Luke 19:14

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him.—Here, also, recent history supplied a feature in the parable. This was precisely what the Jews had done in the case of Archelaus, both at the time referred to in the Note on Luke 19:12, and later on, when their complaints were brought before the Emperor, and led to his deposition and banishment to Gaul. That which answers to it in the inner meaning of the parable is the unwillingness of the Jews—or, taking a wider view of the interpretation, of mankind at large—to accept the law of Christ or acknowledge His sovereignty.

Benson Commentary

Luke 19:14-15. But his citizens hated him — The natural subjects of this king’s son, (see on Luke 19:12,) “hated him without a cause, as appears from the message which they sent to this potentate, from whom he sought what in latter times has been called investiture. For in that message they alleged no crime against him. But only expressed their ill-will toward him, by declaring that they would not have him to reign over them. This is a fit representation of the causeless opposition which the Jewish great men made to Jesus. The message which these citizens sent after their prince had no effect; he received the kingdom, and returned with full authority, which he exercised in calling his servants to account, and in punishing his rebellious subjects. So the opposition which the Jews made to our Lord’s being made king proved ineffectual. Having, therefore, all power in heaven and in earth given unto him, he will return to reckon with his apostles and ministers, and other servants, and especially his rebellious subjects.” Nay, he has returned already in more respects than one, and has both punished the Jews and other persecutors of his people, and opposers of his gospel, with most exemplary punishment. Then he commanded these servants to be called, that he might know how much every man had gained, &c. — So Jesus, both at the day of men’s death, and at the general judgment, will make a strict inquiry into the use and improvement which all his servants, but especially the ministers of his gospel, have made of the talents and opportunities committed to them. See Macknight, and notes on Matthew 25:19, &c.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:11-27 This parable is like that of the talents, Mt 25. Those that are called to Christ, he furnishes with gifts needful for their business; and from those to whom he gives power, he expects service. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, 1Co 12:7. And as every one has received the gift, so let him minister the same, 1Pe 4:10. The account required, resembles that in the parable of the talents; and the punishment of the avowed enemies of Christ, as well as of false professors, is shown. The principal difference is, that the pound given to each seems to point out the gift of the gospel, which is the same to all who hear it; but the talents, distributed more or less, seem to mean that God gives different capacities and advantages to men, by which this one gift of the gospel may be differently improved.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But his citizens - His "subjects," or the people whom he was desirous of ruling.

Hated him - On account of his character, and their fear of oppression. This was, in fact, the case with regard to Archelaus, the Jewish prince, who went to Rome to be confirmed in his kingdom.

Sent a message, saying ... - His discontented subjects, fearing what would be the character of his reign, sent an embassy to remonstrate against his being appointed as the ruler. This actually took place. Archelaus went to Rome to obtain from Augustus a confirmation of his title to reign over that part of Judea which had been left him by his father, Herod the Great. The Jews, knowing his character (compare Matthew 2:22), sent an embassy of 50 men to Rome, to prevail on Augustus "not" to confer the title on him, but they could not succeed. He "received" the kingdom, and reigned in Judea in the place of his father. As this fact was "fresh" in the memory of the Jews, it makes this parable much more striking. By this part of it Christ designed to denote that the Jews would reject "him" - the Messiah, and would say that they did not desire him to reign over them. See John 1:11. So it is true of all sinners that they do not "wish" Jesus to reign over them, and, if it were possible, would cast him off, and never submit to his reign.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. his citizens—His proper subjects; meaning the Jews, who expressly repudiating our Lord's claims said, "We have no king but Cæsar" (Joh 19:15). In Christendom, these correspond to infidel rejecters of Christianity, as distinguished from professed Christians.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 19:12"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But his citizens hated him,.... Not those who are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; whose citizenship is in heaven, and who are seeking the better country, and heavenly city; but the Jews, who were his own people and nation, among whom he was born, to whom he was sent and came, and had an undoubted right to the government of them: these hated him with a mortal hatred, as appeared by their traducing his person in the most opprobrious manner; vilifying his doctrine as false; ascribing his miracles to a diabolical influence; and by persecuting his disciples and followers:

