The Meaning of Luke 19:6 Explained

Luke 19:6

KJV: And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

YLT: and he having hastened did come down, and did receive him rejoicing;

Darby: And he made haste and came down, and received him with joy.

ASV: And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he made haste,  and came down,  and  received  him  joyfully. 

What does Luke 19:6 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 19:6

He made haste and came down [σπευσας κατεβη]
Luke repeats the very words of Jesus with the same idiom. [source]
Received him joyfully [υπεδεχατο αυτον χαιρων]
The very verb used of Martha‘s welcome to Jesus (Luke 10:38). “Joyfully” is the present active participle, “rejoicing” (χαιρων — chairōn). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 19:6

Luke 10:38 Received him into her house [υπεδεχατο αυτον εις την οικιαν]
Aorist middle indicative of υποδεχομαι — hupodechomai an old verb to welcome as a guest (in the N.T. only here and Luke 19:6; Acts 17:7; James 2:25). Martha is clearly the mistress of the home and is probably the elder sister. There is no evidence that she was the wife of Simon the leper (John 12:1.). It is curious that in an old cemetery at Bethany the names of Martha, Eleazar, and Simon have been found. [source]
Acts 17:7 Whom Jason hath received [ους υποδεδεκται Ιασων]
Present perfect middle indicative of υποδεχομαι — hupodechomai to entertain, old verb, but in N.T. only in Luke 10:38; Luke 19:6; Acts 17:7; James 2:25. This is Jason‘s crime and he is the prisoner before the politarchs. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 19:6 mean?

And having hurried he came down received Him rejoicing
Καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων

σπεύσας  having  hurried 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: σπεύδω  
Sense: to haste, make haste.
κατέβη  he  came  down 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: καταβαίνω  
Sense: to go down, come down, descend.
ὑπεδέξατο  received 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὑποδέχομαι  
Sense: to receive as a guest.
χαίρων  rejoicing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: χαίρω  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.