What does Luke Chapter 9 mean?
Luke 9 completes one major section of the Gospel and begins another. Luke 1:1—4:13 records Jesus’ pre-public life. Luke 4:14—9:50 covers Jesus’ Galilean ministry. In verse 51, Jesus “[sets] his face to go to Jerusalem,” beginning what can be described as “Jesus’ travelogue (Luke 9:51—19:27).” The first group of stories continues chapter 8’s accounts about different reactions of those presented with the authority and power of Jesus. Those provide real-world examples of the soils from the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4–15).
First, Jesus empowers the Twelve with authority to heal, expel demons, and preach the coming of the kingdom of God. Like the fertile soil (Luke 8:8, 15), the disciples’ work produces great fruit (Luke 9:1–6). Matthew and Mark also record this story (Matthew 10:1–42; Mark 6:7–13).
Herod Antipas, the tetrarch, has a different reaction. He represents the hard path which rejected the seed (Luke 8:5, 12). He hears of all Jesus is doing and the speculation that He is a resurrected John the Baptist or an appearing of Elijah or some other prophet raised from the dead. Herod decides he must meet Jesus (Luke 9:7–9); he will only do so during the string of trials Jesus faces before His crucifixion (Luke 23:8–12).
In the feeding of the thousands, Luke doesn’t focus on Jesus’ teachings or healing miracles. He emphasizes that even though the disciples have seen and personally used Jesus’ power (Luke 8:22–56; 9:1–6), they are overwhelmed at the thought of feeding a crowd of people. The roots of their faith are still shallow (Luke 8:6, 13). Jesus steps in, feeding the people and providing enough leftovers that each disciple could have their own basket full of food (Luke 9:10–17). This is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:31–44; John 6:1–13).
When Jesus asks whom the disciples think He is, Peter says, “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:18–20). Peter’s confession is also in Matthew 16:13–16 and Mark 8:27–29. Jesus then tells them He will die and rise again (Luke 9:21–22) and challenges them to be willing to follow His example (Luke 9:23–27). Jesus’ warnings are also in Matthew 16:21–28 and Mark 8:31—9:1.
In the transfiguration, Peter, James, and John get a glimpse of Jesus’ real glory (Luke 9:28–36). Meanwhile, the other nine disciples struggle to free a boy from a powerful demon. Jesus, again, takes care of what the disciples should have had faith to accomplish (Luke 9:37–42). The transfiguration and the rescue of the boy are also in Matthew 17:1–20 and Mark 9:2–29.
In the final three stories of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, the disciples prove they still don’t know why Jesus came. When Jesus again predicts He will be crucified, the disciples are confused. Perhaps because of their unwillingness to listen, the truth is now withheld from them (Luke 9:35, 43–45). They follow this with an argument about who is greatest: valuing a title more than commitment (Luke 9:46–48). Finally, the Twelve reject a stranger who casts out demons in Jesus’ name. Again, they place more importance on position in the inner circle than submission to Jesus’ authority (Luke 9:49–50). These accounts are also in Matthew 17:22–23 and 18:1–5 and Mark 9:30–41.
Luke 9:51 is the transition point from Jesus’ Galilean ministry to His path towards Jerusalem. In His Galilean ministry, He taught and healed crowds to announce the coming of the kingdom of God. The “travelogue” is a collection of more private teachings and events Jesus uses to prepare the disciples for His death and resurrection and the establishment of the church.
Continuing the theme of the disciples’ misunderstanding, a village in Samaria refuses to show hospitality. John and James offer to call down fire from above and burn it down. They still see miraculous gifts as tools to accumulate power and authority, not bless people. Jesus rebukes them and they travel on (Luke 9:52–56).
Finally, Luke uses two flashbacks and one original story to reveal the requirements Jesus’ disciples need to fulfill. They can’t be distracted by comfort, worldly responsibilities, or even family. Disciples must be willing to sacrifice their earthly lives to gain eternal life (Luke 9:57–62). Matthew 8:19–22 also records Jesus’ first two interactions.
Luke 10:1—11:13 continues Jesus’ lessons about priorities in discipleship. He empowers seventy-two disciples to perform miracles, teaches about the Good Samaritan, praises Mary of Bethany, and presents the Lord’s Prayer. Then a section on the rejection by the Pharisees (Luke 11:14–54) introduces the rest of the travelogue’s emphasis on the kingdom of God (Luke 12:1—19:27). Luke 19:28—21:38 is the presentation of the Christ, and Luke 22:1—24:53 is the passion and resurrection. With these stories in this order, Luke strives to build up Theophilus’s faith in the truth about Jesus’ life (Luke 1:1–4).
Book Summary
Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke’s Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.
Verse by Verse
Verse 1. And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
In Luke 9:1–6, Jesus empowers the disciples to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, [and] cast out demons” (Matthew 10:8). This is the first time the disciples take an active role in the ministry for which Jesus is training them. All but cleansing lepers reflect the last three miracles of Jesus that Luke recounts (Luke 8:26–56); Luke mentioned Jesus cleansing a man of leprosy earlier (Luke 5:12–16). Jesus gives them this power to ease the pain of those who are struggling, but also to validate their proclamation of the kingdom of God (Luke 9:2)
“The Twelve” are the twelve primary disciples Jesus chose early in His ministry (Luke 6:12–16). Often, Jesus travels with many more than just these (Luke 8:1–3, 9). Soon, Jesus will empower seventy-two of His followers to preach and perform miracles (Luke 10:1–12).
“Power” doesn’t mean that the disciples are somehow given superpowers to use as they please. Jesus gave them very specific ability to do what He wants them to do: heal people and expel demons. “Authority” is translated from a Greek term implying a resource or power one has the right to control. As in English, “power” is the raw ability to do something, while “authority” is the right to do it. Matthew 10:1 and Mark 6:7 use “authority” as representative of both.
Context Summary
Luke 9:1–6 continues the stories of Jesus’ power and authority which began in Luke 8:22. He equips His disciples with the power to perform wonders on His behalf. They experience a welcoming reception for their message. However, Jesus had warned this would not always be so (Luke 8:4–21). The disciples’ joy is short-lived; when faced with thousands of hungry people (Luke 9:10–17) and a demon-tortured boy (Luke 9:37–43), they forget their own authority. Mark 6:7–13 also records the disciples’ brush with power while Matthew 10 includes a much longer account of their training.
Verse 2. and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
Jesus has given the twelve apostles the power and authority to be His representatives. They are enabled to heal, cleanse leprosy, expel demons, and raise the dead (Matthew 10:8). For now, though, they may only do so for the Jews—not Samaritans or Gentiles (Matthew 10:5). Healing is associated with the coming of the kingdom of God and the Messiah, as Jesus read in Nazareth (Luke 4:18–19).
In this passage, Jesus does not elaborate what the apostles are to teach about the kingdom of God. Likely, they teach what God expects of citizens in His kingdom (Luke 6:20–49), but they also know that to enter the kingdom, the people must choose to listen (Luke 8:4–15).
This first section of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 4:14—9:50) is more about who Jesus is and what His followers should look like. In the next section, Luke will record stories and parables further illustrating the kingdom of God (Luke 13:18—18:30).
Later, Jesus will send seventy-two disciples ahead to the towns He plans to visit (Luke 10:1–12). When they return, they will celebrate how demons submitted to their word. Jesus corrects them: it is good that Satan and the demons will be conquered. “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:17–20). After Jesus ascends into heaven, more in the church will receive the power to perform miracles to authenticate their teaching that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah. They will spread the news of the kingdom of God beyond the Jews to the Samaritans and the Gentiles (Acts 1:8).
Verse 3. And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.
Before sending the Twelve to heal, cast out demons, and preach the kingdom of God, Jesus will first relay instructions for their journey (Luke 9:3–5).
The disciples have just witnessed Jesus perform radical miracles. He controlled nature and powerful demons and He healed chronic disease and even death (Luke 8:22–56). Here, Jesus wants the disciples to learn to trust He can provide for and protect them even when He is not with them. He tells them to take nothing they would need on a trip. He will do this again when He empowers seventy-two disciples to go out (Luke 10:3–4).
Shortly before His arrest, Jesus will give different instructions. He will say, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one” (Luke 22:36). After Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the disciples will face hardship, persecution, and death. But in addition to the supplies they take, they will have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
The “bag” is probably a type of purse commonly used by travelling scholars. The King James Version uses “staves” for staff and “scrip” for bag. In this context, a “stave” is a narrow wooden or metal rod, much like a short pole. This is the kind of “staff” modern persons associate with martial arts, and prior generations connected to literary characters like Little John and Robin Hood stories. A scrip is a bag or a wallet.
The Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—record Jesus’ instructions in a potentially confusing way.
- Luke 9:3: “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.”
- Matthew 10:9–10: “Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff…”
- Mark 6:8–9: “He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.”
Matthew’s “acquire” implies to add something, rather than to simply have it. They may take a tunic, sandals, and staff, but they may not acquire back-ups.
Mark and Luke’s discrepancy about the staff is more difficult to reconcile. Some posit Luke’s “staff” is a short club for protection while Mark’s is a walking stick, but all three Gospels use the same Greek word. Scholars often debate the answer, but agree the main point is exceedingly clear. The purpose of Jesus’ list is to tell the disciples they needn’t bring any extra supplies.
Verse 4. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.
Jesus continues His instructions to the Twelve as they branch out on their own for the first time. They are commissioned to works of healing and teaching people about the kingdom of God. After telling them to travel light and allow God to provide for their needs (Luke 9:3), Jesus now tells them to find one place in each city and stay there until they move on.
The practice of hospitality was extremely important in their culture. To refuse to house a guest was dishonorable unless the guest was particularly offensive. History suggests some wandering scholars would switch hosts often to take greater advantage of the custom.
Matthew gives more detail. In his account, Jesus tells the disciples to find who is worthy to receive them (Matthew 10:11). In this case, that means a home receptive to their message about the kingdom of God (Matthew 10:13–14). When Jesus sends out the seventy-two, He will call such a host a “son of peace” (Luke 10:6).
Hospitality is a subtle theme in Luke 9. Here, the disciples are welcomed. When a crowd interrupts the disciples’ retreat, Jesus shows them hospitality (Luke 9:10–11). When the disciples find a man performing miracles in Jesus’ name, they reject him, but Jesus welcomes him (Luke 9:49–50). The first village in Samaria they reach rejects them, but the second accepts them (Luke 9:51–56). Finally, Jesus explains that as we follow Him we may have to leave our families to travel in His service (Luke 9:57–62).
Verse 5. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
The Twelve have been told that as they travel to spread the news of the kingdom of God, they should find a host who is “worthy”—who is willing to hear their message—and stay there until it is time to move on to the next village (Luke 9:4; Matthew 10:11).
If they find a town where no one will listen, they must not stay and beg for money, as the traveling philosophers do. They are to leave, symbolic of judgment against the town as if it were pagan and unclean. By shaking the dust off their feet, they illustrate there is nothing in that town worthy of their attention. Jesus adds, “Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town” (Matthew 10:15).
Later, when a Samaritan village refuses to show Jesus and the disciples hospitality, James and John will offer to call down fire to destroy everything (Luke 9:54). The disciples are thinking about Jesus’ honor; Jesus is thinking about God’s honor.
About sixty years later, the apostle John will deal with the issue of hospitality in 3 John. He will write to a believer named Gaius, praising him for his willingness to host traveling Christian teachers. In comparison, another man in the church, Diotrephes, rejects the authority of church leaders like John, refuses to host traveling believers, and persecutes those who do provide lodging. John suggests that Diotrephes “has not seen God” while Gaius’ love for other believers is well known (3 John 1:3, 5–6, 11).
Verse 6. The final part of the story of the disciples’ first ministry trip without Jesus is a quick overview of their accomplishments.
The final part of the story of the disciples’ first ministry trip without Jesus is a quick overview of their accomplishments.
Jesus has equipped the Twelve with the power and authority to heal, expel demons, and raise the dead (Luke 9:1; Matthew 10:8). The miracles are meant to validate their good news about the kingdom of God—which, for now, they are to share only with Jews willing to hear the message (Matthew 10:5, 14).
