Luke 12: 35-59, The Times, They Are A-changin'

Jesus continues teaching about the coming Kingdom of God.  Although Jesus has been introducing the Kingdom as a present, growing movement, Jesus is also alerts his audience to an upcoming apocalyptic event.

Luke 12: 35-40, Be ready
"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.

But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

The servants of a wealthy landowner would want to make sure they are ready whenever he returns from his travels. In this case, the prepared servants are told that their master will serve them the feast when he comes home, overturning the standard expectations!

The metaphor changes in the next paragraph -- now those waiting represent the homeowner.  If one is not ready, someone might sneak into the house.

In both metaphors, those waiting are the followers of the Messiah, preparing themselves for some magnificent upcoming event.

Luke 12: 41-48, Be ready
Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"

The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

But suppose the servant says to himself, `My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Peter, of course, does the talking.  Peter asks a good question -- are those people who are doing all this waiting -- are they us?  Or are they a larger group of people?

Jesus does not directly answer Peter's question but elaborates on the "waiting", describing it as managing an estate in the master's absence... and the absence could indeed be very long.  Presumably there are a number of servants running the estate(s)?

Isn't this "beating" stuff pretty negative? It is certainly a cultural picture here, where a servant could be beaten.

12: 49-56, Division & confrontation
"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!

Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, `It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, `It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?

Although Jesus praises peacemakers, his mission will ultimately be divisive since joining his kingdom is a radical step, with unearthly actions and expectations. Although Jesus is not violent, those reacting to him will be. One, like Martin Luther King, who follows Jesus's teachings, can preach nonviolence but should also be aware that violence will come.

12: 57-59, Seek reconciliation

"Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."

This paragraph is a short instruction on avoiding conflict. I'm not sure how this fits in context of the previous teachings.

Luke 12: 1-34, Spiritual Wealth

The Pharisees and Torah experts have begun to organize against Jesus.  In this section, Jesus warns his disciples, in several ways, about the Pharisees and religious leaders.

Luke 12: 1-5, Warnings to his disciples
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Jesus emphasizes a long term, spiritual view.  Short term political scheming will eventually be revealed for what it is, but it is not the world of politics or power that should concern us.

Luke 12: 6 -7, Little sparrows
Are not five sparrows sod for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

A beautiful paragraph.  Even our hairs are numbered -- a count that surely changes daily. The emphasis is that God is paying attention to each little characteristic, like a mother with a newborn, or one with his lover.

Luke 12: 8 -12, Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.

"And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 

"When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

There is a need to make a decision and identify oneself.  Am I a member of the Kingdom of God?  Or resistant to it?  At some point in life one is likely to become one or the other.

The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (committed, in context, by the Pharisees) is a conscious deliberate rejection of the miracles before them, those miracles pointing them to the Son of Man (the Messiah.) Throughout the past chapters, the Pharisees have reacted to miracles with objections and anger, instead of awe and worship.

Luke 12 : 13-21, Riches & God
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"  Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, `What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, `This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'

"But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

Avoiding materialism is not sufficient.  It is important to be "rich toward God."

Luke 12: 22-24, Materialism
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.

Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Another beautiful passage.  Matthew places this speech as part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5- 7; see in particular Matthew 6:25-34) but Luke leaves it as a general teaching of Jesus.  Surely Jesus taught these concepts numerous times.

We must decide what we will treasure. Nothing on earth (even family) will last.

Luke 11: 27-54, One Greater Than Solomon

Jesus continues his teaching ministry in Galilee.

Luke 11: 27-28, Blessed
As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."

He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

A fan praises Jesus in the way that she best understands. Jesus's response generalizes the blessing to all who are eager to follow God.

Luke 11: 29-32, A wicked generation
As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

Nineveh was an ancient enemy of Israel that, according to the Old Testament book of Jonah, responding to Jonah's preaching. The Queen of the South is identical with the Queen of Sheba, a visitor to King Solomon described in I Kings 10.  In both cases we see a Gentile, like Luke, drawn to the Jewish nation and responding to the God of the Jews. In contrast, many in the crowds around Jesus (certainly the Pharisees) were relying on their legalistic religious structure for their standing before God. Jesus confronts this spiritual arrogance.

Luke 11:33 - 36, Combating darkness
"No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.

"Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you."

This spiritual metaphor suggests that the audience open up to the message of God. Good eyes here are associated with openness, with paying attention; bad eyes are associated with resentment and bitterness.

Luke 11:37-41, Inside versus outside
When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.

Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you."

The Pharisee, who has invited Jesus to dinner, is surprised that Jesus is not following the appropriate protocols.  The legalist is focused on outward appearances of "religion" when, Jesus says, it is the inside of one (the heart, soul, mind) that really matters.

Luke records a brief sermonette of Jesus about the legalism and hypocrisy of the Pharisees.

Luke 11:42-44, Inside versus outside

"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

"Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

"Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."

The Pharisees believed that touching a dead person or even touching a grave made one unclean. Jesus calls them "unmarked graves" -- they made others unclean without the others even being aware of their uncleanness!  This is an especially brutal insult to the Pharisees' self-righteousness!

Luke 11: 45-52
One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also."

Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'

"Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

The followers of Jesus found him entertaining, as he was always ready to attack religious hypocrisy, often in colorful ways.  Here, when an expert in the Jewish law (Torah) says, "I feel you have insulted me, also", Jesus responds with "Got that right!"  And then to clarify, Jesus goes on to describe the hypocrisy of the legal experts.  (A modern form of "legal expert" might be a "seminary professor" -- the idea is that these individuals knew everything about the Jewish religion ... and were proud of it.) In this case, the Torah experts, who honored the ancient prophets, are accused of acting just like the ancient Jews who attacked and killed these same prophets.

Our rationalization always allows us to claim to be the "good guys"; in modern Christianity I see some who claim to follow Jesus yet act just like his Pharisaical opponents! (I'm glad I'm not that way at all!  wink.)

Luke 11:53-54, More attacks will come
When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say.

The Pharisees and Torah experts have objected to Jesus's reformative ministry from the beginning. It is not surprising now, once they have been clearly insulted by Jesus, that their opposition begins to solidify, becoming an organized attack.  Luke continues to foreshadow the cross.

Luke 11:1-26, The Finger of God

Jesus is teaching as he travels through Galilee and on south towards Jerusalem.

Luke 11: 1-4, The Lord’s prayer
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: 

`Father, hallowed be your name, 

your kingdom come. 

Give us each day our daily bread. 

 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. 

And lead us not into temptation. '"

When asked to teach on prayer, Jesus's response is very simple.  It is so simple that many churches recite this prayer every Sunday.  What does it mean to pray through these five short phrases/principles?

The fourth line, the one about forgiveness, assumes that we all need forgiveness and that we are also active in forgiving others. It makes no requirements but assumes a certain culture in this kingdom.

Luke 11: 5-13, God’s eagerness to answer prayer
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

"Then the one inside answers, `Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'

I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

In teaching about prayer, Jesus emphasizes a simple, raw boldness of going directly to God and expecting God to hear and respond!

Note the implicit poverty in the story.

Luke 11 : 14-20, The finger of God
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.

But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons."

Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 

But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

Why are some so opposed to Jesus healing a mute man?  (This opposition will only intensify.)

Implied by this passage is that others have been able to drive out demons.  But Jesus claims that his demonstrations (using "the finger of God" -- what an interesting term!) proves that it is indeed God who is at work and it is God's kingdom which is coming.

Luke 11 : 14-21, Opposition
"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

These short proverbs serve as warnings to those who are now watching Jesus, those around him who get to see the "finger of God" at work. This audience has a responsibility to react to this coming kingdom.  They cannot just sit back and enjoy short term benefits (healings, food) while this new kingdom approaches.

Luke 10, Satan Falls Like Lightning

Jesus is in his final year of ministry, headed ultimately towards Jerusalem. The large group of disciples following him are organized into an outreach to the nation of Israel.

Luke 10: 1-9, Seventy sent out
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

"Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house, first say, `Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house."

"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, `The kingdom of God is near you.'

Jesus emphasizes simplicity. The disciples are to act immediately, to travel lightly and report back. (These instructions are not a guide for all ministry travel!)

The kingdom of God, already growing among the disciples, is near and there is an urgent need for the rest of Israel to respond.

Some ancient manuscripts have 70 disciples being sent out instead of 72.

Luke 10: 10-16, When the Good News is rejected

But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, `Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths."

"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Wiping the dust of one's feet was a symbol of rejection.  A Jew would not want to carry even the dirt of the Gentile community back home.  Here the Israelites who reject Jesus are being treated as if they were Gentiles.  This continues a theme begun by John the Baptizer, that of reminding the Jewish people that their ancestry and tribal history are insufficient and that they, just like the Gentiles, need redemption.

From the NIV footnotes, "the depths" assigned to Capernaum is the Greek word "Hades", representing the rubbish pile or the underworld and often translated "Hell."

Luke 10: 17-24, Satan falling from heaven!
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.  All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

The disciples return (after an unspecified time) enthusiastic and excited about their success. Jesus endorses their enthusiasm.  Yes, the kingdom of God is coming and Satan is in retreat.

Luke attributes the joy Jesus feels with the activity of the Holy Spirit (in verse 21.)

The book of Revelation mentions Satan being thrown down from heaven. I don't think that event has any particular moment in time but may be outside the human timeline, as we see it.

Luke 10: 25-28, A Samaritan teaches a Jew
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

This is a strong Jewish response, one Jew to another.  The expert on the Torah has quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.

Luke 10: 29-37, A Samaritan teaches a Jew

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. `Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

"But he wanted to justify himself...." That phrase could describe most of us, when we examine ourselves or ask Jesus a question.  We should not underestimate our ability to rationalize our own behavior!  Here Jesus undercuts the man's rationalization with a story.  Much of Jesus's teachings involve stories which entertain on the surface but after serious thought begin to change one's perspective.

Jesus begins his story with a tragedy and then has two "religious" people (priest and Levite) ignore the beaten victim.  A Samaritan (not a pure Jew) is the hero of the story, generously treating the injured man. There is, of course, the moral, "We are all neighbors and should look out for each other," but underneath there is a message about religious hypocrisy and racism.

NIV footnote: "Two silver coins" is literally "two denarii."

Luke 10: 29-37, The disciple, Mary
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Luke records a woman among Jesus's followers and also relates Jesus's mild rebuke of Martha, who wanted to pull Mary aside to do some "real" work.

Luke 9: 28-62, Transfiguration and Beyond

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.

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."

Luke 9: 57-62, Focused on the goal
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.