Jesus has just told his disciples, "Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God". It is not clear what he meant by that, but this sentence is followed by a startling event witnessed only by the three disciples closest to Jesus.
After this, Jesus turns towards Jerusalem and the cross.
After this, Jesus turns towards Jerusalem and the cross.
Luke 9: 28-36 Transfiguration
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
What does it mean (verse 31) "bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem"? Presumably Moses and Elijah are discussing the crucifixion and resurrection.
Luke records that Moses and Elijah were in "glorious splendor". C. S. Lewis would suggest that residents of heaven are "more real", closer to Light.
As usual, it is Peter who quickly responds. And, as usual, Peter is rebuffed.
Luke 9: 37-43a, Child with evil spirit
The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.
A man in the crowd called out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not."
"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here."
Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.
The father has a child (his only child) in consistent pain and danger. This is torture for both parent and child. The diagnosis is an "unclean spirit", which Jesus is quick to rebuke.
Jesus also rebukes the generation around him as "unbelieving and perverse." It is not clear (to me) what creates this response. Regardless, at every turn, the disciples fail to live up to Jesus's expectations. I find that reassuring.
Luke 9:43b - 50, The Son of Man will be betrayed
While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men."
But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest."
"Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."
Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."
Jesus, once again, tries to prepare his disciples for the events that will occur in Jerusalem. And once again, they are slow to comprehend. Here they are derailed by a petty argument about which one of them would be the greatest!
Less we despair too much about the disciples following Jesus, we should remember that our source for these details are these followers themselves. The disciples later repeated these stories, including details that displayed their own frailties and silliness. (I feel much better after reading about their immaturity and confusion!)
Luke 9: 51-56, Towards Jerusalem
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.
Jesus is now determined to go towards Jerusalem. He has prepared the disciples for this and it is time to walk south, through Galilee into Samaria, eventually to Judea and Jerusalem, teaching along the way.
According to the NIV Footnote, some manuscripts record the disciples asking for fire from heaven "even as Elijah did". Some manuscripts also add a phrase to Jesus's rebuke: "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Luke records -- just as Jesus has set his sights on a final trip to Jerusalem -- three separate incidents in which a follower gives an excuse for not joining Jesus on his travels.
No comments:
Post a Comment