“Everywhere” does not mean the disciples taught in every Jewish town in Galilee and Judea. Ancient languages, just as modern languages, often use poetic terms. We might say a person “has been everywhere in the country,” and not understand that in an overly literal way. Mark notes that their ministry is so successful that when they return to report to Jesus they don’t even have time to eat because so many people are coming and going. Jesus invites them to come away to rest and regroup. Because of their ministry, the people have grown to recognize them, and the people chase the disciples’ boat to Bethsaida. By the time they land, a crowd of thousands waits for them (Mark 6:30–33).
Jesus had warned the disciples that they would face the same persecution and hardships He will face (Matthew 10:16–38), because they follow Him. Persecution will strengthen the faith of the faithful (James 1:2–4). However, being adored can be spiritually dangerous. Being known and well thought of may be an advantage for spreading the gospel. Yet popular leaders are faced with temptations to abuse their positions. After Jesus feeds thousands, He must hide away so the mob cannot try to forcibly make Him king (John 6:15). It can be difficult for popular leaders and teachers to stay focused on God’s plan for their ministry and not get caught up in what the crowd thinks they should be.
Verse 7. Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,
Herod the tetrarch is Herod Antipas, one of many sons of Herod the Great. He rules over two disconnected territories: Galilee, north of Samaria and west of the Sea and the Jordan River; and Perea, east of Judea and Samaria. John is John the Baptist. John had publicly shamed Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife Herodias. In return, Herodias used her daughter to trick Antipas into beheading John (Matthew 14:3–12). Antipas thinks Jesus is the resurrected John the Baptist (Matthew 14:2). The thought that a man he killed has returned with great power must terrify him.
Luke and Mark place Antipas’s confusion after Jesus sends out the Twelve to perform miracles and preach the coming kingdom of God (Luke 9:1–6; Mark 6:7–16). It’s not clear if this event is what drew Antipas’s attention. It’s possible Antipas’s curiosity grew as Jesus expanded His own ministry—especially when Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain. Her neighbors spread the news throughout the Jewish territories, calling Jesus “a great prophet” (Luke 7:11–17).
Luke and Matthew call Antipas a “tetrarch.” This is his official designation, as he “rules” at the pleasure of the controlling Roman Empire. After Herod the Great died, his kingdom was divided into four regions. Antipas rules two areas which are considered part of the same tetrarchy. Mark calls Antipas “king” (Mark 6:14) and “herod” does mean “king,” but by this time “Herod” is a family name. Antipas calls himself king partly because his wife Herodias wants to be a queen, but Caesar Augustus never gives Antipas that rank. Eventually, the couple’s political aggressiveness lands them in exile.
Context SummaryIn Luke 9:7–9, Luke pauses his discussion of Jesus’ display of power to comment on Herod Antipas’ confusion. Herod has heard of Jesus but doesn’t know who He is. In his court, some say He is John the Baptist, Elijah, or another prophet of old. Herod’s uncertainty will continue until he has an opportunity to interview Jesus. On the morning of Christ’s crucifixion, the self-styled king Herod meets the King of creation (Luke 23:6–12). His question, however, is one many struggle with (Luke 9:18–20). Matthew 14:1–12 and Mark 6:14–29 also record Antipas’ confusion along with accounts of his murder of John the Baptist.
Verse 8. by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen.
Herod Antipas has heard about Jesus and has grown curious. Jesus started His public ministry when Antipas arrested John the Baptist (Mark 1:14–15). Since Antipas rules Perea, which borders the Jordan where John preached and baptized, as well as Galilee, where Jesus spends most of His ministry, he has heard quite a bit about Jesus’ miracles. What he doesn’t know is who Jesus is.
After Jesus raised the son of a widow who lives in Nain, word went out that Jesus is “a great prophet” (Luke 7:16). Since Elijah did not die but rode a fiery chariot to heaven (2 Kings 2:11–12), Jews of that era expected him to return, alive (Malachi 4:5–6).
The thought that a prophet from Israel’s history had risen points not only to the Jews’ messianic hope, but also to the way Jesus conducted Himself and the content of His ministry. He was like several of the prophets from Israel’s history in His proclamations and His miracles. Too, Old Testament prophets were well known for criticizing civil leaders. In that vein, Jesus calls Antipas a “fox” for his duplicity (Luke 13:32) and perhaps makes a veiled reference to him as a “reed shaken by the wind” for his weak character (Matthew 11:7). But Jesus is not merely like Old Testament prophets; He is the prophet Moses promised would come in his place (Deuteronomy 18:15). He is the Messiah.
The other guess for the identity of Jesus is that He is John the Baptist resurrected. Luke infers Antipas’s reluctance to believe such a thing (Luke 9:9). Yet in Mark 6:16 Antipas seems to agree that this is the most likely option. During Jesus’ trials before the crucifixion, Antipas will have the opportunity to question Jesus, but Jesus will refuse to answer (Luke 23:6–12).
Verse 9. Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.
Herod Antipas is the ruler over Galilee—where Jesus primarily performs His public ministry—and Perea, near where John the Baptist preached and baptized. Antipas has likely heard that Jesus healed a leper (Luke 5:12–16), healed a paralytic (Luke 5:17–26), raised a widow’s son from the dead (Luke 7:11–17), raised a young girl from the dead (Luke 8:40–56), and enabled His disciples to have the same healing powers (Matthew 10:1; Luke 9:1, 6). When Luke records the women who support Jesus financially, he includes “Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager” (Luke 8:3). It’s unclear if Antipas knows he has this close connection to the man who elicits such curiosity.
Though Antipas is confused about the identity of Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus knows exactly who Antipas is. He is the son of Herod the Great, who tried to kill Jesus when He was an infant. He is the man who married his brother’s wife and joined her quest for political greatness. He is the man who arrested and killed Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. For his weak but corrupt character, Jesus calls him a fox (Luke 13:32) and obliquely refers to him as a “reed shaken by the wind” (Matthew 11:7).
After Luke recounts the feeding of the thousands (Luke 9:10–17), which is also associated with the ministry of the Twelve (Luke 9:1–6), he records Jesus questioning the disciples about His identity. First, He asks whom the crowds think He is. The disciples reply: John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the Old Testament prophets. Then He asks the Twelve whom they think He is. Peter responds, “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:18–20).
Between Jesus’ arrest and the crucifixion, Antipas will get a chance to meet Him. Despite his questions, however, Jesus will refuse to answer (Luke 23:6–12). God sent prophets, like John, to ready the people for God’s work. If they reject the prophets, they’ll reject God (Luke 16:29–31; Acts 7:51–53).
Verse 10. On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.
After a quick detour to mention Herod Antipas’s confusion about Jesus (Luke 9:7–9), Luke returns to the twelve disciples’ foray into ministry. “All that they had done” includes healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, casting out demons, and proclaiming, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” all while trusting God for their physical needs (Matthew 10:7–11).
Now, Jesus provides another test. He sent the disciples out with no money or food and little in the way of supplies, promising that God would provide what they needed through others (Luke 9:3). They have seen God’s provision. Do they trust God with bigger, seemingly insurmountable needs? What about fifteen-or-so thousand hungry people?
Bethsaida is a town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is on the east side of the Jordan River which comes in to fill the lake. Bethsaida is the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip (John 1:44), though Peter and Andrew live in Capernaum (Mark 1:16–21, 29). Since Jesus will later tell the disciples to “get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida” (Mark 6:45), the exact location is unclear: the other side of the Jordan, or the wilderness, or somewhere else? Suffice it to say, Jesus directs them to an uninhabited place in the region around the city of Bethsaida.
Mark is more specific about Jesus’ intention to let the disciples rest, saying that the rigors of their ministry described in Luke 9:1–6 had left them as tired and hungry as Jesus often was (Mark 6:31). Matthew ties their withdrawal to Jesus hearing about John the Baptist’s execution (Matthew 14:13).
The phrase “withdrew apart” is meant to highlight solitude, particularly from other people. There is no nearby place for the coming crowd to get food (Luke 9:11–12). Instead of receiving rest, however, the disciples witness the miracle of God’s provision. They’d had nothing to eat; now, God provides food.
Context Summary
Luke 9:10–17 records Jesus feeding the five thousand, one of the last public events before Jesus “set[s] His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). With just five loaves and two fish, Jesus sates multiple thousands of men, plus women and children. Further, there are twelve full baskets left over. This is one of the few miracles found in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:31–44; John 6:1–13). Next, Jesus will challenge the Twelve to a deeper, more committed discipleship in preparation for their journey to Jerusalem and Jesus’ path to the cross.
Verse 11. When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.
Luke’s account is subdued. The success of the disciples’ ministry (Luke 9:1–9) made them immensely popular. When they entered the boat, people from the shore saw them and ran ahead along the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The group of runners grew as they went. A large crowd was already waiting for the boat when it reached Bethsaida, and Jesus immediately had compassion on the crowd (Mark 6:31–34).
Jesus had been intentional about withdrawing from the crowds (Luke 9:10; Mark 6:31–32). This was not the first time ministry to people had impeded the ability for Jesus and the disciples to eat (Mark 3:20; 6:31). They had gone to a desolate place for rest. But Jesus has compassion on the crowd that has come to meet them (Mark 6:34). Not only does He teach them about the kingdom of God and heal those in need of it, Jesus feeds the crowd, in large part as an object lesson about faith for the disciples. The people who experience the miracle see an opportunity to have a king who will provide for their physical needs (John 6:15, 25–26).
This interaction raises many questions. Did Jesus know His plan would be thwarted? If so, we may wonder why He tried. If He did not know, does that mean He was not omniscient during His incarnation?
Regarding the first questions, scholars argue over exactly what limitations Jesus had in His human incarnation. Luke 2:52 says He “increased in wisdom” as He grew up. Philippians 2:7 allows for the possibility that Jesus voluntarily laid aside His omniscience during His ministry on earth. Mark 3:22–30 seems to say that Jesus performed miracles not through His position as God the Son but through the power of the Holy Spirit. That doesn’t take away from His deity any more than closing our eyes takes away from our inherent ability to see. A strong man can voluntarily use less than his full power, for various reasons—there is no reason to think God could not do the same.
For Christ-followers, this also inspires debate about what priority to place on rest. Meeting real needs is important for Christ-followers, but when does it become enablement and a distraction from the gospel? Regarding these situations, we must rely on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will lead us to do what He has planned for us and give us the ability to follow through. The Holy Spirit will also work in the hearts of those we minister to according to their own faith; we can’t orchestrate the relationship others have with God, nor should we try to do so.
A minor theme of hospitality runs through Luke 9. When Jesus sent the Twelve to heal and preach the kingdom of God, He told them to enter a town and stay with whoever seemed receptive to their message (Luke 9:4). Here, Jesus shows the same hospitality by inviting the crowd to stay. Later, as Jesus leads the disciples through Samaria, James and John will offer to call down fire from heaven on a town that refuses the basic courtesy of providing them with a place to sleep (Luke 9:51–54). Their response does not reflect Jesus’ heart; He had told them to leave a town that did not receive them, not destroy it (Luke 9:5).
Verse 12. Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.”
Jesus suggested a restful retreat for the disciples after their first evangelistic tour without Him (Mark 6:30-31). That idea is undone when a great crowd sees them enter the boat. The group runs so fast they beat the boat to its destination. Jesus has compassion for the people, “because they [are] like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34), so He welcomes them, healing many and teaching them about God’s kingdom (Luke 9:11). With evening coming, the people are getting hungry, so Jesus tests the disciples.
What will the disciples do? There are five thousand men, plus women and children (Matthew 14:21). Some of the disciples saw Jesus fill Andrew and Peter’s fishing nets to overflowing (Luke 5:1–7). They have seen their own needs met while traveling to teach about the kingdom (Luke 9:1–6). This is an opportunity to transfer that experience to a new situation. They will not do that here, however, not when there is a more practical solution available.
