Luke 19:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As if He said, Not without cause do men praise me thus, but being constrained by the mighty works which they have seen.

But the Lord forbade not them that glorified Him as God, but rather forbade those that blamed them, so bearing witness to Himself concerning the glory of the Godhead. Hence it follows, He answered and said unto them, I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Upon hearing the shouts of the children, the scribes expressed their displeasure, urging Him to silence the crowd. He responded, “If they keep quiet, the very stones will shout out.” They chose for the children to proclaim their praise instead of the stones, fearing that the cries of inanimate objects might lead the spiritually blind to repentance. Yet this outcry from the stones was reserved for the moment of His crucifixion, when, amidst the silence of those who could speak, the mute creation declared the glory of the Lord (Matthew 27:51).

The multitude then acknowledging God, proclaims Him King, repeats the prophecy, and declares that the expected Son of David according to the flesh had come, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Examine the interpretation presented in this passage: 'But the crowds declared, "This is Jesus, the prophet." This is further elucidated and clarified within the text.

As long as our Lord was in the mount His Apostles only were with Him, but when He began to be near the descent, then there came to Him a multitude of the people.

What type of apostles did the Lord select? Ordinary men without formal education (Acts 4:13). Nonetheless, He empowered them with the Holy Spirit, allowing them to speak with divine wisdom, teaching both the learned and the scribes. He declared that if they were to remain silent, even the stones would shout in praise. This statement could refer to the Apostles themselves or to all souls liberated from the immense weight of sin that burdens them; once this burden is lifted, they proclaim the glory of God. Just as the earth trembled and graves were opened at the sight of the Lord (Matthew 27:51-52), when our Lord Jesus Christ illuminates the heart and reveals His glorious presence (Psalm 66:2), the heavy stone of sin is shattered, creating space for the Lord to reside within.

And so at the crucifixion of our Lord, when His kinsfolk were silent from fear, the stones and rocks sang forth, while after that He gave up the ghost, the earth was moved, and the rocks were rent, and the graves opened.

When the Lord’s sufferings approached, the disciples fell silent. Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled (Matthew 26:56), fulfilling the prophecy, ‘The stones will cry out’ (Matthew 27:51-53). Indeed, at that moment, the stones raised their voice as the dead who emerged from their stony tombs, arising from the depths of the earth, entered the holy city and appeared to many (Matthew 27:53). We learn that the stones were shattered and crushed, yet the hearts of the hardened executioners remained not only intact but grew even more callous. They became hardened, for instead of expressing sorrow and turning from their sins, they reveled in the success of their malevolence and scoffed, shaking their heads.

The Pharisees, who had stepped into the midst of the crowd, urged the Lord to silence the shouting with a command. However, the Lord dismissed their request, declaring, “I tell you, that if these men keep silent, the stones will speak.” In this statement, He conveyed that the significance of the moment is so profound and uplifting for all humanity that even the most indifferent individuals cannot help but be moved to joyful reverence.

Christ responded gently, "I assure you, if they remain quiet, the stones will proclaim their praises. If you are so indifferent and unfeeling that you fail to grasp the fervor of the crowd, recognize that in moments like this, it is simpler for the stones to proclaim than to hush them!"

As Jesus grieved and declared His message over the city, the procession came to a halt. Meanwhile, the crowds gathered in the Kidron Valley and along the walls of Jerusalem, alongside the worshippers who had pitched their tents on the vibrant slopes below. Upon witnessing the multitude approaching from the mountain and hearing expressions of joyous praise, they began to comprehend the significance of the event. Seizing branches from the trees, they hurried up the path to meet the coming Prophet. When the two groups converged—one following Him from Bethany and the other coming from Jerusalem—He found Himself surrounded by the throng, which moved both ahead of and behind Him, shouting 'Hosanna' and waving branches all the way to Jerusalem's gates.

"The stones will cry out": In response to the Pharisees, the Lord invoked a powerful and widely recognized saying, emphasizing moments in life when people cannot be muted. If individuals were to be forcibly silenced, even lifeless stones would call them to account, serving as a reminder of the event's significance. It is likely that the Lord was alluding to the stones of the temple, meant to remind all that the Messiah, as foretold in the Scriptures (Haggai 2:6-9), was destined to reveal Himself in this holy place as the Lord and Son of God. How could anyone witness His majestic entrance and refrain from offering praise to God and Him, particularly when observing the fulfillment of the prophecies? The stones, in their mute state, would have proclaimed the magnificence of this moment if humanity chose not to engage (cf. Hab. 2:11).