Discovery BoxLuke 19:35-40 
Context19:35 Then 1 they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks 2 on the colt, 3 and had Jesus get on 4 it. 19:36 As 5 he rode along, they 6 spread their cloaks on the road. 19:37 As he approached the road leading down from 7 the Mount of Olives, 8 the whole crowd of his 9 disciples began to rejoice 10 and praise 11 God with a loud voice for all the mighty works 12 they had seen: 13 19:38 “Blessed is the king 14 who comes in the name of the Lord! 15 Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 19:39 But 16 some of the Pharisees 17 in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 18 19:40 He answered, 19 “I tell you, if they 20 keep silent, the very stones 21 will cry out!”
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
2 tn Grk “garments”; but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13.
4 tn Although ἐπεβίβασαν (epebibasan) is frequently translated “set [Jesus] on it” or “put [Jesus] on it,” when used of a riding animal the verb can mean “to cause to mount” (L&N 15.98); thus here “had Jesus get on it.” The degree of assistance is not specified.
5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn The disciples initiated this action (since in 19:35 and 37 they are the subject) but the other gospels indicate the crowds also became involved. Thus it is difficult to specify the referent here as “the disciples” or “people.”
7 tn Grk “the descent of”; this could refer to either the slope of the hillside itself or the path leading down from it (the second option has been adopted for the translation, see L&N 15.109).
8 sn See the note on the name Mount of Olives in v. 29.
9 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
10 tn Here the participle χαίροντες (caironte") has been translated as a finite verb in English; it could also be translated adverbially as a participle of manner: “began to praise God joyfully.”
11 sn See 2:13, 20; Acts 2:47; 3:8-9.
12 tn Or “works of power,” “miracles.” Jesus’ ministry of miracles is what has drawn attention. See Luke 7:22.
13 tn Grk “they had seen, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
14 sn Luke adds the title king to the citation from Ps 118:26 to make clear who was meant (see Luke 18:38). The psalm was used in looking for the deliverance of the end, thus leading to the Pharisees’ reaction.
15 sn A quotation from Ps 118:26.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. Not all present are willing to join in the acclamation.
17 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
18 sn Teacher, rebuke your disciples. The Pharisees were complaining that the claims were too great.
19 tn Grk “and answering, he said.” This has been simplified in the translation to “He answered.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
20 tn Grk “these.”
21 sn This statement amounts to a rebuke. The idiom of creation speaking means that even creation knows what is taking place, yet the Pharisees miss it. On this idiom, see Gen 4:10 and Hab 2:11.