In John’s account, Jesus initiates the conversation. That slight difference is still consistent with the other three Gospels. It may be the disciples are discussing the situation, with people talking over one other, and none of the writers recorded the entire conversation. John emphasizes that Jesus knew what He was going to do but gave the disciples an opportunity to work through the issue (John 6:5–6), a point Luke infers as well (Luke 9:13).
How far are they from food? In the feeding of the four thousand, the crowd has been with Jesus for three days, and He does not want to send them away lest they faint. The disciples point out that the area is too uninhabited for anyone to find food (Mark 8:2–4). Here, whether because the crowd has been with them for less than a day or because they are close to Bethsaida and the surrounding farms, the disciples believe there is enough food nearby.
Some critics believe the feeding of the five thousand and feeding of the four thousand are two accounts of the same event. The text doesn’t support this; the four accounts of the feeding of the five thousand are too exact, and the feeding of the four thousand has different details.
The feeding of the five thousand occurs outside of Bethsaida on the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee. The people are largely Jews from Galilee and Bethsaida. The boy offers five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6:9). When the people have eaten, the disciples pick up twelve baskets of leftovers (Luke 9:17). After the meal, the disciples take the boat, intending to return to Capernaum (John 6:16–17). They row through a storm at night while Jesus goes to the mountain to pray, then catches up with them by walking on water (Mark 6:45–52).
Matthew 15:32–39 and Mark 8:1–10 record the feeding of the four thousand. This second event occurs in Decapolis, on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee (Mark 7:31) where Jesus had told the man with a legion of demons to spread the news of how God had rescued him (Luke 8:26–39). The people in the crowd are mostly Gentiles. The disciples have seven loaves of bread and a few small fish (Matthew 15:34). When everyone has eaten, the disciples collect seven baskets of leftovers (Matthew 15:37).
Verse 13. But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish — unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”
The Twelve are with Jesus in an unpopulated area near the northern end of the Sea of Galilee (Luke 9:10). Jesus brought them there to rest after their return from a very full ministry trip (Luke 9:1–6). “He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat” (Mark 6:31). But a great crowd followed them. Jesus welcomed the crowd, teaching them and healing them (Luke 9:11). The disciples grow concerned that the crowd is hungry and will need lodging (Luke 9:12). Instead of relying on God to feed the people, their first instinct is to send the people to the homes and shops around Bethsaida (Mark 6:35–36).
John writes that Jesus told them to feed the crowd to test them (John 6:6). It’s interesting to note that despite their own successful ministry healing and casting out demons (Luke 9:1–6), the disciples don’t seem to think of using God’s power to feed people. Not long after, they find themselves unable to rescue a possessed boy (Luke 9:37–43). But James and John are confident that they can call down fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village that rejects Jesus (Luke 9:52–55). The disciples seem to think their power is to bring the kingdom of God and defend their position in it, not help those in need.
By the disciples’ estimate, to feed all the people would take two hundred denarii, roughly two hundred days’ wages of a common laborer (Mark 6:37; John 6:7). John includes that Jesus already knows how He will feed the crowd and that the loaves and fish come from a boy who is present (John 6:5–9).
Herod Antipas heard of the disciples’ power over demons and disease and pondered Jesus’ identity. One option spreading around Galilee is that Jesus is a prophet—perhaps even one from Israel’s history. Jesus’ wording does nothing to disavow this belief. This entire scene is very reminiscent of something that happened during Elisha’s ministry. A man brings Elisha an offering of food, and Elisha instructs his servant to give it to the group of men with him. Elisha’s servant balks, as the food is not enough, but under Elisha’s instruction the men eat and even have leftovers (2 Kings 4:42–44).
Verse 14. For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
Jesus is telling the disciples to organize a vast crowd, preparing them to receive food which He will provide. There are about five thousand men, plus women and children (Matthew 14:21). Unfortunately, the crowd only has five loaves of bread and two fish (Luke 9:13). Despite the fact the disciples have healed illnesses, raised the dead, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:8), they can’t imagine how they—or Jesus—could find enough food to feed everyone.
Scholars differ on whether the numbers recorded have any significance. Some say the “five thousand” should be connected to verse 13, to emphasize the difficulty in finding enough food. Some say the groups of fifty refer to when Obadiah hid prophets in a cave and fed them (1 Kings 18:13). Some suggest it refers to Moses dividing the Israelites into groups of fifty (Exodus 18:21). Still others say the only meaningful intent is to provide specific details as part of Luke’s historically accurate account.
A series of allusions to Old Testament figures runs throughout Luke chapter 9. These include Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and other Old Testament-era prophets (Luke 9:8, 13, 19, 33, 41, 54). This makes any of the three options valid.
Verse 15. And they did so, and had them all sit down.
A crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children, surround Jesus and the disciples in an unpopulated area near Bethsaida (Matthew 14:21). The people are hungry, as they’ve been with Jesus all day. The disciples want Jesus to release the people to go to the small towns to find food to buy. Jesus has other plans (Luke 9:10-14).
When Jesus heals and teaches, the people often crowd around Him. At least once, He had to climb into a boat and teach from the water so everyone on shore could hear (Mark 4:1). On another occasion, the people pressed in around Him so much Luke describes it with the Greek word for choking (Luke 8:42). There’s no reason to expect these people are much different, yet they obey the disciples and move away. Perhaps they sense they are going to get food.
Jesus is inviting the disciples into kingdom work without explaining what He’s going to do. The disciples don’t understand, and they don’t exactly trust Jesus to address their concerns. However, like the people, they obey. Later, the disciples will bicker over personal glory (Luke 9:46–48). They serve others in the context of direct obedience to Christ, not yet understanding Christ is calling them to be servants.
Verse 16. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
When the disciples realize the crowd would need something to eat, Jesus says, “You give them something to eat” (Luke 9:13). Despite having performed miracles of healing in Jesus’ power (Luke 9:1–6), the disciples immediately consider the practical implications: it would take two hundred days’ wages to feed the crowd (Mark 6:37). Yet they only have five loaves of barley bread and two fish (John 6:7–9). They forget where the power to perform miracles came from: Jesus. He turns the small meal into enough for five thousand men, and all the women and children present, with twelve baskets of extra besides (Matthew 14:21; Luke 9:17). The disciples feed the people as they distribute what Jesus has provided. This is a reminder that God will not ask us to do anything for which He does not also equip us.
Bible scholars debate the biblical and theological implications of Jesus blessing and breaking the loaves and feeding the people. Some see a parallel to the provision of manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16). If so, the twelve leftover baskets would suggest Jesus is greater than Moses, as the manna of Moses’ era did not result in leftovers. It could also be related to the miracles associated with Elijah (1 Kings 17:8–16) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:42–44), showing Jesus fulfilling the prophetic role (Deuteronomy 18:15). Others see this as a prelude to one of Jesus’ last earthly encounters such as the Last Supper (Luke 22:19) and Jesus’ meal after His resurrection with the men He met on the road (Luke 24:30). Others see this as related to the early church’s regular fellowship with meals (Acts 2:46; 20:7), our observance of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23–26), or even the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7–10).
More likely, however, Jesus wants to show that God cares for those in need. We see this with Elisha and the widow’s oil (2 Kings 4:1–7) and Jesus and the wine at Cana (John 2:1–11). The disciples learn that God doesn’t just empower them to provide spiritual truth, but also sometimes the ability to meet practical needs. The feeding right after a significant section of miraculous healings (Luke 8:27—9:6) reflects Mary’s Song of Praise: “…he has filled the hungry with good things…” (Luke 1:53). Jesus doesn’t feed the people only to point to spiritual truths—He does it because they are hungry.
That doesn’t mean the consequences stop there. After the people have eaten, Jesus makes a wise retreat into the mountains, knowing they want to make Him king (John 6:15). When He and the disciples return to Capernaum, the people find Him. Jesus unveils their hearts: they don’t care about the miracles that show He is the Messiah and the Son of God. They only care that they received food without working. He then teaches a lesson about what it means to follow Him which is so difficult to hear that many leave (John 6:22–66).
Perhaps a sidenote, Jesus feeding and presumably eating with so many thousands of men, women, and children reiterates His willingness to fellowship with the unclean and sinners. This was something religious leaders of that era avoided as a matter of principle (Luke 5:29–32).
Verse 17. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
After teaching and healing a crowd that might have numbered fifteen thousand (Matthew 14:21), Jesus has fed them all with five loaves of bread and two fish (Luke 9:13). This echoed His promise from the Sermon on the Plain: “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied” (Luke 6:21).
Scholars argue over whether the twelve baskets represent the twelve tribes, the twelve disciples, or nothing in particular. Not every detail in Scripture is meant to have a deeper, hidden meaning. That said, if they represent the tribes of Israel, the whole feeding probably shadows God’s provision of manna for the Israelites in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses (Exodus 16). Jesus’ miracle resulted in leftover bread and fish (Mark 6:43). The manna was enough for each day, and any leftovers the people tried to keep went bad, except on the day before Sabbath when the provision was meant for that day and the Sabbath day.
Moses had told the Israelites, “The Lᴏʀᴅ your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Jesus feeding the crowd is reminiscent of Moses (Exodus 16), Elijah (1 Kings 17:8–16), and Elisha (2 Kings 4:42–44). The belief that Jesus is a great prophet in the vein of the Old Testament grows to the point that the people want to make Him king (John 6:15).
From here, we know that Jesus withdraws into the wilderness, then walks on the water of the Sea of Galilee (Mark 6:45–52). Luke, however, touches on a few short teachings about discipleship and Jesus’ future, then goes straight to the transfiguration. After another handful of discipleship instructions, Jesus mentally prepares for His journey to Jerusalem and the cross.
Verse 18. Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
Jesus gave the Twelve power to heal diseases, expel demons, and raise the dead (Matthew 10:8). Then He sent them off to preach the kingdom of God has come (Luke 9:1–6). Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, heard what they were doing and became confused about who Jesus is. Herod seems to think Jesus is either John the Baptist raised from the dead or another prophet working in the same spirit as John (Mark 6:16; Luke 6:7–9). The people are divided between Elijah, John, or some other Old Testament-era prophet (Luke 9:19).
The term “alone” must be qualified. Often, crowds so surround Jesus—squeezing, pushing, grasping—that He teaches from a boat (Mark 3:7–10) and has no time to rest or eat (Mark 3:20). “The disciples” certainly include the Twelve, but other faithful followers might also be with Him; Luke doesn’t restrict “disciples” to the Twelve (Mark 4:10; Luke 8:9). Even if Jesus is surrounded by fifty of His closest followers, it feels like He’s alone compared to being crushed in a crowd.
The Gospels do not necessarily keep the events of Jesus’ ministry in chronological order. Precise timelines were not as important to ancient writers as modern journalists. Luke sought to write an “orderly account” (Luke 1:3), which implies intentional organization of some sort, but not necessarily narration of events in timeline fashion. It is, however, interesting to compare Luke’s sequence of events to John’s. Matthew, Mark, and John line up Jesus feeding the five thousand, walking on water, returning to the west coast of the Sea of Galilee, then re-engaging the crowds.
In John’s account, Jesus’ identity is given a longer discussion. The people want to make Him king because He has provided food (John 6:15, 26). Through the course of the ensuing conversation, Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of God, the provider of God’s bread, the bread of life, and the one who brings resurrection. He then says that anyone who eats the bread of His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life. His words are so shocking, many of His disciples abandon Him (John 6:25–66).
It is then that Jesus asks the Twelve what they think. Peter responds, “…we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69). The crowds would like to keep Jesus restricted as “only” a restoration of the Old Testament prophets. They would even accept Him as an earthly king, if He took care of their material needs. They cannot accept Him as the Christ intended by God: a spiritual Savior.
Context Summary
Luke 9:18–20 records Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah. It is the first of several passages in this portion of Luke that show the disciples being challenged to deeper faith. Herod Antipas wonders if Jesus is John the Baptist, back to haunt him for his murder (Mark 6:16). The people Jesus had just fed think He’s their coming earthly king (John 6:15). Jesus asks the disciples what they think. Peter answers, “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:20). Mark 8:27–30 also records Peter’s confession. Matthew 16:13–20 adds that Jesus will build His church on the “rock” of Peter’s words.
