The Meaning of Luke 19:7 Explained

Luke 19:7

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

YLT: and having seen it, they were all murmuring, saying -- 'With a sinful man he went in to lodge!'

Darby: And all murmured when they saw it, saying, He has turned in to lodge with a sinful man.

ASV: And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Luke 19:7 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 19:7

Murmured [διεγογγυζοντο]
Imperfect middle of this compound onomatopoetic word διαγογγυζω — dia -γογγυζω — gogguzō In Luke 5:30 we have the simple δια — gogguzō a late word like the cooing doves or the hum of bees. This compound with καταλυσαι — dia - is still rarer, but more expressive. [source]
To lodge [katalusai)]
Jesus was the hero of this crowd from Galilee on their way to the passover. But here he had shocked their sensibilities and those of the people of Jericho by inviting himself to be the guest of this chief publican and notorious sinner who had robbed nearly everybody in the city by exorbitant taxes. [source]
To be guest [καταλῦσαι]
More correctly, Rev., lodge. See on Luke 9:12. [source]
A sinner []
See on Luke 3:12. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 19:7

Luke 15:2 Murmured [διαγογγυζω]
Imperfect active of δια — diagogguzō late Greek compound in the lxx and Byzantine writers. In the N.T. only here and Luke 19:7. The force of ουτος — dia here is probably between or among themselves. It spread (imperfect tense) whenever these two classes came in contact with Jesus. As the publicans and the sinners were drawing near to Jesus just in that proportion the Pharisees and the scribes increased their murmurings. The social breach is here an open yawning chasm.This man (προσδεχεται — houtos). A contemptuous sneer in the use of the pronoun. They spoke out openly and probably pointed at Jesus.Receiveth Present middle indicative of the common verb υπεδεχατο — prosdechomai In Luke 12:36 we had it for expecting, here it is to give access to oneself, to welcome like και συνεστιει αυτοις — hupedexato of Martha‘s welcome to Jesus (Luke 10:38). The charge here is that this is the habit of Jesus. He shows no sense of social superiority to these outcasts (like the Hindu “untouchables” in India).And eateth with them (αυτοις — kai sunesthiei autois). Associative instrumental case (συν — autois) after πιλος — sun - in composition. This is an old charge (Luke 5:30) and a much more serious breach from the standpoint of the Pharisees. The implication is that Jesus prefers these outcasts to the respectable classes (the Pharisees and the scribes) because he is like them in character and tastes, even with the harlots. There was a sting in the charge that he was the “friend” (philos) of publicans and sinners (Luke 7:34). [source]
Luke 9:12 Lodge [καταλυσωσιν]
First aorist active subjunctive of καταλυω — kataluō a common verb, to dissolve, destroy, overthrow, and then of travellers to break a journey, to lodge Only here and Luke 19:7 in the N.T. in this sense.Get victuals (ευρωσιν επισιτισμον — heurōsin episitismon). Ingressive aorist active of ευρισκω — heuriskō very common verb.Victuals See notes on Mark 6:32-44; notes on Matthew 14:13-21 for discussion of details. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:7 mean?

And having seen [it] all were grumbling saying - With a sinful man He has entered to stay
καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι Παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθεν καταλῦσαι

ἰδόντες  having  seen  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
διεγόγγυζον  were  grumbling 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: διαγογγύζω  
Sense: to murmur.
λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὅτι  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἁμαρτωλῷ  a  sinful 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἁμαρτωλός  
Sense: devoted to sin, a sinner.
ἀνδρὶ  man 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀνήρ  
Sense: with reference to sex.
εἰσῆλθεν  He  has  entered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
καταλῦσαι  to  stay 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: καταλύω  
Sense: to dissolve, disunite.