Luk 9:51-62 | RWP | e4.org | When the days were well-nigh come ( εν τω συμπληρουσθα τας ημερας ). Luke's common idiom εν with the articular infinitive, "in the being fulfilled as to the days." This common compound occurs in the N.T. only here and ; . The language here makes it plain that Jesus was fully conscious of the time of his death as near as already stated ( , , ). That he should be received up ( της αναλημψεως αυτου ). Literally, "of his taking up." It is an old word (from Hippocrates on), but here alone in the N.T. It is derived from αναλαμβανω (the verb used of the Ascension, , , ; ) and refers here to the Ascension of Jesus after His Resurrection. Not only in John's Gospel ( ) does Jesus reveal a yearning for a return to the Father, but it is in the mind of Christ here as evidently at the Transfiguration ( ) and later in . He steadfastly set his face ( αυτος το προσωπον εστηρισεν ). Note emphatic αυτος , he himself , with fixedness of purpose in the face of difficulty and danger. This look on Christ's face as he went to his doom is noted later in . It is a Hebraistic idiom (nine times in Ezekiel), this use of face here, but the verb (effective aorist active) is an old one from στηριζω (from στηριγξ , a support), to set fast, to fix. To go to Jerusalem ( του πορευεσθα εις Ιερουσαλημ ). Genitive infinitive of purpose. Luke three times mentions Christ making his way to Jerusalem ( ; ; ) and John mentions three journeys to Jerusalem during the later ministry ( ; ; ). It is natural to take these journeys to be the same in each of these Gospels. Luke does not make definite location of each incident and John merely supplements here and there. But in a broad general way they seem to correspond.

‏ Luke 9:51-62

When the days were well-nigh come ( εν τω συμπληρουσθα τας ημερας ). Luke's common idiom εν with the articular infinitive, "in the being fulfilled as to the days." This common compound occurs in the N.T. only here and Lu 8:23; Ac 2:1. The language here makes it plain that Jesus was fully conscious of the time of his death as near as already stated (Lu 9:22, 27, 31).

That he should be received up ( της αναλημψεως αυτου ). Literally, "of his taking up." It is an old word (from Hippocrates on), but here alone in the N.T. It is derived from αναλαμβανω (the verb used of the Ascension, Ac 1:2, 11, 22; 1Ti 3:16) and refers here to the Ascension of Jesus after His Resurrection. Not only in John's Gospel (Joh 17:5) does Jesus reveal a yearning for a return to the Father, but it is in the mind of Christ here as evidently at the Transfiguration (9:31) and later in Lu 12:49f.

He steadfastly set his face ( αυτος το προσωπον εστηρισεν ). Note emphatic αυτος,

he himself, with fixedness of purpose in the face of difficulty and danger. This look on Christ's face as he went to his doom is noted later in Mr 10:32. It is a Hebraistic idiom (nine times in Ezekiel), this use of face here, but the verb (effective aorist active) is an old one from στηριζω (from στηριγξ, a support), to set fast, to fix.

To go to Jerusalem ( του πορευεσθα εις Ιερουσαλημ ). Genitive infinitive of purpose. Luke three times mentions Christ making his way to Jerusalem (9:51; 13:22; 17:11) and John mentions three journeys to Jerusalem during the later ministry (Joh 7:10; 11:17; 12:1). It is natural to take these journeys to be the same in each of these Gospels. Luke does not make definite location of each incident and John merely supplements here and there. But in a broad general way they seem to correspond.

Sent messengers ( απεστειλεν αγγελους ). As a precaution since he was going to Jerusalem through Samaria. The Samaritans did not object when people went north from Jerusalem through their country. He was repudiating Mount Gerizim by going by it to Jerusalem. This was an unusual precaution by Jesus and we do not know who the messengers ( angels) were.

To make ready for him ( ως ετοιμασα αυτω ). Hως is correct here, not ωστε. The only examples of the final use of ως with the infinitive in the N.T. are this one and Heb 7:9 (absolute use). In Acts 20:24 Westcott and Hort read ως τελειωσω and put ως τελειωσα in the margin (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1091).

And they did not receive him ( κα ουκ εδεξαντο αυτον ). Adversative use of κα = But.

Because his face was going to Jerusalem ( οτ το προσωπον αυτου ην πορευομενον εις Ιερουσαλημ ). Periphrastic imperfect middle. It was reason enough to the churlish Samaritans.

Saw this ( ιδοντες ). Second aorist active participle of οραω. Saw the messengers returning.

We bid ( θελεις ειπωμεν ). Deliberative subjunctive ειπωμεν after θελεις without ινα, probably two questions, Dost thou wish? Shall we bid? Perhaps the recent appearance of Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration reminded James and John of the incident in 2Ki 1:10-12. Some MSS. add here "as Elijah did." The language of the LXX is quoted by James and John, these fiery Sons of Thunder. Note the two aorist active infinitives ( καταβηναι, αναλωσα, the first ingressive, the second effective).