and sent a message after him; this seems to have respect to their outrage against the disciples of Christ, after his ascension; when they not only mocked them, as on the day of Pentecost, but laid hold on them, and put them in hold, even in the common prison, and persecuted them from place to place; and so virtually,

saying, we will not have this man to reign over us: they would neither receive his Gospel, nor submit to his ordinances; but put them away from them, and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life: and this is the language of every graceless soul; and is to be observed in their opposition to, and neglect of the truths of Christ, and his divine institutions; which are a yoke they do not care to take upon them, though so mild and easy, and are cords which they cast away from them.

Geneva Study Bible

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 19:14-15. The embassy sent forth after him (ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ) goes to the bestower of the kingdom; hence τοῦτον; “fastidiose loquuntur,” Bengel.

οἱ πολῖται αὐτοῦ] his fellow-citizens, Plat. Protag. p. 315 C, and frequently; Genesis 23:11.

οὐ θέλομεν κ.τ.λ.] not instead of θέλομεν τοῦτον οὐ βασιλ. (Markland, ad Lys. I. p. 280 f.; Bornemann), but definite rejection: we will not that this man shall be king. On βασιλεύσαι (Aor.), see Schaefer, App. ad Dem. III. p. 457.

Luke 19:15. In respect of the form γνοῖ (Lachmann, Tischendorf), see on Mark 5:43.

τίς τί] who gained anything, and what he gained? See on Mark 15:24.

διαπραγματ.] not: “negotiando lucratus esset” (Castalio, so usually), but: had undertaken. Comp. Dion. Hal. iii. 72. Passages where διαπραγμ. means perscrutari are not in point here, Plat. Phaed.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 19:14. πολῖται = συμπολῖται, fellow-citizens of the aspirant to kingship while a private citizen (as in Genesis 23:11, Sept[151], Hebrews 8:11, W.H[152]).—ἐμίσουν, hated habitually, showing something far wrong in him, or in them.—πρεσβείαν: this actually happened in the case of Archelaus, on just grounds; this, however, is no proof that he cannot have been in Christ’s mind. The point is, hatred just or unjust, in the case both of Archelaus and of Jesus very real.—οὐ θέλομεν, we don’t wish, an emphatic nolumus, stronger than θέλομεν τοῦτον οὐ, etc.

[151] Septuagint.

[152] Westcott and Hort.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. hated him] And this was not strange, seeing that the very beginning of his reign had been signalised by a hideous massacre of his subjects. (Jos. Antt. xvii. 9, § 3.)

and sent a message after hint] Rather, an embassy to follow him (Luke 14:32). Here again the incident would be entirely obscure, if we did not know from Josephus that the Jews did send an embassy of 50 to Augustus—who were met on their arrival at Rome by 8000 Jews—to recount the cruelties of Archelaus, and plead for deliverance from him and the Herods generally. (Jos. Antt. xvii. 11, § 1, &c.) Although not immediately successful, the embassy was one of the circumstances which led to his ultimate deposition.

this man] The ‘this’ is supremely contemptuous. For the fact shadowed forth see John 15:18; John 19:14-15; John 19:21.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 19:14. Πολῖται, citizens) as the people of Jerusalem were.—ἐμισοῦν, conceived a hatred towards Him) See Luke 19:47.—ἀπέστειλαν, sent) after His departure.—τοῦτον, this fellow) They speak contemptuously.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - But his citizens hated him. Again history supplies the framework. This was what the Jews had done in the case of Archelaus. They had sent a hostile deputation to complain of their future king before the emperor's court at Rome. In the parable, in these "citizens who hated him" a thinly veiled picture is given of those Jews who utterly rejected the mission of Jesus, and by whose designs the Crucifixion was brought about. Luke 19:14