Verse 19. And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”
The topic of Jesus’ identity has been a subject of much discussion over the last several chapters. When He raised a widow’s son from the dead, the villagers declared, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” (Luke 7:16). When He forgave a sinful woman, onlookers scoffed, “Who is this, who even forgives sin?” (Luke 7:49). After Jesus calmed a violent storm, the disciples questioned, saying, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:25). And when Herod Antipas heard all Jesus and His disciples had been doing, the entire court discussed the matter, positing that Jesus is Elijah, one of the other prophets of old or at least one like them, or even a resurrected John the Baptist (Luke 9:7–9).
Some of the people whom Jesus fed have grander ideas. They think Jesus is a prophet, but they want Jesus to be an earthly, immediate king (John 6:14–15). Anyone who can provide food so easily should be given greater authority. Jesus counters by telling them He is the bread of life, and to be saved they must “eat His flesh.” In addition, He identifies Himself as the Son of God who has come down from heaven. The people quickly pivot, reminding themselves that Jesus is merely the son of Joseph—nothing special—and many abandon Him (John 6:22–66).
On the heels of this conversation, Jesus allows the disciples to reaffirm what they believe (John 6:65–69). Peter speaks for them stating that Jesus is not an Old Testament-era prophet, He is the One those prophets spoke of (Luke 9:20).
Verse 20. Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
Ancient accounts such as the Gospels were not necessarily chronological. That is, stories and incidents were not always recorded in a strict timeline. If Luke’s account is chronological, Peter’s words carry more weight than they might otherwise appear. Peter is not just responding to Jesus feeding thousands of men, women, and children (Luke 9:10–17). Nor is he primarily thinking of how Jesus walked on the waves of the Sea of Galilee—and how He had to save Peter when he almost drowned (Matthew 14:22–33). Rather, it would mean Peter responding to Jesus’ difficult teaching: that He is the Son of Man mentioned by Daniel (Daniel 7:13–14), the Son of God (John 6:27), the bread that brings eternal life (John 6:35), and He who will raise the faithful from the dead (John 6:40).
When Jesus fed the crowds, their idea of Him switched from “prophet of old” to potential king (John 6:14–15). With this teaching, however, they remember He is the “son of Joseph” whom they know (John 6:42). Many who had followed Jesus abandoned Him (John 6:66). Jesus questions His disciples: “Do you want to go away as well?” to which Peter replies, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:67–68).
But even though Peter declares that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, he does not yet know that Jesus is God and the Son of God. And none of the disciples have any idea as to what it is the Messiah has come to do. Like the crowds, they think He is there to drive the Romans out of Jewish territory and give the Jews national independence and peace. As Jesus will soon say, “…You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23b). Even moments before Jesus returns to heaven, they still await the promise of a restored kingdom (Acts 1:6–11). Jesus doesn’t dissuade them of hope—in fact, He tells them to look for it (Luke 21:29–36; Mark 13:32–37)—but it does not happen in their lifetime, and it has not happened yet in ours.
Jesus is not preparing the disciples for the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. Instead, He readies them for the expression of His rule through the church, which He will found in Peter’s testimony (Matthew 16:18).
Verse 21. And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one,
Jesus’ identity has been in question from the moment Joseph first learned Mary was pregnant (Matthew 1:18–25). Since the beginning of His ministry, it has only grown. The religious leaders want to know why He has the audacity to forgive sins (Luke 5:20–21; 7:49). The disciples want to know who can calm a raging sea or walk on water (Matthew 8:27; Luke 8:25; John 6:16–21). The people think He marks the return of the prophets of old—maybe even Elijah, himself—while Herod Antipas wonders if He is John the Baptist, raised from the dead (Luke 9:7–9; Mark 6:14–16).
Peter speaks for the disciples by declaring Jesus is “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:20), a statement Jesus says is an inspired word which will be the foundation of His church (Matthew 16:17–18).
This is the first of two times in this chapter where Jesus tells the disciples not to reveal something about Him. The second is after the transfiguration when Jesus tells Peter, James, and John to keep secret the vision of His glory until after the resurrection (Luke 9:28-36; Matthew 17:9). Several times, Jesus silences demons who compulsively identify Him as the Son of God (Mark 3:11–12).
The people were not ready for this information, yet. God works carefully through history, interacting with people, nations, and cultures to fulfill His plans and promises. Over-zealous followers, having seen how Jesus can provide food, already attempted to make Jesus king by force (John 6:15). The disciples think He is the prophet Moses promised and will win Israel political independence (Deuteronomy 18:15). They don’t understand there is much that must happen first (Acts 1:6–7).
Jesus will face a cross before He takes His throne; His disciples need to be willing to follow His example (Luke 9:22–27). They will see miraculous things that affirm Peter’s words (Luke 9:28–36), but their faith is still weak (Luke 9:39–40). They are thinking of the glory Jesus will give them (Luke 9:46–56), but before they receive His glory, they need to learn to sacrifice their loyalty to their earthly lives.
Context Summary
Luke 9:21–22 gives the second event during which the disciples must decide who Jesus is and if they should follow Him. Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ—the Jewish Messiah—is still hanging in the air when Jesus tells them He will suffer and die. Matthew and Mark record how immediately afterwards, Peter rebukes Jesus for saying such things. Jesus calls his words satanic (Matthew 16:21–23; Mark 8:31–33).
Verse 22. saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
The Gospel writers each arrange their stories to highlight their emphasized themes. Luke has provided several accounts of Jesus’ incredible power. He calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee, rescued a man from a legion of demons, raised a dead girl, healed a woman of a chronic illness, empowered His twelve disciples to perform mighty miracles, and fed likely more than ten thousand people with one small lunch (Luke 8:22—9:6; 9:10–17). He then validated Peter’s assertion that He is the Christ of God: the Messiah who will deliver the Jews (Luke 9:20).
Now, Jesus says the Jewish leaders, who are supposed to be watching out for their Messiah, are going to kill Him. The “Son of Man”—a term Jesus often uses for Himself—is described in Daniel 7:13–14. The Ancient of Days gives the Son of Man “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” That He must suffer implies something necessary and intended by God the Father. But how can such a ruler be betrayed and murdered by the people He is to rule?
The disciples are so confused that Peter rebukes Jesus, denying that He will be killed. Earlier, Jesus had said that He would build His church on Peter’s affirmation that He is the Messiah. Now, He says Peter’s words are from Satan, himself (Matthew 16:16–23). The disciples hold the common belief that the Messiah will rescue them from Roman rule. He is hoped to drive out the occupying forces, restore Jewish autonomy, and herald the blessings God promised in Ezekiel 47—48.
Jesus tells them: not yet. First, they need to be so committed to Him that they will be willing to climb onto their own crosses and die for Him (Luke 9:23–27). Then, Jesus shows Peter, James, and John His glory in the transfiguration (Luke 9:28–36).
They will not fully understand Jesus’ true purpose until He ascends into heaven (Acts 1:6–11) and the Holy Spirit falls on them (Acts 2:1–3). Jesus must die as the ultimate, perfect sacrifice for the sin of the world (1 Peter 1:18–19).
Jesus’ suffering includes beatings, punches, a crown of thorns, and a severe whipping that leaves His skin hanging from His flesh (Matthew 26:67; Mark 15:15–20). His rejection comes at the hands of the chief priests, the Sanhedrin, the Roman governor, and even Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6–16). His death is crucifixion—nailed by His hands and feet to a cross and hanging there until He asphyxiates. But His resurrection is glorious and shocking and comes with the promise that one day His followers will be resurrected, as well (Romans 8:11).
It is this fate His followers must be prepared to emulate and this future to which they can look forward.
Verse 23. And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
In this chapter, Luke describes how Jesus calls the disciples to be like Him, then watches them fail. Jesus empowered the disciples to cast out demons and heal the sick; they did so (Luke 9:1–6, 10). But then they had trouble believing they could use that same power to feed a crowd of hungry people (Luke 9:12–13).
Jesus begins another lesson by explaining He will go to Jerusalem, be betrayed by the religious leaders, die, and on the third day rise again (Luke 9:22). Luke does not record Peter’s denial or Jesus’ rebuke that Peter is speaking for Satan (Matthew 16:21–23). Instead, Luke goes straight to Jesus’ call to the disciples to emulate Him: to be willing to face their own crosses, lose their lives, and not be ashamed of following Him (Luke 9:24–26).
Jesus gives three commands for discipleship. The verbs “deny oneself” and “take up” are in a Greek-language form called “aorist imperative.” These imply actions which are accomplished once. That means when we deny ourselves and submit to Jesus, we do not return to rebellion for a time, then consider whether we will deny ourselves again. Jesus adds “daily” to picking up one’s cross. Every day, we need to make a definitive decision and not back away. “Follow,” however, is in the “present imperative” form. The lifestyle of following Christ is a once-and-forever decision, while the daily details of life are part of continually choosing to deny ourselves and “carry our cross.”
Jesus’ call to the disciples to “deny” themselves is set in the middle of the chapter where the disciples do the exact opposite. As Jesus sets His “face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51) to die on the cross (Luke 9:22), they still think the purpose of the Messiah (Luke 9:20) is to free the Jews from the Romans and give them their nation back. To that end, Peter rebukes Jesus when He warns of His coming death (Matthew 16:22), James and John threaten to destroy a Samaritan city that refuses to offer hospitality (Luke 9:51–55) instead of following Jesus’ command to merely shake the dust from their feet (Luke 9:5), and the disciples get into a fight about who will be greatest when Jesus comes into His kingdom (Luke 9:46–48).
But what does “take up his cross daily” mean? This simple phrase has inspired several handfuls of interpretations. Some say it means to live under a particular burden, such as chronic illness or an unpleasant marriage. Others imply it means being unashamed to worship a God who died on a cross. Some interpret this to mean willingness to be martyred, as Peter was.
Others say it is a stronger call of submission: we need to consistently lay down our rights up to and including our own death. This last idea seems most consistent with the rest of the passage. We need to be completely devoted to Christ and His message to the point that nothing on earth can scare us away from Him. As with many of Jesus’ teachings, it’s a hard lesson to accept (John 6:60). But either Christ is our most important priority, above even our lives, or we’re putting something above God in our hearts (Matthew 19:21–23).
Jesus goes on to say that only those who lose their lives for his sake will live (Luke 9:24). Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 15:30–32. He faced severe persecution regularly and possibly even died once (2 Corinthians 11:23–27; Acts 14:19–20). All that means nothing if he will not be resurrected.
Context Summary
Luke 9:23–27 is another call from Jesus to His disciples to follow Him, with more details of what truly following will cost. Jesus has just said that He is going to suffer and die by the hands of the Jewish religious leaders; now He tells His larger group of disciples to give up their lives for Him. This passage has two challenging concepts: What is the “cross” Jesus tells His followers to carry? Why does Jesus say some standing there will see the kingdom of God? This challenge to commit to Jesus is also found in Matthew 16:24–28 and Mark 8:34—9:1.
Verse 24. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Luke’s book presents what some call the “reverse gospel.” He shows that everything we think we know about success and preserving our life in this world ultimately leads to failure and eternal death. The disciples want to be great in Jesus’ coming kingdom; they don’t know the kingdom is thousands of years away and that the least will be the greatest (Luke 9:46–48). They think they need to carefully protect the inner circle, not understanding Jesus’ circle is far wider than they could imagine (Luke 9:49–50; Acts 10:34–35). They think they need to assert their authority on behalf of Jesus’ honor (Luke 9:51–55); they don’t understand that if a non-believer rejects Jesus, all the believer need do is leave, not fight (Luke 9:5).
If the disciples had joined the crowd in rejecting Jesus, they would not have received His life. If they had defended their worldly position in Christ, they wouldn’t have been able to build the church and spread Jesus’ good news of salvation. They would have lost everything at the crucifixion, as Judas did, and not received the life of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). Only by laying down their earthly ambitions could they find their place in God’s kingdom.
