The Meaning of Luke 19:3 Explained

Luke 19:3

KJV: And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

YLT: and he was seeking to see Jesus, who he is, and was not able for the multitude, because in stature he was small,

Darby: And he sought to see Jesus who he was: and he could not for the crowd, because he was little in stature.

ASV: And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he sought  to see  Jesus  who  he was;  and  could  not  for  the press,  because  he was  little  of stature. 

What does Luke 19:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 19:1-10 - The Sinner And His Guest
For long, we may suppose, the better things had been striving against the worse in this man's character. John the Baptist had wielded great influence over Zaccheus' class and perhaps over himself. Zaccheus was a dissatisfied man. His dishonest acquisitions added to his wealth but subtracted from his peace of mind. He knew that the least he could do would be to repay those whom he had robbed. But his soul required more, and longed for salvation, such as only Jesus Christ could give.
The Lord knew this, and therefore halted beneath the tree and invited Himself as a guest to the publican's home. The one man in all Jericho who most needed the Savior was discovered by Him and saved. The grace of God is ever in search of those who have gone as far as their light will carry them.
What a blessing it is that the Lord is willing to be our guest! See that He is welcomed to the guestroom of your heart. Stand to serve Him. He brings salvation for you and yours. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 19

1  Of Zacchaeus a tax collector
11  The ten minas
28  Jesus rides into Jerusalem with triumph;
41  weeps over it;
45  drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple;
47  Teaching daily in it The rulers seek to destroy him, but fear the people

Greek Commentary for Luke 19:3

He sought [εζητει]
Imperfect active. He was seeking, conative idea. [source]
Jesus who he was [Ιησουν τις εστιν]
Prolepsis, to see who Jesus was. He had heard so much about him. He wanted to see which one of the crowd was Jesus.For the crowd (απο του οχλου — apo tou ochlou). He was short and the crowd was thick and close.Stature No doubt of that meaning here and possibly so in Luke 2:52. Elsewhere “age” except Luke 12:25; Matthew 6:27 where it is probably “stature” also. [source]
For the crowd [απο του οχλου]
He was short and the crowd was thick and close. [source]
Stature [τηι ηλικιαι]
No doubt of that meaning here and possibly so in Luke 2:52. Elsewhere “age” except Luke 12:25; Matthew 6:27 where it is probably “stature” also. [source]
He sought [ἐζήτει]
Imperfect. He was busy seeking as Jesus passed. [source]
Who he was []
Lit., is. Not to see what kind of a person, but which one of the crowd he was. [source]
Stature [ἡλικίᾳ]
See on Luke 12:25. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 19:3

