Luke 19:1
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
Original Language Analysis
Καὶ
And
G2532
Καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
1 of 5
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Cross References
Luke 18:35And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:1 Kings 16:34In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.Joshua 2:1And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Historical Context
Jericho was one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, known as "the city of palm trees" (Deuteronomy 34:3). By Jesus's time, it had become a prosperous center of balsam production and date cultivation. Herod the Great had built a magnificent winter palace there, and the city served as a customs station where taxes were collected on goods traveling from Perea to Judea. The city's wealth and strategic location made it a prime assignment for chief tax collectors like Zacchaeus, who would have overseen multiple toll collectors in the region.
Questions for Reflection
- Why is it significant that Jesus was merely 'passing through' Jericho rather than planning to stay?
- How does the location of Jericho on the road to Jerusalem add urgency to this encounter with Zacchaeus?
- What does the sequence of encounters in Jericho (Bartimaeus, then Zacchaeus) reveal about Jesus's mission to the marginalized?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. The Greek verb diērchetō (διήρχετο, "was passing through") indicates Jesus was traveling through Jericho en route to Jerusalem, not planning to linger. This seemingly casual detail sets up the dramatic interruption that follows—Zacchaeus's desperate pursuit of Jesus. Jericho was a wealthy city on the main road from Perea to Jerusalem, about 17 miles northeast of the holy city. This is Jesus's final journey to the cross (Luke 9:51), making every encounter along the way pregnant with significance.
Luke's narrative structure connects this passage to the previous healing of blind Bartimaeus (Luke 18:35-43), who cried out for mercy and received sight. Now another outcast—a chief tax collector—will receive salvation. The pattern reveals Jesus's mission: "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Both the physically blind beggar and the spiritually blind extortioner experience transforming encounters with Christ on the road through Jericho.