The Meaning of Luke 19:37 Explained

Luke 19:37

KJV: And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

YLT: and as he is coming nigh now, at the descent of the mount of the Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began rejoicing to praise God with a great voice for all the mighty works they had seen,

Darby: And as he drew near, already at the descent of the mount of Olives, all the multitude of the disciples began, rejoicing, to praise God with a loud voice for all the works of power which they had seen,

ASV: And as he was now drawing nigh, even at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen;

What is the context of Luke 19:37?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when he  was come nigh,  even  now  at  the descent  of the mount  of Olives,  the whole  multitude  of the disciples  began  to rejoice  and praise  God  with a loud  voice  for  all  the mighty works  that  they had seen; 

What does Luke 19:37 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Luke alone specified that Jesus descended from the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem. He may have done so to associate Jesus with the prophecy of Messiah standing on that mountain ( Zechariah 14:4). However this was not a fulfillment of that prophecy. Fulfillment will come at the Second Coming. Jesus had predicted His entrance into Jerusalem ( Luke 13:35). Perhaps Luke pictured Jesus descending toward Jerusalem as stage setting for His weeping over the city ( Luke 19:42-44).
Luke continued to focus the readers" attention on the disciples" role whereas the other evangelists included the whole crowd. Obviously Luke wanted us to appreciate the part the disciples played in Jesus" glorification here (cf. Luke 2:13; Luke 2:20; Luke 19:37; Acts 2:47; Acts 3:8-9). Perhaps he viewed it as a preview of our participation in His second coming. He alone noted the disciples" reference to having observed Jesus" miracles (Gr. dynameon, evidences of spiritual power).

Context Summary

Luke 19:28-40 - The Welcome Of The King
This humble triumph is a further revelation of our Lord's character. The lowliness of it, which exposed Him to the sneers and ridicule of scribe and Pharisee, greatly pleased the simple folk from Galilee, who recognized Him as their own, and were proud to identify themselves with Him. See Matthew 21:11. It is thus that Jesus pursues His way through the ages; the princes of this world know Him not, but His character is appreciated and His claims are recognized by babes, Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 2:8. Are you in the Master's procession?
Jesus' royalty is not of this world. It is based on character. It is ignored by the proud, but welcomed by the poor. It is fairest to those whose eyes are anointed to penetrate the veil and discern the eternal realities, and of their enthusiasm, praise to God is the irresistible expression. Note that their song is an echo of Luke 2:14. Oh, to glorify God to the highest degree!
The Lord's need is the master-motive. We can hold nothing back from His request, whether child, or money, or life. Let these words ring in our hearts: The Lord hath need. [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 19:37

At the descent [προς τηι καταβασει]
Epexegetic of “drawing nigh.” They were going by the southern slope of the Mount of Olives. As they turned down to the city, the grand view stirred the crowd to rapturous enthusiasm. This was the first sight of the city on this route which is soon obscured in the descent. The second view bursts out again (Luke 19:41). It was a shout of triumph from the multitude with their long pent-up enthusiasm (Luke 19:11), restrained no longer by the parable of the pounds. [source]
For all the mighty works which they had seen [περι πασων ειδον δυναμεων]
Neat Greek idiom, incorporation of the antecedent (δυναμεων — dunameōn) into the relative clause and attraction of the case of the relative from the accusative ας — has to the genitive ων — hōn And note “all.” The climax had come, Lazarus, Bartimaeus, and the rest. [source]
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]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 19:37

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]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:37 mean?

Drawing near then of Him already at the descent of the Mount - of Olives began all the multitude of the disciples rejoicing to praise - God in a voice loud for all which they had seen [the] mighty works
ἐγγίζοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἤδη πρὸς τῇ καταβάσει τοῦ ὄρους τῶν Ἐλαιῶν ἤρξαντο ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν χαίροντες αἰνεῖν τὸν Θεὸν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ περὶ πασῶν ὧν εἶδον δυνάμεων

ἐγγίζοντος  Drawing  near 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἐγγίζω  
Sense: to bring near, to join one thing to another.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἤδη  already 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἤδη  
Sense: now, already.
πρὸς  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: πρός  
Sense: to the advantage of.
καταβάσει  descent 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: κατάβασις  
Sense: descent.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὄρους  Mount 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ὄρος  
Sense: a mountain.
τῶν  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἐλαιῶν  of  Olives 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: ἐλαία  
Sense: an olive tree.
ἤρξαντο  began 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
πλῆθος  multitude 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πλῆθος  
Sense: a multitude.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μαθητῶν  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
χαίροντες  rejoicing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: χαίρω  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
αἰνεῖν  to  praise 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: αἰνέω  
Sense: to praise, extol, to sing praises in honour to God.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸν  God 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
φωνῇ  in  a  voice 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: φωνή  
Sense: a sound, a tone.
μεγάλῃ  loud 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
εἶδον  they  had  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
δυνάμεων  [the]  mighty  works 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: δύναμις  
Sense: strength power, ability.