This verse is not saying those who die for claiming loyalty to Jesus will automatically be saved. Martyrdom does not earn someone a ticket to heaven. Salvation is based on God’s grace received through faith (Ephesians 2:1–10). It has to do with our relationship with Jesus, not the manner of our death. It is the one who is unashamed of Jesus, His words, and His cross—who believes His words about salvation and follows Him—who will be saved (Luke 9:26).
“Life” has a broad meaning in Greek. Psychē can refer to the potency that animates a body (breath or spirit), the “inner person” in general (soul or heart), or the soul as the part of a person that is not extinguished at death. Jesus is using a play on words: if we deny Him to save our physical life on earth, we will lose the eternal life He promises us. When Christ-followers die and receive their resurrected bodies, we will not be animated by our fragile organs; the Spirit (Romans 8:11) will provide that life.
Verse 25. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
The disciples thought they had the whole world in front of them. Their rabbi is the Jewish Messiah. The purpose of their version of Messiah is to restore the nation and drive out its enemies. He is expected to bring peace, prosperity, and the respect of other kingdoms. As the Messiah’s closest followers, the disciples would rule with Him. They think they are following the lesson of this verse. Later, Luke will describe three interactions Jesus has with potential disciples (Luke 9:57–62). He tells them what it will cost. The Twelve have already agreed to live an itinerant lifestyle and abandoned comfort and even family obligations for a while.
Jesus is telling them that sacrifices are the beginning; following Him requires more. They must publicly affirm Him and His message to the point of crucifixion (Luke 9:23).
Matthew and Mark put a finer point on the situation. Those who reject Jesus risk losing their souls (the same Greek word Luke used in the previous verse translated as “life”): not just their bodies or reputation or earthly accolades, but their entire being. There is nothing a person can gain in this world that is worth losing his or her soul (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:37–38). Better to have a dead body—which was going to die someday, anyway—than suffer separation from God for eternity. We may postpone the deaths of our bodies for a time, but only submitting ourselves to Christ fully will ensure real life: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).
As do teachers in every era, messengers in the Bible, including Jesus, use “rhetorical” questions. The intended meaning is a statement, even if it’s phrased as a question. This statement is clear: “It profits a man nothing if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself.” Jim Elliot said it this way: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Verse 26. For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Strangely, although John does not record this story, he does record the words of Jesus that caused many to be ashamed of Him. First, they balked because Jesus called Himself “the bread that came down from heaven.” They know he is the son of Joseph, thus seemingly not from heaven (John 6:41–42). Then they objected when Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51). At the thought of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood (John 6:56), many from the larger group of disciples left (John 6:66). Jesus asked the Twelve if they wanted to leave, as well. Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68–69).
To be “ashamed” of Jesus’ words means to refuse to publicly align with Him and what He teaches. The ultimate test of this for the disciples is to face rejection by the Jewish religious leaders to the point of crucifixion (Luke 9:22–23). Peter fails this test during Jesus’ trials (Luke 22:56–62), but once indwelt by the Spirit (Acts 2:1–3), he boldly and bravely rejoices at the opportunity to join in experiencing persecutions as did Jesus (Acts 5:40–41).
To be “ashamed” means to experience humiliation, regret, and embarrassment because of something. In this chapter, the Twelve are the furthest from ashamed of Jesus they can be. They have used His power to heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead (Luke 9:1–6, 10; Matthew 10:8). Peter has declared Jesus to be “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:20). They mistakenly attempt to defend Jesus’ honor from an exorcist (Luke 9:49–50) and an inhospitable Samaritan village (Luke 9:51–55). They have paid personal costs (Luke 9:57–62). But they have yet to see Jesus arrested, beaten, and crucified. When they do, they will find themselves locked in a room, afraid for their lives (John 20:19).
Jesus calls Himself the “Son of Man” many times during His earthly ministry. Here, shortly before the transfiguration displays His glory, the term is especially relevant. Daniel 7:13–14 describes the Son of Man:
I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to Him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Matthew includes, “…and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:27b). Bible scholar Darrell Bock explains that the combination of the “Son of Man” and “[coming] in his glory” refers to Jesus’ authority at the final judgment. The disciples think this judgment is coming very soon. They don’t realize it will be thousands of years before the Great White Throne.
Verse 27. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
This is a highly controversial verse with a remarkably simple explanation. Taken out of context, it has been used to suggest a failure in Jesus’ promises. Read in the passage, itself, its meaning becomes clear. Jesus has just talked about how He will come “in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26). Although the disciples do not yet know when this will happen, we know this to be Jesus’ second coming at the end of the tribulation. Matthew’s parallel verse seems to affirm this: “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28).
This verse, then, can be manipulated to imply that some of the disciples around Jesus—a group that probably includes more than just the Twelve—will be alive at Jesus’ second coming. Since Jesus ascended to heaven and has not yet returned, two thousand years later, we know this can’t be true. Is this an error, or was Jesus mistaken?
Commentators have presented several views:
•Jesus is wrong. This implies He had the same understanding of the Jewish Messiah as the disciples: that He would release the Jews from their captivity to Rome. But this view is a logical fallacy. Besides the fact that Jesus, as God, can’t be wrong, if He did bring political freedom to the Jews, everyone would see it, not just the few who were not ashamed of Him.
•Jesus means His resurrection and ascension displayed the kingdom of God. Those events inaugurated the “already” stage of the kingdom in which He reigns in heaven and the Holy Spirit indwells the saved. Some of those standing there—those who are not ashamed of Him—will see the coming kingdom as the gospel spreads.
•Jesus means the transfiguration. Jesus doesn’t say they will see the fulfillment of Luke 9:26 before they die; He says they’ll see “the kingdom of God.” In this view, He is referring not to the previous passage but to the next: to the transfiguration. Luke 9:28–36 records how Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. Moses and Elijah appear, and Jesus’ appearance changes—He displays His glory. As the three disciples scramble to find an appropriate way to respond, they hear the voice of God the Father, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” (Luke 9:35).
•A final option is that the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 is an example of Jesus’ authority to judge the world in the end times.
The case for the transfiguration is compelling, but the passages in Matthew and Mark add more nuance, particularly Mark (Mark 9:1). The tense of his verb “has come” refers to something that comes and continues. The transfiguration is the initial revelation of “the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28). The church age is the continuation. Judas, for example, did not experience this because of his denial of Christ. The ultimate fulfillment of the kingdom will come at Jesus’ second coming (Luke 9:26).
Verse 28. Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
“These sayings” are recorded in Luke 9:18–27 and more fully in Matthew 16:13–28. Jesus asked the disciples who others thought He was; responses included John the Baptist, Elijah, or the return of one of the other Old Testament prophets. Then He asked who they thought He was. Peter responded that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus said He will build His church on Peter’s words. Then Jesus revealed they are going to Jerusalem where the religious leaders will kill Him and He will rise from the dead. Peter rebuked Jesus, denying He would die. Jesus called those words satanic. Jesus explained that His followers need to have a different understanding of the purpose of the Messiah. They are thinking about the power and honor they will receive as the Messiah’s closest companions. Jesus said they need to follow Him—not to the throne room, yet, but to the cross. It will do no good to rise to a powerful political position if they lose their soul in the process. They need to be mindful that someday He will return in glory to judge the world. Finally, He told them that some of them would “see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28).
About a week later, Jesus’ words come true.
Why Peter, James, and John? Is it more than that they seem to be closest to Jesus? Peter, the leader of the Twelve, denies Christ, but is restored (John 18:15–18, 25–27; 21:15–19). James is the first of the Twelve to die—beheaded by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1–2). John, on the other hand, lives a long life and trains the second and third generations of the church without seeing Jesus’ physical return, though he does get a glimpse of it in a vision (the book of Revelation). All three will benefit from knowing without any doubt that Jesus is the Son of God. Peter and John both mention the event in their writings as proof of Jesus’ identity (2 Peter 1:16–18; 1 John 4:14).
Both Matthew and Mark locate this event “after six days” from when Jesus told the disciples they would need to take up their cross (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2). This does not contradict Luke’s “about eight days after.” Luke may have included partial days. Whatever method the authors used, they all align the transfiguration with Peter’s affirmation that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus’ call to take up their cross, and Jesus’ promise that some of them would see the kingdom of God before their deaths.
We don’t definitively know where this mountain is. The most common guess is Mount Hermon near Caesarea Philippi, northeast of Bethsaida where Jesus fed thousands (Luke 9:10–17). Two other possibilities are Mount Tabor in south Galilee and Mount Meron, northwest of Bethsaida.
Luke, more than the other Gospels, emphasizes Jesus’ dependence on prayer. Matthew and Mark each record Jesus praying three times; Luke mentions Jesus praying eight times, including a general statement that He often went away to pray alone (Luke 5:16).
Context Summary
Luke 9:28–36 comes amidst calls to follow Jesus more deeply. This reveals why He is worthy of allegiance; it also resolves Herod’s question and Peter’s answer about Jesus’ identity. Peter, James, and John follow Jesus up a mountain. Jesus’ clothes become bright white, and Moses and Elijah arrive to speak with Him. When the two prophets leave, a cloud descends, and God the Father affirms Jesus. This transfiguration fulfills the promise Jesus made that “there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:27). The story is also in Matthew 17:1–8 and Mark 9:2–8.
Verse 29. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.
Jesus has taken Peter, John, and James to a mountaintop. Jesus is there to pray; the other three fall asleep (Luke 9:28, 32). As Jesus prays, His appearance changes, reflecting the glory God the Son shares with God the Father.
Throughout this passage, there are several references to Moses’ ministry. Here, Matthew says Jesus’ “face shone like the sun” (Matthew 17:2). Moses, too, met God on a mountaintop and glowed with His glory (Exodus 34:29–35). Moses, too, experienced a “departure” (Luke 9:31), from exodos in Greek. Some scholars compare Peter’s tents (Luke 9:33) to the tabernacle construction Moses oversaw. Many say the cloud that came over the mountaintop (Luke 9:34) is the same shekinah glory that descended on the tabernacle and led the Israelites during the day (Exodus 40:34–38).
“Dazzling white” in the ESV is translated “became white and flashing with the brilliance of lightning” in the Amplified version. One of the purposes of the transfiguration is to assure the witnesses that Jesus is the Son of God despite His impending death. At this moment, it seems to have the opposite effect (Luke 9:44–45): if Jesus’ glory looks like this, how could the religious leaders reject and kill Him?
Verse 30. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah,
Jesus has brought Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. Jesus is praying; the other three are asleep (Luke 9:32). As Jesus glows with glory, Moses and Elijah appear to talk about His coming departure from earthly ministry (Luke 9:28–29, 31). There are several theories as to why these two specific men come to speak with Jesus.
The most common theory is that Moses represents “the Law” and Elijah “the prophets,” encompassing all Jewish Scripture and the history of God’s people (Matthew 5:17; Luke 16:16). Another is that, more generally, they are thought of as the most prominent prophets of the Old Testament. At least for Moses, this is an easy case to make. The entire experience seems to validate Moses’ appearance. They are speaking of Jesus’ “departure,” written in Greek as exodos. Jesus’ face shines like Moses’ did when He spoke with God on Mount Sinai (Matthew 17:2; Exodus 34:29). Like Moses, Jesus is gathering His people into a cohesive group to worship God. And, most importantly, Jesus is the prophet Moses promised (Deuteronomy 18:15).
Elijah, however, was not necessarily revered as much as other prophets, such as Samuel. Yet because Elijah was taken alive to heaven (2 Kings 2:9–12), he was expected to return. In fact Malachi prophesied, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lᴏʀᴅ comes” (Malachi 4:5). Malachi spoke of a messenger that would herald the Messiah (Malachi 3:1), seemingly linked to Elijah. In a way, John the Baptist fulfilled that prophecy (Matthew 11:7–14), but here Elijah does it personally. Elijah’s appearance at the transfiguration might have also been meant to counter the common notion that Jesus was a returned Elijah (Luke 9:8, 19).
In addition, Jesus’ ministry does represent Elijah’s. Neither had the support of a political leader, as Samuel and Isaiah did. Both vigorously cleaned the land of idolatry (1 Kings 18:20–40; Luke 19:45–46). Both sought God’s comfort on solitary mountains (1 Kings 19; Mark 6:46). And both used miracles to meet the needs of people (1 Kings 17:8–24; Luke 7:11–17; 9:10–17). Still, those are relatively shallow parallels.
