels; but the conversion of some, whose case had something in it extraordinary, is recorded, as this of Zaccheus. Christ passed through Jericho,
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
And he taught daily in the temple - This he did for five or six days before his crucifixion. Some suppose that it was on Monday in the passion week that he thus entered into Jerusalem, and purified the temple; and on Thursday he was seized late at night: during these four days he taught in the temple, and lodged each night at Bethany. See the note on Mat 21:17.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We learn, firstly, from these verses — how great is the tenderness and compassion of Christ towards sinners. We are told that when He came near Jerusalem for the last time, "He beheld the city, and wept over it." He well knew the character of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Their cruelty, their self-righteousness, their stubbornness, their obstinate prejudice against the truth, their pride of heart — were not hidden from Him. He well knew what they were going to do to Him within a very few days — His unjust judgment, His delivery to the Romans, His sufferings, His crucifixion — were all spread out distinctly before His mind's eye! And yet knowing all this, our Lord pitied Jerusalem! "He beheld the city, and wept over it." We err greatly if we suppose that Christ cares for none but His own believing people. He cares for all. His heart is wide enough to take an interest in all mankind. His compassion extends to every man, woman, and child on earth. He has a love of 'general pity' for the man who is going on still in wickedness — as well as a love of 'special affection' for the sheep who hear His voice and follow Him. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hardened sinners are fond of making excuses for their conduct. But they will never be able to say that Christ was not merciful, and was not ready to save. We know but little of true Christianity, if we do not feel a deep concern about the souls of unconverted people. A lazy indifference about the spiritual state of others — may doubtless save us much trouble. To have no concern whether our neighbors are going to Heaven or Hell — is no doubt the way of the world. But a man of this spirit is very unlike David, who said, "Rivers of waters run down my eyes — because men do not obey your law."
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We learn, firstly, from these verses — how great is the tenderness and compassion of Christ towards sinners. We are told that when He came near Jerusalem for the last time, "He beheld the city, and wept over it." He well knew the character of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Their cruelty, their self-righteousness, their stubbornness, their obstinate prejudice against the truth, their pride of heart — were not hidden from Him.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Daily in the temple - That is, for five or six days before his crucifixion.
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἦν | en | He was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| διδάσκων | didaskon | teaching | G1321 → | 96 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καθ᾽ | kath᾽ | every | G2596 → | 468 times |
| ἡμέραν | hemeran | day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἱερῷ· | hi'ero | temple; | G2411 → | 70 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀρχιερεῖς | archiereis | chief priests | G749 → | 122 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γραμματεῖς | grammateis | scribes | G1122 → | 62 times |
| ἐζήτουν | ezetoun | were seeking | G2212 → | 117 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀπολέσαι | apolesai | to destroy | G622 → | 90 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρῶτοι | protoi | foremost | G4413 → | 152 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαοῦ, | laou | people, | G2992 → | 141 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἦνHe was
enG1510 →2333 times
διδάσκωνteaching
didaskonG1321 →96 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
καθ᾽every
kath᾽G2596 →468 times
ἡμέρανday
hemeranG2250 →389 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἱερῷ·temple;
hi'eroG2411 →70 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀρχιερεῖςchief priests
archiereisG749 →122 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
γραμματεῖςscribes
grammateisG1122 →62 times
ἐζήτουνwere seeking
ezetounG2212 →117 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἀπολέσαιto destroy
apolesaiG622 →90 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πρῶτοιforemost
protoiG4413 →152 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
λαοῦ,people,
laouG2992 →141 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
John 10:39At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
it leads to
- John 7:30
So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
- John 8:59
At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.
- John 7:44
Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.
- Luke 4:29–30
They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him over the cliff.
- John 10:31
At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
- John 7:30
Through
Mark 11:18When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
it leads to
- Matthew 7:28
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
- Mark 12:12
At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.
- Matthew 7:28
Through
Matthew 26:55At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and…
it leads to
- Mark 12:35
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
- Mark 12:35
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
About Luke

This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 19; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 132; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 39; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