Matthew 11:3 He that cometh [ο ερχομενος]
This phrase refers to the Messiah (Mark 11:9; Luke 13:35; Luke 19:38; Hebrews 10:37; Psalm 118:26; Daniel 7:13). Some rabbis applied the phrase to some forerunner of the kingdom (McNeile). Was there to be “another” It was once clear enough to him, but his environment was depressing and Jesus had done nothing to get him out of Machaerus (see chapter IX in my John the Loyal). John longed for reassurance. [source]
Mark 11:2 As ye enter [εισπορευομενοι]
So also Luke 19:30. Present middle participle. [source]
Mark 11:2 Colt [πωλον]
So Luke 19:30. Matthew 21:2 speaks of the ass See Luke 19:30. [source]
Mark 11:2 Whereon no one ever yet sat [επ ον ουδεις αντρωπων εκατισεν]
See Luke 19:30. [source]
Mark 11:5 Certain of those that stood there [τινες των εκει εστηκοτων]
Perfect active participle, genitive plural. Bystanders. Luke 19:33 terms them “the owners thereof” The lords or masters of the colt. They make a natural protest. [source]
Mark 11:11 When he had looked round about upon all things [περιβλεπσαμενος παντα]
Another Markan detail in this aorist middle participle. Mark does not give what Luke 19:39-46 has nor what Matthew 21:10-17 does. But it is all implied in this swift glance at the temple before he went out to Bethany with the Twelve, it being now eventide Genitive absolute, the hour being already late. What a day it had been! What did the apostles think now? [source]
Luke 19:37 The descent []
Two distinct sights of Jerusalem are caught on this route, an inequality of ground hiding it for a time after one has first seen it. Luke 19:37 marks the first sight, Luke 19:41 the second and nearer view (see Introduction, on Luke's topographical accuracy). “A t this point (the former) the first view is caught of the southeastern corner of the city. The temple and the more northern portions are hid by the slope of Olivet on the right: what is seen is only Mount Zion, now, for the most part, a rough field, crowned with the mosque of David, and the angle of the western walls, but then covered with houses to its base, and surmounted by the castle of Herod, on the supposed site of the palace of David … .It was at this point that the shout of triumph burst forth from the multitude” (Stanley, “Sinai and Palestine”). [source]
Luke 19:33 The owners thereof [οι κυριοι αυτου]
The same word κυριος — kurios used of the Lord Jesus in Luke 19:31 (and Luke 19:34) and which these “owners” would understand. See note on Matthew 21:3 and note on Mark 11:3 for kurios used by Jesus about himself with the expectation that these disciples would recognize him by that title as they did. The word in common use for the Roman emperor and in the lxx to translate the Hebrew Elohim (God). [source]
John 12:13 Took [ελαβον]
Second aorist active indicative of λαμβανω — lambanō The branches of the palm trees Ποινιχ — Phoinix is an old word for palm tree (Revelation 7:9 for the branches) and in Acts 27:12 the name of a city. αιον — Baion is apparently a word of Egyptian origin, palm branches, here only in N.T., but in the papyri and 1Macc 13:51. Here we have “the palm branches of the palm trees.” The use in 1Macc 13:51 (cf. 2Macc 10:7) is in the account of Simon‘s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Bernard notes that to carry palms was a mark of triumphant homage to a victor or a king (Revelation 7:9). Palm trees grew on the Mount of Olives (Mark 11:8) on the road from Bethany to Jerusalem. The crowds (one in front and one behind, Mark 11:9; Matthew 21:9; John 2:18) cut the branches as they came (Matthew 21:8). To meet him Literally, for a meeting It was a scene of growing excitement. And cried out Imperfect active of κραυγαζω — kraugazō old and rare verb (from κραυγη — kraugē) as in Matthew 12:19; John 19:15. Hosannah Transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning “Save now.” The lxx renders it by Σωσον δη — Sōson dē (Save now). Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Perfect passive participle of ευλογεω — eulogeō Quotation from Psalm 118:25., written, some think, for the dedication of the second temple, or, as others think, for the feast of tabernacles after the return (Ezra 3:1.). It was sung in the processional recitation then as a welcome to the worshippers. Here the words are addressed to the Messiah as is made plain by the addition of the words, “even the king of Israel” Jesus is here hailed by the multitudes as the long-looked for Messiah of Jewish hope and he allows them so to greet him (Luke 19:38-40), a thing that he prevented a year before in Galilee (John 6:14.). It is probable that “in the name of the Lord” should be taken with “blessed” as in Deuteronomy 21:5; 2 Samuel 6:18; 1 Kings 22:16; 2 Kings 2:24. The Messiah was recognized by Martha as the Coming One (John 11:27) and is so described by the Baptist (Matthew 11:3). Mark (Mark 11:10) adds “the kingdom that cometh” while Luke (John 19:38) has “the king that cometh.” “It was this public acclamation of Jesus as King of Israel or King of the Jews which was the foundation of the charge made against him before Pilate (John 18:33)” (Bernard). [source]
John 12:14 Found [ευρων]
Second aorist active participle of ευρισκω — heuriskō Through the disciples, of course, as in Mark 11:2-6 (Matthew 21:2-3, Matthew 21:6; Luke 19:30.). A young ass Late diminutive of ονος — onos in Epictetus and the papyri (even the double diminitive, οναριδιον — onaridion), only here in the N.T. See note on Matthew 21:5 where και — kai has been wrongly rendered “and” instead of “even.” Rightly understood Matthew has Jesus riding only the colt like the rest. [source]
John 19:12 Sought [εζητει]
Imperfect active, “kept on seeking,” “made renewed efforts to release him.” He was afraid to act boldly against the will of the Jews. If thou release this man Condition of third class, a direct threat to Pilate. He knew all the time that the Sanhedrin might tell Caesar on him. Thou art not Caesar‘s friend Later to Vespasian this was an official title, here simply a daring threat to Pilate. Speaketh against Caesar Caesar brooks no rival. Jesus had allowed himself to be acclaimed king of Israel in the Triumphal Entry (John 12:13; Mark 11:10; Luke 19:38). The Sanhedrin have caught Pilate in their toils. [source]
1 Peter 5:7 Casting [επιριπσαντες]
First aorist active participle of επιριπτω — epiriptō old verb, to throw upon, in N.T. only here and Luke 19:35 (casting their clothes on the colt), here from Psalm 55:22. For μεριμνα — merimna see Matthew 6:25, Matthew 6:31, Matthew 6:34. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:3 mean?

And he was seeking to see - Jesus who He is not he was able because of the crowd because - in stature small he was
καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν τίς ἐστιν οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν

ἐζήτει  he  was  seeking 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ζητέω  
Sense: to seek in order to find.
ἰδεῖν  to  see 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦν  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἐστιν  He  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἠδύνατο  he  was  able 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
ἀπὸ  because  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἀπό 
Sense: of separation.
ὄχλου  crowd 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὄχλος  
Sense: a crowd.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἡλικίᾳ  in  stature 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡλικία  
Sense: age, time of life.
μικρὸς  small 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μικρός  
Sense: small, little.
ἦν  he  was 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.

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