Moses and Elijah’s presence on the mountaintop, in addition to the description of the two witnesses’ ministry, have suggested to some that they will be the two witnesses during the tribulation (Revelation 11:1–13). Some go as far as to say that because we do not know where Moses was buried and no one saw him die, he did not die but was taken up to heaven like Elijah, a claim contradicted by Scripture (Deuteronomy 34). Others say the two witnesses will be Elijah and Enoch (Genesis 5:24) because both were taken to heaven without dying. Still others say the witnesses will not be the return of anyone, but rather two currently unknown believers. In truth, we do not know who the two witnesses will be.
The idea that the spirits of loved ones who have died can visit us is common. The Bible doesn’t support this belief. Elijah never died, so far as Scripture tells us. Moses, however, died, yet appears during the transfiguration with Jesus. This is one of only two cases in the Bible where the dead return to earth to speak with someone. The first instance was when King Saul visited a medium and asked her to bring back Samuel. God sent Samuel, much to the witch’s surprise, but Samuel wasn’t happy about it (1 Samuel 28:8–15).
Verse 31. who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Jesus dialogues with two Old Testament characters—Moses and Elijah—about His coming crucifixion and resurrection. He has already told the disciples once (Luke 9:22). Peter responded by rebuking Jesus and telling Him He was wrong (Matthew 16:22). Jesus will tell them again, but they won’t understand what He’s talking about (Luke 9:44–45).
It’s not clear why Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah about this, but it’s possibly for support. Jesus’ closest friends can’t even accept that He’s going to die. Perhaps He wants to talk to people who, even though they haven’t experienced crucifixion, will understand what is coming.
“Departure” in Greek is exodos. It can mean to leave or to die. In the Septuagint and literature from Hellenistic Jews, the same term was associated with the Israelites’ rescue from Egyptian slavery. Likely, Luke uses the word to refer to Jesus’ arrest, trials, crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension, but he sprinkles references to Moses throughout this passage, so he probably wants his reader to think back to the exodus, as well.
Jesus’ exodus provides a much greater exodus for us. Because He died, we are freed from the slavery of sin. Because He rose again, we know that God accepted His sacrifice. Because He returned in a new body, we know we will be freed from our broken-down bodies and receive glorified bodies of our own (1 Corinthians 15:42–57). Because He ascended into heaven, we know that He is preparing a place for us to be with Him for eternity (John 14:2–3).
Luke reveals two things that Matthew and Mark do not. First, Moses and Elijah shine in glory, as well. Second, what the conversation is about. Luke is careful to include that Jesus’ “departure” will happen in Jerusalem; His trials, crucifixion, and resurrection were in Jerusalem, of course, but even after He met the disciples in Galilee, He returned to Jerusalem for His ascension. In a few short verses, Jesus will begin that journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).
Verse 32. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.
When Jesus ministers to crowds, He often doesn’t have time to eat, let alone sleep. The disciples discovered how draining this could be (Mark 6:30–31). But Jesus values prayer more than sleep and makes it a priority (Mark 1:35)—an occasional nap in a storm notwithstanding (Luke 8:22–23). The disciples are not so disciplined, as the incident in the garden of Gethsemane proves (Luke 22:39–46), although there is no indication here that Jesus told them to stay awake and pray.
And so, while Jesus prays, the trio have fallen asleep. When they awaken, everything has changed.
Jesus does not look like Himself. He is not grimy and weary with travel. His clothes glow so brightly they flash like lightning (Luke 9:29, AMP). His face shines like the sun (Matthew 17:2). He is speaking to two men who also shine with otherworldly glory. Somehow, the three men recognize two pillars of their nation’s history: Moses and Elijah. Jesus and the Old Testament saints are talking about Jesus’ departure, or exodos, from Jerusalem (Luke 9:28–31).
Faced with these notable figures, Peter offers to make three tents for them. This is the wrong thing to say. Perhaps he is inferring that Jesus, Moses, and Elijah are on equal terms. If Jesus were only a human teacher, this would be an act of honor. But Jesus isn’t just a human teacher (Luke 9:33). Or perhaps Peter is failing to grasp the magnitude of the situation. Moses and Elijah are not meant to stay. Jesus’ ministry on earth is not merely a continuation of the old; He brings the fulfillment of the old and something new. Or Peter may simply be so stunned he is unsure what to do, and offering shelter so the men can remain is his instinctive reaction.
The shekinah glory of God descends on the mountain like a thick cloud. Peter joins James and John in silence as the cloud envelops them. God’s voice thunders, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” (Luke 9:34–35).
Jesus is not “just” a teacher. This is not a mere king who will conquer the Roman occupiers and return freedom to the Jews. If so, He would be equal to Moses and Elijah and Peter’s offer would be appropriate. But this is the Son of God and the Messiah; the three disciples need to listen to everything He says.
Verse 33. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” — not knowing what he said.
Peter, James, and John followed Jesus up a mountain. Jesus came to pray. The other three fell into a deep sleep. They awakened to a stunning sight. Jesus is glowing. His face, clothes, and everything about His appearance is dazzling. He is speaking with two other men who are also glowing; somehow the disciples recognize Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:28–32).
Scholars have several theories about why Peter wanted to build tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. He may be thinking about the Feast of Booths. More likely, he is trying to show honor to three great leaders. He’s probably also trying to encourage Elijah and Moses to stay longer. Moses rallied the Israelites together, rescued them from Egypt, and made them a nation. Elijah took down hundreds of Baal’s prophets (1 Kings 18:40). Peter may think Moses and Elijah will gather the Jews together politically and religiously so that Jesus can conquer the Romans and restore the Jewish nation.
Luke states that Peter doesn’t know what he is saying. Some scholars say that by offering three equal tents, Peter shows that he considers his teacher on a level with the great Moses and Elijah—which is good. But he doesn’t understand that Jesus is infinitely superior to Moses and Elijah. This is an error God corrects by identifying Jesus as His Son (Luke 9:35). The comment about the three disciples just awakening (Luke 9:32) might be an allusion to their spiritual dullness. When Peter calls Jesus “Master,” he isn’t wrong, but he still isn’t fully grasping who Jesus is.
Matthew and Mark flesh out the scene. Peter asks Jesus’ approval and offers to make the tents, himself (Matthew 17:4). He does so in great fear (Mark 9:6).
Verse 34. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
Those who have been on a mountain on a sunny day, then watched as a cloud races in and envelops the landscape, have a small idea of what Peter, James, and John are experiencing. Even more so, however, they just woke up from a deep sleep to see their friend and teacher speaking with two historical icons. All three were shining with God’s glory (Luke 9:28–32). And the cloud, itself, is the shekinah glory of God: a sight not seen in real life since Solomon dedicated the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1–3). Until now, such a display of God’s glory was only seen in prophetic visions of the day of the Lord: the coming judgment of the world.
The Hebrew word shekinah isn’t used in the Bible. Rather, it is found in extra-biblical rabbinic writings. The word means “he caused to dwell” and represents God’s immediate presence among His people, specifically from within a cloud. Literal appearances include the pillars of cloud and fire that led the Israelites (Exodus 13:21) and the cloud on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15–18). Jewish literature further developed this as a reference to God’s presence, a replacement for the metaphor of God’s hand or face, and eventually a mediator between God and humans. John 1:14 echoes the concept of shekinah when referring to God’s presence.
In other New Testament cases, when God speaks His glory doesn’t come down; the skies open (Luke 3:21–22) or the people just hear His voice (John 12:28).
Luke states that “the cloud came and overshadowed them” and that the three disciples “entered the cloud” while Matthew and Mark only say the cloud “overshadowed” them (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7). There’s no real contradiction; when you’re in a cloud, you can still see around you somewhat even if the sky above is completely blocked.
Verse 35. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
Jesus brought Peter, John, and James to the top of a mountain. Jesus prayed while the disciples slept. When they awakened, the three disciples saw Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah, all shining with God’s glory. Peter rashly offered to make them tents. God responded by enveloping the entire party in a cloud of His glory (Luke 9:28–34). Now, God speaks, identifying Jesus.
First, God identifies Jesus as His “Son.” In the Bible, “son” can mean a biological descendant of one or more generations; Jesus is the “son of David” even though David lived several hundred years before. “Son” can also refer to someone who resembles the father figure. The angels are described as “sons of God” because they are spirit (Job 1:6). Jesus tells Jewish religious leaders that their father is the Devil because they desired to follow Satan’s example (John 8:39–47). Jesus’ sonship is deeper than His representation of God the Father’s character. God the Son is a position in the economic Trinity: the way the three Persons of the Trinity interact with each other. Although all three Persons are perfectly God and co-equal in person and worth, they voluntarily interact in specific ways that show their love for and unity with each other.
Luke also records God as identifying Jesus as “my Chosen One.” He is saying Jesus is the “begotten” one of Psalm 2:7, the Messiah or “Christ of God” (Luke 9:20). Matthew and Mark use “beloved Son,” highlighting the relationship God the Father has with God the Son (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7).
Finally, God says, “listen to him!” Until this point, Luke has focused primarily on Jesus’ active ministry in Galilee. Soon (Luke 9:51), the focus will shift. Jesus will still teach and perform miracles, but as He nears the cross, He will concentrate more heavily on preparing the disciples for their future, both in Jerusalem and in the church. The immediate effect is discouraging: Jesus tells them, again, that He is going to die, “But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying” (Luke 9:45). They still don’t know how to listen.
Bible scholars propose another reason for God’s message. Some think that when Peter offers to build tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, he is equating the three (Luke 9:33). This would be a great honor for Jesus if He were just a human teacher, but it’s a grave offense if Jesus is, in fact, God. God the Father wants the disciples to understand who Jesus is.
This is the second of three times in which the Gospel writers record God the Father speaking. The first is at Jesus’ baptism when He says, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). The third is in Jerusalem, the week of the crucifixion. Jesus is teaching the crowds but takes a moment to express how His coming death troubles His soul:
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” (John 12:27–28)
Verse 36. And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
Peter, James, and John followed Jesus up a mountain and fell asleep. When they awake, Jesus is talking with Moses and Elijah. Then a cloud envelopes them all and God the Father speaks, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” (Luke 9:28–35). Suddenly, the cloud is gone, and Moses and Elijah are nowhere to be found (Mark 9:8).
Jesus tells them to remain silent about what they had witnessed until His resurrection (Matthew 17:9; Mark 9:9). It’s easy to understand why. The last time Jesus told the disciples He was going to die, Peter rebuked Him (Matthew 16:21–23). Before long, Jesus will tell the disciples again that he is going to be killed in Jerusalem and they still won’t understand (Luke 9:44–45). No one in that era fully grasped that Jesus the Messiah must die for the sins of the world and be resurrected on the third day. After Jesus fed the thousands, some of the men were so enthusiastic they tried to force Jesus to be king (John 6:15, 26). If the crowds know what had happened on that mountain, they might revolt against the Roman government, leading to the deaths of thousands.
Peter, James, and John remain silent “in those days,” but they obviously tell people or else Luke wouldn’t have known. Peter wrote about it, reminding his audience how “they” had told them before (2 Peter 1:16–18). John wrote, “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). When it occurred, the event was for Peter, James, and John, but Luke includes it to give Theophilus assurance, as well, “that [he] may have certainty concerning the things [he has] been taught” (Luke 1:4).
Verse 37. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.
Luke 9:18–50 presents seven stories in which Jesus calls the disciples to a deeper relationship. As the stories progress, they increasingly show the disciples’ lack of understanding of who Jesus is. Peter starts strong by calling Jesus “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:20), but then wavers when he seems to show Moses and Elijah the same honor as Jesus (Luke 9:33). Here, the disciples lose their faith to cast out demons—a power Jesus had given them (Luke 9:1). Next, they will show confusion when Jesus again predicts His crucifixion (Luke 9:43–45), argue over who is the greatest (Luke 9:46–48), and attempt to exclude someone they should invite into their community (Luke 9:49–50). All this occurs right before Jesus begins His transition from serving and teaching the crowds in Galilee to training the disciples to prepare them for His crucifixion and the establishment of the church (Luke 9:51).
Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. The disciples fell asleep while Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah. When the three woke up, Jesus and the Old Testament legends shone with God’s glory. Peter offered to make tents for them. God chose that time to reveal His glory and affirm Jesus as His Son, the Chosen One, thus fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy in Luke 9:27. Peter, James, and John won’t speak of the event until much later (Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–18; 1 John 4:14).
Now, the four have returned. We aren’t told exactly where this mountain is. Scholars present three candidates: Mount Hermon in Philip the Tetrarch’s territory to the west and northwest of the Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor in the south of Galilee, or Mount Meron, west and just north of Bethsaida.
Wherever they are, the crowd is typical. Jesus is often surrounded by mobs; some come to hear Him teach and some to receive healing. This time, it turns out, the crowd initially gathered around the remaining nine disciples. Earlier, Jesus had given them the power to heal and cast out demons (Luke 9:1–6). A man has asked them to rescue his possessed son, but the disciples, once powerful with faith, cannot command the demon out. Luke rarely records Jesus becoming frustrated with His disciples, but he does here. Despite His irritation, Jesus heals the boy (Luke 9:38–43).
Mark and Matthew include an interlude, describing that as Jesus and His three disciples descend from the mountaintop, they talk about the role of Elijah in the end times (Matthew 17:9–13; Mark 9:9–13). Luke often includes historical Hebrew background for his Gentile audience, but this time chose not to.
Mark also mentions that the nine disciples are arguing with scribes. We don’t know why for certain; when Jesus asks, the father immediately starts talking about his demon-possessed son (Mark 9:14–18).
Gospel writers often group stories by theme, rather than by time. In this case, the connection seems important. This account is tied to the transfiguration both by time—”on the next day”—and location—”from the mountain.”
Context Summary
Luke 9:37–43 records another story highlighting the disciples’ misunderstanding of Jesus and their lack of faith. Jesus, Peter, James, and John return from the mountain. There, Jesus shone with God’s glory and the disciples encountered Moses, Elijah, and God the Father. The disciples they left behind, despite having been empowered by Jesus to perform miracles (Luke 9:1–6), find it impossible to rescue a boy from a violent demon. Jesus scolds the lack of faith before He drives the demon away. This story is also in Matthew 17:14–20 and Mark 9:14–29.
Verse 38. And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.
Jesus, Peter, James, and John are returning to the other disciples after Jesus’ transfiguration (Luke 9:28–36). They arrive to find the nine arguing with scribes, surrounded by a crowd who quickly turn their focus from the argument to Jesus (Mark 9:14–15). We aren’t told what the disciples and the scribes are arguing about. Presumably, it was related to this man’s message. His only child has been demonized by an evil spirit that either gives him symptoms of epilepsy or exacerbates the disease he already has. Despite the fact Jesus has given the disciples the power to cast out all demons (Luke 9:1), they prove powerless, and the father begs for Jesus’ help (Luke 9:39–40).
This is at least the third time Luke records Jesus coming to the rescue of an “only child.” The first was the widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11–15). The second was Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:41–42, 49–55). In that time and culture, being an “only child” was an important distinction. A significant part of the promise God gave the Jews refers to the perpetual ownership of the land. These parents need their children to inherit the family land and continue their family’s position in the clan and the community. The widow especially needed Jesus’ attention; without her son, she may have been destitute. If Jairus had no more children—and they still followed the Mosaic law—his daughter’s husband would inherit his estate (Numbers 27:1–11). This father, too, both loves his son and needs him as an heir.
Verse 39. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him.
Three of Jesus’ disciples—Peter, James, and John—have returned with Him from the Mount of Transfiguration. They find the other nine disciples unable to cast out a demon tormenting a little boy. This, despite Jesus giving them authority over all demons (Luke 9:1). The boy’s father is explaining the situation to Jesus.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke relate different aspects of the boy’s condition. Matthew says, “he has seizures and he suffers terribly” (Matthew 17:15). Mark says, “whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid” (Mark 9:18). Luke combines the two, using the Greek word syntribō, translated as “shatter.” This implies mauling, bruising, abuse, or damage. The three gospel writers don’t contradict each other; the authors are just describing parts of the whole.
Throughout history, scholars have compared the boy’s torment to epilepsy. Where Luke’s “convulse” simply means to “shake to and fro,” Matthew’s word for “seizures” is the same used for “moonstruck:” the title ancients used for epilepsy.
The real correlation between demonization and epilepsy is unclear. People of Jesus’ era believed epileptic symptoms were caused by demons. It is unknown if they associated demonic activity literally with the moon or with darkness in general. Neither Jesus nor Luke, a doctor, disavow the crowd’s assumption that a demon is involved, and the symptoms disappear when Jesus casts out the demon (Luke 9:42).
There is no necessary contradiction, however, between epilepsy and demon possession. The passage isn’t saying that epilepsy is inherently associated with demon possession. Nor is it saying that demons always cause illness, nor that demons cause every illness. In this case, the boy might have already had epilepsy, and the demon’s affliction was to excessively trigger it. If that was the case, presumably Jesus also healed the epilepsy (Luke 9:42; Luke 5:17; 9:2, 11).
Verse 40. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”
A desperate father is explaining his situation to Jesus. While Jesus, Peter, James, and John were climbing down the Mount of Transfiguration, the other nine disciples were failing miserably at rescuing a young boy. The boy is the only child of his father. A demon afflicts him. The demon seems to either give the boy epileptic seizures or exacerbate the epilepsy he already has (Luke 9:37–39). What Luke does not mention is that the demon also throws the boy into water or fire, attempting to kill him (Mark 9:22).
How much do we blame the disciples for their failure? Jesus empowered them (Luke 9:1) and holds them accountable. Jesus says, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you?” (Luke 9:41). This scathing remark likely refers to the crowd, the scribes, the father, and the disciples as well (Mark 9:14, 22–23). Jesus later tells the disciples they failed because of their lack of faith (Matthew 17:19–20). And yet He also says it is a particularly difficult demon to cast out, requiring faith and prayer (Matthew 17:20; Mark 9:29), corroborating the father’s description of the tenacity of the evil spirit (Luke 9:39).
The truth is that Jesus expects us to at least believe what we know and live out of those beliefs. The father should have believed what he had heard about Jesus’ power. The scribes should have believed what they knew about Jesus in the context of Old Testament prophecies. The disciples should have believed they still had the power to cast out demons. “Faith” implies trusting in what Jesus says because of what we already know. Those who really contemplate God’s work in their lives should admit that they know more than enough to trust Jesus.
Verse 41. Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”
Jesus is presented with a young boy being tormented by a demon. Despite having been empowered to cast out demons (Luke 9:1), the disciples find themselves helpless. Jesus responds with frustration. But to whom is He referring? Which person or persons are the target of this cutting remark?
Certainly, the disciples are included. Jesus later tells them they could not cast out the demon because of their “little faith” and that if they have faith the size of a mustard seed, they can move mountains (Matthew 17:19–21).
But, also, Jesus includes the father. Luke describes the father giving Jesus a straightforward request. Mark notes that the father says, “If you can” (Mark 9:22; emphasis added). Jesus responds to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). To this the father gives the famous response, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).
Most likely, Jesus is also including the scribes who were arguing with the disciples. We don’t know what they were arguing about, but when Jesus asks, the father immediately appears, suggesting they are fighting about the boy, the demon, and the disciples’ inability to cast it out (Mark 9:14–17).
Jesus’ description, “O faithless and twisted generation,” comes from Moses’ song. Moses, approaching the end of his life, compared the faithfulness of God with the faithlessness of His people. He describes the Israelites: “They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation” (Deuteronomy 32:5).
“Faithless” describes someone who does not believe God’s work; faithlessness also indicates a lack of loyalty or trustworthiness. “Twisted” has more of a sense of perversion or depravity. “Crooked” means something false, twisted, insincere, or dishonest. Instead of “faithless” or “crooked,” the Septuagint uses a word for “rebellious” or “morally corrupted.” All this combines to affirm that lack of faith in Jesus and His work indicates a morally twisted character. Disbelieving God is immoral and leads to immorality (Romans 1:21). The fact that they once could cast out demons and now can’t indicates their faith in Jesus is decreasing.
“Generation” refers to people who live at the same time, specifically those with the same characteristics. Luke records Jesus using “generation” to refer to His countrymen who do not identify Him as the Messiah. They ignore the signs of His identity, contrary to the people of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba who responded to God’s words immediately (Luke 11:29–32). Although the faithless Jews did not kill the Old Testament prophets, they are responsible for the prophets’ murders because they reject their message and refuse to teach it (Luke 11:50–52). Finally, they crucify Jesus (Luke 17:25).
The use of “generation” in other passages frames Jesus’ question, “How long am I to be with you and bear with you?” as a warning. There will come a day when Jesus will no longer have to bear with the faithless—those who rebelliously or carelessly reject the truth about Him. At the end, they will face the great white throne judgment and receive what they think want: eternity without Him (Revelation 20:11–15).
But the cry is also poignant. Jesus has just returned from the Mount of Transfiguration where He spoke to Moses and Elijah about His “departure.” In context, that includes His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension (Luke 9:30–31). Moses, too, grew frustrated with the people he was responsible for, saying to God, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all the people on me?” (Numbers 11:11). Elijah not only complained about his responsibilities, he asked God to kill him, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lᴏʀᴅ, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (1 Kings 19:4). Jesus knows He is soon returning to God the Father’s presence. To express His frustration with those who refuse to listen and understand Him—including His closest followers—and look forward to the day He returns home is perfectly natural.
Verse 42. While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
A desperate father found Jesus’ disciples and begged them to rescue his young son. An evil spirit has demonized the boy. The demon either gives or exacerbates epileptic-type seizures (Luke 9:37–40) and attempts to kill him by throwing him in fire and water (Mark 9:22). The disciples find they have no control over the demon despite having been empowered by Jesus (Luke 9:1). When Jesus arrives, the father turns to Him. Jesus is frustrated with the lack of faith of everyone involved but agrees to help.
Luke presents a quick resolution, but Mark gives more details. When the demon sees Jesus, it throws the boy down into another seizure. Jesus asks the father how long the boy has suffered, and the father says since childhood. The father then says, “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus responds, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” The father gives the famous answer: “I believe; help my unbelief!” Jesus then sees an even larger crowd running toward them and cuts the conversation short. He rebukes the demon, and the boy goes into one last seizure that leaves him lying on the ground like a corpse. Jesus reaches down and helps him up, alive and healed (Mark 9:20–27).
Matthew says, “the boy was healed instantly” (Matthew 17:18). Mark’s description might not seem “instantaneous,” but compared to the conversation Jesus had with the Legion of demons (Luke 8:27–33), this is an accurate description.
Rarely, scholars attempt to suggest the demon slammed Jesus to the ground and “threw him into a convulsion.” That is inconsistent with the actions of demons around Jesus. Legion harmed the man they possessed (Mark 5:5), and this demon regularly harmed the boy (Luke 9:39). A demon did cause its victim to attack would-be rescuers, but these rescuers were attempting to use God’s power in an inappropriate way (Acts 19:13–16). Jesus consistently demonstrates full power over demons; they must exit at His word (Luke 4:31–36).
The wording in the ESV is blurry. It uses the term “heal” often in the context of casting out demons, but usually the source word is the generic Greek word for rescue or return to health. Here, the Greek word primarily means to restore someone to health after a physical malady. Luke almost always reserves its use for those cases in which someone is healed from a disease. In Acts 10:38, Luke quotes Peter saying about Jesus, “He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” This seems to indicate that in the case of this boy, he may have epilepsy and the demon is making it worse. Jesus’ healing of the boy goes beyond even rescue from disease and possession, however; in giving him “back to his father,” the relationship and the boy’s cultural position as his father’s only child and heir are also restored.
