Heaven Bound Through Jerusalem

Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to Heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[fn]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (NIV)

Luke 9:51 – 62 is the account of Jesus as he travels to Jerusalem. The keywords are Samaritans, burying father, and salutation to family. Samaritans are born from the Assyrian capture of Israel’s Northern Tribes.[1] In 1 Kings 20:1-13, Ben-Hadad fought against Ahab in Samaria, which confirms that Samaria was originally an Israelite location. 2 Kings 17:7-40 explains Israel was taken into exile to Assyria. The Samaritans became a racial mixture of Israelites and other ancient Near Eastern people.[2] The full-blooded Jews despised them. Although some Jews were left behind, they became known as Samaritans. In this passage, we learn that the Assyrians replaced the Israelites with people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sephar-vaim. God sent lions to kill the people because they did not worship Him. An Israelite Priest was sent to train the Assyrians to worship God.

Luke does not provide information regarding the health of the father. It is the responsibility of the son to bury the parents.[3] More details can be found in Genesis regarding burial. The lack of details can be interpreted as the father is alive and not ill. In the following example, a man wants to tell his family goodbye. Jesus’ statement explains the urgency of the mission. The call to be a disciple was an immediate call.[4] There is no time to go back for salutations to family and friends. Jesus is not telling individuals to disregard their responsibilities. Instead, he is calling them about a more urgent requirement. The parable is a call for action to spread the word that the kingdom of God is near.

The land God gave the Israelites to call home was taken from them as they were sent into exile. The new inhabitants did not follow the Law in their hearts. Jesus went to Samaria but was not received there. He left the location peacefully. The example that he set is the one for all to follow. The battle with the Samaritans was God’s to fight. Are you fighting a battle that is God’s? Confess the sin and turn the battle over to God because the victory is His.

The hearers of the account would understand the message's urgency to be sent. They would understand this would mean not seeing their family and friends again.

The current hearers are to understand the urgency of proclaiming the word of God. There will be others to dig graves, but the message must go to the living urgently.

Bibliography

Constable, Thomas L. “2 Kings.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, 537-588. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 1984.

Garland, David E. Luke. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011.

Scott, Jr., J. Julius. Jewish Background of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1995.

[1] J. Julius Scott, Jr. Jewish Background of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1995), 60. [2] Thomas L. Constable, “2 Kings,” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 1984), 572. [3] David E. Garland, Luke, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 425-426. [4] Ibid., 426.