A. More lessons in discipleship (9:51–62)
A. More lessons in discipleship (9:51–62)
1. Rejection by the Samaritans (9:51–56)
Luke highlights the contrasting attitudes of Jesus and his followers to the refusal of some Samaritans to receive him.
51. With his ministry drawing to a close Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem. The expression to be received up is unusual. It is actually a noun (‘the days of his receiving up’), which occurs here only in the New Testament. The corresponding verb is used a number of times in Acts, sometimes of Jesus’ ascension. Some see in the word an oblique reference to Elijah’s being taken up into heaven. This is reinforced by the reference a little later to calling down fire from heaven as Elijah did (54; cf. 2 Kgs 1:10, 12). Whatever the truth in this, Luke will have in mind the consummation of Jesus’ work in the crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and session at God’s right hand (cf. 22:69). But first in this sequence is the cross, and there is courage accordingly in the fact that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem.
52–53. It is not said who Jesus’ messengers were, but probably they were some of the Twelve who went on ahead to prepare lodgings for the little band. A group of a dozen or so would strain the resources of a small village if they arrived unexpectedly; and, of course, there may have been more. We do not know how many ‘disciples’ were with him. But the Samaritan villagers, seeing that his face was set toward Jerusalem, would have nothing to do with Jesus. Their feud with the Jews was so bitter that they would not help anyone travel to Jerusalem, though apparently they did not mind receiving Galileans as such. Josephus tells us that Samaritans were not averse to ill-treating pilgrims going up to Jerusalem, even to the extent of murdering them on occasion (Bellum ii.232; Antiquities xx.118; this latter passage tells us that it was the custom of the Galileans to pass through Samaria at festival time).
54. This surly attitude was too much for James and John. These ‘sons of thunder’ (Mark 3:17) asked whether Jesus wanted them to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them. There is great faith in Jesus in this question. In the face of the insult to their Master they felt they had only to call for the fire in Jesus’ name and it would be given. But this does more credit to their zeal and their devotion to Jesus than to their understanding of the nature of Christian service.
55–56. Jesus rebuked them. That is not the way his followers behave. Without taking any steps in opposition to the Samaritans they went on to another village, perhaps a Jewish one. RSV mg reflects words in most late MSS and a few early ones, but absent from the papyri and the great uncials. Most scholars see them as a scribal insertion.
2. Whole-heartedness (9:57–62)
This paragraph is located simply ‘along the road’. As Jesus journeyed some people announced their readiness to follow him. They were clearly well-intentioned, but had not realized the nature of the demands the kingdom makes.
57–58. The first man expresses his readiness to follow Jesus. There is nothing wrong with the way he puts it: he is ready to go anywhere Jesus leads. But the reply shows that he has not reckoned with what this means. Animals and birds have their places of habitation, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. This is an incidental glimpse of the cost of the incarnation. And it shows that the follower of Jesus must not reckon on luxurious living.
59–60. The second man was called by Jesus. In response he asked leave first to bury his father. Some hold that, had the father been a corpse at home, the man would probably not have been with Jesus at all; he would have been occupied with duties connected with the funeral. On this view his request was to stay at home until his father died. This might have meant an indefinite delay and the affairs of the kingdom cannot be put off. But the words have an even greater urgency if the father was dead. The Jews counted proper burial as most important; to leave the father unburied ‘was something scandalous to a Jew’ (Marshall). The duty of burial took precedence over the study of the law, the temple service, the killing of the Passover sacrifice, the observance of circumcision and the reading of the Megillah (Megillah 3b). But the demands of the kingdom are more urgent still. Jesus could not wait until the man got through all that burial meant. So he says, Leave the dead to bury their own dead. Jesus has called the man. He is to proclaim the kingdom of God. Let those without spiritual insight perform the duties they can do so well; burial is very much in keeping for the spiritually dead. But the man who has seen the vision must not deny or delay his heavenly calling.
61–62. The third man, like the first, offered his services. But he interposed the condition that he first say farewell to those at home (as Elisha did when he followed Elijah, 1 Kgs 19:20f.). This seems not unreasonable (cf. 5:29). But following Jesus means more than following Elijah and in this case the request evidently concealed some reluctance to take the decisive step. Jesus points out that the kingdom has no room for those who look back when they are called to go forward.