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Home Luke 9:51-56 NRSVue

Luke 9:51-56 NRSVue

51When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for his arrival, 53but they did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”, 55But he turned and rebuked them. 56Then they went on to another village.

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

“Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.”

Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
In the Middle East today, split between Jews and Arabs, you must be careful what stamp you allow on your passport. At some frontiers you are in trouble if you are seen as being friendly with the enemy. Jesus met that attitude in his own time. The Samaritans rejected his party because they saw them as pilgrims going to the Temple which they hated. The disciples were furious and wanted revenge. Jesus said No.

Reflection
When we calm down in prayer, similar furies and indignations can rock us. As we stop moving, and quieten our bodies, resentments can bubble to the surface of our mind. Let them bubble - and burst. It will not take us long to see that anger, if we indulge it, becomes a burden on us, not on those who offended us. As long as we want revenge and withhold forgiveness, we are wasting adrenalin, and in one part of our mind we are holding God at bay.

Reflection
The antagonism of Jews and Samaritans was strong in Jesus' time. It highlights the worst of religious intolerance and racism. Jesus seems to want to break through the barriers and walls separating these people. Sometimes it worked, as with the woman of Samaria and in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Other times, he moves on, knowing that for one time at least, nothing could be done.

Reflection
James and John are restless, and feel: what is the use of having power if you do not use it on those who reject you? They put words on the angry, vengeful feelings that often stir in us when confronted with wickedness: /Lock them up. Shoot them. Bring back corporal punishment./ That is not your spirit, Lord. You knew the wickedness that awaited you in Jerusalem, but you set your face to meet it.

Reflection
Here was a bit of standard hostility between a local Samaritan community and some Jewish pilgrims passing by. This may well have been a flash point, where tension broke out, on the route to Jerusalem. In this case, Jesus' disciples reacted to the prejudice with spontaneous rage and perhaps some prejudice of their own.

Reflection
Lord, it is the flash points that test us. These are the moments that trigger murders and wars. I need to learn this: to face down my rising fury, rein in my indignation and let the inflammatory moment pass.