Luke 19:7

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) They all murmured.—Better, were all murmuring. It is significant that the murmur was not confined to a special section of rigorous Pharisees, but came from the whole crowd. The chief publican was clearly not popular, and probably the priestly tone of the place (see Note on Luke 19:5) gave additional strength to all caste feelings. We are carried forward in this verse from the promise to the performance. Our Lord was in the house when the murmurs found expression.

With a man that is a sinner.—The term was obviously used from the popular Pharisaic stand-point, as attaching necessarily to the calling of Zacchæus. He had placed Himself on a level with the heathen or the vilest Jew, and ought to be treated accordingly.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:1-10 Those who sincerely desire a sight of Christ, like Zaccheus, will break through opposition, and take pains to see him. Christ invited himself to Zaccheus' house. Wherever Christ comes he opens the heart, and inclines it to receive him. He that has a mind to know Christ, shall be known of him. Those whom Christ calls, must humble themselves, and come down. We may well receive him joyfully, who brings all good with him. Zaccheus gave proofs publicly that he was become a true convert. He does not look to be justified by his works, as the Pharisee; but by his good works he will, through the grace of God, show the sincerity of his faith and repentance. Zaccheus is declared to be a happy man, now he is turned from sin to God. Now that he is saved from his sins, from the guilt of them, from the power of them, all the benefits of salvation are his. Christ is come to his house, and where Christ comes he brings salvation with him. He came into this lost world to seek and to save it. His design was to save, when there was no salvation in any other. He seeks those that sought him not, and asked not for him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Murmured - Found fault, complained.

To be a guest - To remain with, or to be entertained by.

A man that is a sinner - All publicans they regarded as great sinners, and the "chief" of the publicans, therefore, they regarded as especially wicked. It would appear also from Zacchaeus' confession that his character "had been" that of an oppressive man. But the people seemed to forget that he might be a penitent, and that the Messiah came to save that which was lost.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. to be guest—or lodge: something more than "eating with" such (Lu 15:2).

a sinner—that was one but a minute ago, but now is not. This mighty change, however, was all unknown to them. But they shall know it presently. "Sinner" would refer both to his office, vile in the eyes of a Jew, and to his character, which it is evident was not good.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

All here must not be taken for every individual person, that is not to be presumed either of all the inhabitants of Jericho, or, much less, of all that were in Christ’s company: amongst others Mary Magdalene was at this time in his company, who had no reason to murmur at that. But of what sort of people were these murmurers? The voice is the voice of Pharisees, who had often quarrelled at Christ for this, and of their disciples; for there were multitudes of the Jews that had drunk in the superstitions of that faction, and were more afraid of keeping company with sinners, than themselves being so; of having fellowship with their excommunicates in their houses, than of having fellowship with their, or greater, works of darkness. Our Saviour had before answered this cavil, he will now come to show them they were mistaken in the man; that he whom they counted a sinner, was a better man than themselves generally were.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when they saw it,.... The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions read, "when they all saw this"; that is, as the Persic version, rather paraphrasing than translating, says, "the men and the multitude that were with him"; the "pharisaical" sort, the priests and Levites, of which there were great numbers in Jericho; See Gill on Luke 10:31.

They all murmured; as the Scribes and Pharisees did, at his eating with publicans and sinners, Luke 15:2.

Saying, that he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner; a notorious one, an abandoned profligate creature; one of the worst of sinners, as being a publican, and the chief of them; who had amassed vast riches to himself, by extortion and oppression; and they thought it was not agreeable to the character of an holy man, and a venerable prophet, which Christ bore, to go into such a man's house, eat at his table; and have familiar conversation with him; see Matthew 9:10.

Geneva Study Bible

{2} And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

(2) The world forsakes the grace of God, and yet is unwilling that it should be bestowed upon others.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 19:7. ἅπαντες: general muttered dissent (not even the Twelve excepted), which Jesus anticipated and disregarded. Note His courage, and how much prejudice the uncommon in conduct has to reckon with.—ἁμαρτωλῷ: no reason to think with some ancient and modern commentators that Zacchaeus was a Gentile, a son of Abraham only in a spiritual sense. They thought him unfit to be Christ’s host because he was a “sinner” (Grotius). A sinner of course because a publican, a great sinner because a chief publican.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. they all murmured] Rather, they all began to murmur aloud.

The all’ is very significant as shewing how deep-seated was the national feeling which, because it was unworthy, our Lord at the very zenith of His earthly popularity thus unflinchingly braved. Many of them may not have heard His previous vindication of His object (Matthew 9:11-13).

to be guest] Literally, “to put up” as though at a guest-chamber (kataluma), Luke 2:7; Mark 14:14.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 19:7. Πάντες διεγόγγυζον, they all began murmuring) rather from a doubt [as to the propriety of His proceeding] as concerns the greater portion of them [i.e. as distinguished from “the Pharisees and the Scribes”], than with a feeling of indignation. [Comp. ch. Luke 15:2.—V. g.]—εἰσῆλθε, He went in) and that, too, of His own accord, engaging Himself to be the guest of a publican, a thing which on other occasions He was not wont to do. [This act is going even yet further than the act of eating with sinners in the way which is mentioned in ch. Luke 15:2; Luke 15:5; Luke 15:30.—V. g.]

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - They all murmured. This very inclusive statement, "they all," shows the general intensely Jewish spirit of the age, narrow and sectarian. The people could not imagine goodness, or earnestness, or generosity in one who served the hateful Roman power. Probably in priestly Jericho this stern exclusive spirit was especially dominant. Luke 19:7

Vincent's Word Studies

To be guest (καταλῦσαι)

More correctly, Rev., lodge. See on Luke 9:12.

A sinner

See on Luke 3:12.