Luke 19:31

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(31) Because the Lord hath need of him.—See Note on Matthew 21:3 as to the meaning of the word “Lord” as thus used.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:28-40 Christ has dominion over all creatures, and may use them as he pleases. He has all men's hearts both under his eye and in his hand. Christ's triumphs, and his disciples' joyful praises, vex proud Pharisees, who are enemies to him and to his kingdom. But Christ, as he despises the contempt of the proud, so he accepts the praises of the humble. Pharisees would silence the praises of Christ, but they cannot; for as God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham, and turn the stony heart to himself, so he can bring praise out of the mouths of children. And what will be the feelings of men when the Lord returns in glory to judge the world!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 21:1-16.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

31. the Lord hath need, &c.—He both knew all and had the key of the human heart. (See on [1701]Lu 19:5.) Perhaps the owner was a disciple.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 19:30"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And if any man ask you, why do ye loose him?.... As our Lord, being God omniscient, knew this question would be asked by the owners, and therefore prepares his disciples with an answer to it:

thus shall ye say unto him, because the Lord hath need of him. The Syriac and Persic versions read "our Lord", yours, and ours; probably the owners of the colt might be such as knew the Lord Jesus Christ, and by this way of speaking of him, knew, at once, who was meant, and so made no scruple of sending him, as Christ told them they would not, and so they found it; See Gill on Matthew 21:3 and See Gill on Mark 9:3

Geneva Study Bible

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 19:31-34. The sending of two disciples for the colt is related as in Mt. and Mk., but with a little more of Greek in the style. The remark about the owners sending it (Mt.) or Jesus returning it (Mk.) is omitted. On the other hand, Lk. alone states that the two disciples found matters as the Master had said (Luke 19:32). In Luke 19:33 οἱ κύριοι suggests a plurality of owners.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 31. - And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. Had he not right here? surely the cattle on a thousand hills were his I St. Matthew not only mentions the colt, but also the ass. This little detail is unnoticed by St. Luke. Probably the colt, though not broken in, would go the more quietly accompanied by its mother. But the reason of St. Matthew's special mention of the ass as well as of the colt was the reference to Genesis 49:11, in which Justin Martyr, in a curious chapter of the 'Dialogue with Trypho,' finds a direct reference to the ass and the foal (see Justin Martyr, 'Dialogue with Trypho,' c. 53.). Luke 19:31

Vincent's Word Studies

The Lord

See on Matthew 21:3.