But he turned ( στραφεις δε ). Second aorist passive participle of στρεφω, common verb, to turn round. Dramatic act. Some ancient MSS. have here:

Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of ( ουκ οιδατε ποιου πνευματος εστε ). This sounds like Christ and may be a genuine saying though not a part of Luke's Gospel. A smaller number of MSS. add also:

For the Son of Man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them ( Hο γαρ υιος του ανθρωπου ουκ ηλθεν ψυχας ανθρωπων απολεσα αλλα σωσα ), a saying reminding us of Mt 5:17; Lu 19:10. Certain it is that here Jesus rebuked the bitterness of James and John toward Samaritans as he had already chided John for his narrowness towards a fellow-worker in the kingdom.

A certain man ( τις ). Mt 8:19 calls him "a scribe." Lu 9:57-60; Mt 8:19-22, but not in Mark and so from Q or the Logia.

Wherever you go ( οπου εαν απερχη ) is the present middle subjunctive with the indefinite relative adverb εαν, common Greek idiom. See on Matthew for "holes," "nests," "Son of man." The idiom "where to lay his head" ( που την κεφαλην κλινη ) is the same in both, the deliberative subjunctive retained in the indirect question. "Jesus knows the measure of the scribe's enthusiasm" (Plummer). The wandering life of Jesus explains this statement.

And he said unto another ( ειπεν δε προς ετερον ). Mt 8:21 omits Christ's "Follow me" ( ακολουθε μο ) and makes this man a volunteer instead of responding to the appeal of Jesus. There is no real opposition, of course. In Matthew's account the man is apologetic as in Luke. Plummer calls him "one of the casual disciples" of whom there are always too many. The scribes knew how to give plausible reasons for not being active disciples.

First ( πρωτον ). One of the problems of life is the relation of duties to each other, which comes first. The burial of one's father was a sacred duty (Ge 25:9), but, as in the case of Tobit 4:3, this scribe's father probably was still alive. What the scribe apparently meant was that he could not leave his father while still alive to follow Jesus around over the country.

Leave the dead to bury their own dead ( αφες τους νεκρους θαψα τους εαυτων νεκρους ). This paradox occurs so in Mt 8:22. The explanation is that the spiritually dead can bury the literally dead. For such a quick change in the use of the same words see Joh 5:21-29 (spiritual resurrection from sin in Joh 5:21-27, bodily resurrection from the grave, Joh 5:28, 29) and Joh 11:25f. The harshness of this proverb to the scribe probably is due to the fact that he was manifestly using his aged father as an excuse for not giving Christ active service.

But go thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God ( συ δε απελθων διαγγελλε την βασιλειαν του θεου ). The scribe's duty is put sharply ( Βυτ δο θου, συ δε ). Christ called him to preach, and he was using pious phrases about his father as a pretext. Many a preacher has had to face a similar delicate problem of duty to father, mother, brothers, sisters and the call to preach. This was a clear case. Jesus will help any man called to preach to see his duty. Certainly Jesus does not advocate renunciation of family duties on the part of preachers.

And another also said ( ειπεν δε κα ετερος ). A volunteer like the first. This third case is given by Luke alone, though the incident may also come from the same Logia as the other two. Hετερος does not here mean one of a "different" sort as is sometimes true of this pronoun, but merely another like αλλος (Robertson, Grammar, p. 749).

But first ( πρωτον δε ). He also had something that was to come "first."

To bid farewell to them that are at my house ( αποταξασθα τοις εις τον οικον μου ). In itself that was a good thing to do. This first aorist middle infinitive is from αποτασσω, an old verb, to detach, to separate, to assign as a detachment of soldiers. In the N.T. it only appears in the middle voice with the meaning common in late writers to bid adieu, to separate oneself from others. It is used in Ac 18:18 of Paul taking leave of the believers in Corinth. See also Mr 6:46; 2Co 2:13. It is thus a formal function and this man meant to go home and set things in order there and then in due time to come and follow Jesus.

Having put his hand to the plough ( επιβαλων την χειρα επ' αροτρον ). Second aorist active participle of επιβαλλω, an old and common verb, to place upon. Note repetition of preposition επ before αροτρον (plough). This agricultural proverb is as old as Hesiod. Pliny observes that the ploughman who does not bend attentively to his work goes crooked. It has always been the ambition of the ploughman to run a straight furrow. The Palestine fellah had good success at it.

And looking back ( κα βλεπων εις τα οπισω ). Looking to the things behind. To do that is fatal as any ploughman knows. The call to turn back is often urgent.

Fit ( ευθετος ). From ευ and τιθημ =well-placed, suited for, adapted to. "The first case is that of inconsiderate impulse, the second that of conflicting duties, the third that of a divided mind" (Bruce).