What does it mean that 'the rocks will cry out' in Luke 19:40?

TL;DR:

In Luke 19:40, Jesus declared that if the people would not praise Him, “the rocks will cry out.” God alone is worthy of worship because of who he is and what He has done, and we, as believers, are called to actively participate in worshiping and living for God, reflecting His glory.

what does the bible say?

In Luke 19:40, Jesus declares that if the people do not praise Him, "the very stones will cry out." Jesus, being God, is worthy of all praise. “The rocks will cry out” points to the reality that all creation, even inanimate objects like rocks, is made to glorify God (Psalm 19:1; Colossians 1:16). Human praise is essential because of who God is and what He has done, but even if it is withheld, creation will fill the void, fulfilling its purpose to honor God (Genesis 1:27). The concept of rocks crying out is a vivid reminder that everything in creation is meant to glorify God, and humans, made in His image, have a unique responsibility to praise Him (Psalm 148). We, believers, are called to actively participate in worship and to live for God, which reflects His glory.

from the old testament

Jesus saying that “the rocks will cry out” is found in the New Testament.
God’s creation declares His praise (Psalm 19:1).

from the new testament

Luke 19:28–40 recounts Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before He was crucified.
When Jesus rode into town on the back of a donkey, there were crowds praising Him, laying their cloaks in the road before Him, saying "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:38).
The Pharisees in the crowd who heard the people worshiping Jesus admonished Him saying, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples" (Luke 19:39). The Pharisees believed it was blasphemous for the people to be worshiping Jesus because they did not recognize His deity.
Jesus replied to them by saying, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out" (Luke 19:40). Saying the stones or rocks will cry out is a proverbial way of saying that Jesus is worthy of all praise. As the King of Kings, He will get the praise He is worthy of—and if people won't praise Him, the rocks will.
By saying “the rocks will cry out,” Jesus let the Pharisees know that the people should be encouraged to praise Him, not condemned. If the people wouldn't praise Him, the rest of His creation would fill the void of their lack of praise. All creation, even inanimate objects like rocks, was made for the glory of God (Colossians 1:16). Humans are made in God's image and are therefore especially equipped to declare His praise (Genesis 1:27).

implications for today

Picturing rocks crying out in praise of God is just one of many vivid pictures we get throughout the Bible of God's creation praising Him. Psalm 114:4 says "the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs" when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt. Psalm 114:7 says, "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob." Isaiah 55:12 states, "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." In Psalm 148, we see a call for all created things to praise the Lord—the angels, the sun, moon, and stars, sea creatures, water, fire and hail, snow and mist, wind, mountains and hills, trees, land animals and birds, kings and rulers, all people, young men and women, old men and children. All people and all things were created for the pleasure and glory of the Creator of them all. Therefore, let us join in this universal chorus of praise with the exhortation from Psalm 150:6: "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!"

understand

Jesus indicates that if people don’t praise Him, creation itself will.
Saying that the rocks will cry out reveals that all creation is meant to glorify God.
Humans, uniquely made in God’s image, are especially called to worship and honor Him.

reflect

How do you personally respond to the call to praise Jesus, knowing that creation itself is designed to glorify Him?
In what areas of your life might you be withholding praise from Jesus, and how can you address this?
How does understanding that even rocks are meant to glorify God challenge or inspire your own worship?

engage

What is the significance of Jesus’ statement that “the rocks will cry out” in understanding our role in praising Him?
How does recognizing that all creation is meant to glorify God impact our view of the importance of human worship?
What practical steps can we take to ensure that our praise for Jesus is evident in our daily actions and interactions?