Luke ends here. Matthew and Mark record the disciples retreating to a house in private and asking Jesus why they couldn’t cast out the demon. Matthew quotes Jesus talking about their lack of faith while Mark points out their lack of prayer (Matthew 17:19–21; Mark 9:28–29). It was for prayer that Jesus went to the top of the mountain with Peter, James, and John (Luke 9:28). Luke’s gospel often highlights the importance of prayer (Luke 1:13; 2:37; 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 10:2: 11:1–12; 18:1; 19:46; 21:36; 22:32, 39–46).
Verse 43. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples,
Luke’s narrative in this section is very brisk: Peter, James, and John see Jesus’ transfiguration and hear God’s voice tell them to listen to Jesus (Luke 9:28–36). Jesus easily casts out a demon the other nine disciples couldn’t (Luke 9:37–42). The crowd is astonished at God’s majesty through Jesus. The disciples reject Jesus’ words that He is going to lose His autonomy to men (Luke 9:44–45).
By condensing the events, Luke shows how the prior events influence this reaction. Having witnessed Jesus’ power and heard God’s words to listen to Him, the disciples should have trusted Jesus’ words about His future. And yet, considering those same signs, His words make no sense. He shone with the glory of God and conversed with Moses and Elijah! How could men defeat Him?
“All” probably refers to more than the crowd who saw Jesus rescue the possessed boy. The astonishment most likely started when Jesus healed the centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1–10) or raised the widow’s son (Luke 7:11–17). After the latter, “this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country” (Luke 7:17). All the people who had witnessed what Jesus could do marveled and were astonished—although Luke does not explicitly say they had faith as a result.
Like the events, Luke condenses Jesus’ teaching. Mark says that as they passed through Galilee Jesus led an ongoing conversation about His coming death (Mark 9:30–31). Unfortunately, the repetition doesn’t help the disciples accept His words.
Luke connects Jesus’ works with God’s majesty. At another time, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise” (John 5:19). Jesus is clear that He does the works the father gives Him (John 5:36). Within the relationships of the Persons in the Trinity, the Son glorifies the Father (John 17:1, 4). That’s why He told the man possessed by Legion to “declare how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39), not how much He, Jesus, had done.
The disciples don’t understand any of it. Not only can they not fathom what Jesus is saying about His death, they’re now too afraid to ask (Luke 9:45), adding yet another failure to a chapter filled with them.
Context Summary
Luke 9:43–45 presents the fifth story in which Jesus tests His disciples’ willingness to follow Him. Three of the disciples have seen Jesus shine with glory and heard God call Him His Son (Luke 9:28–36). The Twelve have watched while Jesus defeated a powerful demon (Luke 9:37–43). Now He repeats the warning that He is going to suffer, face rejection by the religious leaders, be killed, and raise again (Luke 9:21–22). Luke notes that the meaning of Jesus’ words “was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it” (Luke 9:45). Matthew 17:22–23 and Mark 9:30–32 also recorded this event.
Verse 44. “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”
Luke has just mentioned the amazement of the crowd. They are stunned, both by Jesus’ deliverance of the possessed boy and by His overall miraculous ministry (Luke 9:43). With that praise still on their minds, the disciples hear Jesus talk of His coming betrayal and death. Mark explains that this is an on-going conversation as they travel through Galilee (Mark 9:30). Luke condenses the events to reveal the startling realization the disciples experience. They witness Jesus’ glory and power and then hear Jewish leaders will murder Him.
Now, men praise Jesus. Soon, they will kill Him. Judas will betray Him. Peter will deny Him. An unidentified mob will be manipulated into ordering His execution. The civil government tasked with upholding justice will crucify an innocent Man. And the religious leaders will knowingly plan the destruction of the Messiah (Luke 22—23).
Luke alone records Jesus telling the disciples to let His words “sink into your ears.” Jesus is reinforcing God’s words to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration: “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him” (Luke 9:35). The sentiment is not unlike the seeds that fall into the good soil “and grew and yielded a hundredfold” (Luke 8:8). If the disciples would allow Jesus’ warning to penetrate their understanding, they could use the time for great good.
Instead, Luke explains the meaning was “concealed from them” (Luke 9:45). The text isn’t clear as to who or what is doing the concealing. Some think it is the Holy Spirit. Others believe that since the disciples earlier refused to believe the Messiah could die (Luke 9:21–22; Matthew 16:21–23; Mark 8:31–33), they veiled their own hearts from the truth.
Verse 45. But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
The disciples have witnessed greatness and divine power firsthand. Their ears are ringing with the praise and adoration of the crowds (Luke 9:43). Peter, John, and James saw Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah, glowing with the glory of God, and heard God’s voice calling Jesus His Son, affirming Jesus is the Messiah (Luke 9:28–36). Thus far, the Twelve have seen Jesus:
•Heal a man from a distance (Luke 7:1–10).
•Raise a dead man (Luke 7:11–17).
•Calm a storm (Luke 8:22–25).
•Rescue a man from a horde of demons (Luke 8:26–39).
•Raise a dead girl (Luke 8:41–41, 49–56).
•Heal a chronically ill woman (Luke 8:42–49).
•Feed thousands of people with one small lunch (Luke 9:10–17).
•Expel a demon that had spent years trying to kill a boy (Luke 9:37–43).>
All evidence points to Jesus bringing in His great kingdom soon. The problem is that Jesus keeps saying otherwise (Luke 9:44). Christ and the disciples are traveling in Galilee (Mark 9:30). As they go, Jesus reminds them that He is going to be killed and after three days, be raised again (Mark 9:31). The words don’t make sense. The people love Him. He can calm a violent storm with one statement. What could people do to Him?
Matthew mentions the disciples “were greatly distressed” (Matthew 17:23). Mark also mentions that they didn’t understand what Jesus was saying (Mark 9:32). Only Luke mentions “it was concealed from them.” We don’t know why or how. Did the Holy Spirit conceal it from them? Did their own hardened hearts make them unable to understand? Or did the Holy Spirit conceal it because of their hardened hearts—demonstrated by Peter’s reaction when Jesus first broached the topic (Matthew 16:22–23)? Was it simply not time for them to fully understand? Something else?
The problem seems to be a combination of factors. Earlier, when Jesus told the disciples He is going to die (Luke 9:21–22), Peter rebuked Him (Mark 8:31–33). God the Father specifically told Peter, James, and John to listen to Jesus, seemingly inferring they were not sufficiently doing so before (Luke 9:35). Meanwhile, the other nine were struggling with a demon (Luke 9:40) despite the fact Jesus had given them authority over all evil spirits (Luke 9:1). After the resurrection, Jesus will tell His followers on the road to Emmaus that their unbelief proved they were “foolish” and “slow of heart” (Luke 24:25).
Despite everything they have seen and heard, the disciples’ faith is weak (Matthew 17:20). They believe Jesus within their own worldview. When He drifts into areas that do not match their expectations, their ears—and hearts—conceal the truth from them.
Luke’s account continues, showing that the disciples’ hardness of heart is not limited to Jesus’ future. They argue over who is greatest (Luke 9:46–48); try to stop a man from casting out demons in Jesus’ name, an ability Jesus gave them, but they failed at (Luke 9:49–50); and offer to call fire from heaven on an inhospitable village (Luke 9:51–56).
This chapter proves something interesting. When Jesus is present on earth, even His own disciples don’t understand Him or the kingdom of God. He had to leave so the Holy Spirit could indwell His followers and speak truth directly to our hearts (John 14:25–26; 1 Corinthians 2:6–16; Ephesians 1:13–14).
Verse 46. An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.
Luke 9 swings wildly from highs to lows. It begins with the disciples experiencing great victory. They use Jesus’ empowerment to heal, cast out demons, and spread the message of God’s kingdom (Luke 9:1–6). Peter confesses Jesus is the Messiah (Luke 9:18–20). Three of the disciples get to see Jesus’ glory (Luke 9:28–36).
After the transfiguration, however, the disciples lose the narrative. They are defeated by a demon, can’t understand Jesus’ warning about the crucifixion, reject a potential ally, and offer to burn down a village (Luke 9:37–55). In this center story, they argue over who is greatest.
This event takes place in Capernaum, possibly in Andrew and Peter’s house (Mark 9:33). The trip to the house has been marked by two ongoing conversations: Jesus’ coming death and an argument about which of them is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1; Mark 9:31–34).
Luke arranged his stories primarily by theme, not strict chronology. Luke 9:18–50 is a collection of stories wherein Jesus calls the disciples to a deeper followership, and the disciples largely fail. Some time has transpired between Jesus’ exhortation that a follower must “deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow” (Luke 9:23). The awe-inspiring transfiguration was past enough that Peter, James, and John apparently have lost their fear of Jesus’ glory. Yet they remember He is chosen by God and, therefore, will one day rule.
But His rule will not look like the world. Jesus explains that status in God’s kingdom is based on humility, not position. A child has no power and is therefore humble (Matthew 18:4). Seemingly powerless and humbled, Jesus will submit to the hands of men who will kill Him (Luke 9:44). The disciples need to learn to do likewise.
Context Summary
Luke 9:46–48 describes the disciples learning more about following Jesus deeply. Jesus has twice revealed He will be killed (Luke 9:21–22, 44–45). At least once He told the disciples they will need to sacrifice if they want to be associated with Him (Luke 9:23–26). The disciples have missed the point and, instead, argue over personal glory and ranking. Jesus tells them that in God’s kingdom, the one who is least is actually greatest. Jesus will have to readdress the issue right before the crucifixion (Luke 22:24–27). This story is also in Matthew 18:1–6 and Mark 9:33–37.
Verse 47. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side
As Jesus and the disciples travel from the Mount of Transfiguration to Capernaum, they engage in two different conversations. Jesus reminds them of His coming betrayal and crucifixion (Mark 9:30–31). Out of Jesus’ earshot, the disciples argue over which of them will be greatest in God’s kingdom (Matthew 18:1; Mark 9:33).
Scholars are torn as to the significance of Jesus deliberately bringing a child into the conversation. Some say Jesus is reminding the disciples of how He cares for children. They should remember how He saved Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:49–56) and the boy who was tortured by a demon (Luke 9:37–43). He will go on to praise the straightforward trust expressed by children. He will defend them and insist on taking time to value them (Luke 10:21; 17:2; 18:15–17). The disciples might also remember how Jesus cared for the marginalized like the sinful woman (Luke 7:36–50), the man with a legion of demons (Luke 8:26–33), and the woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:43–48). This interpretation certainly aligns with Jesus’ words that, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me” (Luke 9:48).
But Jesus also says, “For he who is least among you all is the one who is great” (Luke 9:48b). Jesus is also talking about the humble estate of children. They have no social or political power. To be great in the kingdom, Jesus’ followers must take on the humble position of a child and serve others (Mark 9:35). Jesus exemplifies this on the cross and gives a practical example when He washes the disciples’ feet (John 13:1–20).
Matthew states that the disciples ask Jesus who would be greatest without mentioning any hesitation (Matthew 18:1). Mark and Luke seem to say that Jesus responds to their thoughts, not their question. It’s possible they remained silent for a time but eventually did ask. James and John’s mother was certainly bold enough (Matthew 20:20–21). Mark and Luke may not have included the disciples’ direct question as a way of continuing to show that Jesus knew and corrected peoples’ thoughts (Luke 5:22; 6:8; 7:39–40). It’s also true that Jesus responded to the heart posture beneath the question, perhaps more so than the question itself (Matthew 18:1–4; Mark 9:33–37).
Mark 9:33 places them in “the house” in Capernaum. The only house mentioned in Capernaum that Jesus stays in is that of Andrew and Peter (Mark 1:29). This child may be related to the brothers.
Verse 48. and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
Andrew and Peter are fishermen who own their own boats. James and John are their partners. Matthew was a tax collector. We don’t know the jobs of the other disciples, but the fact they were able to leave their jobs suggests they were not lower-class slaves or laborers as many in the Roman Empire were. The disciples are roughly middle-class men looking forward to having positions of authority in the court of the renewed Jewish nation. Like many who see the promise of greater things on the horizon, they start preparing by considering where they stand now.
They accept that Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus has affirmed their belief (Luke 9:18–20). Some of Jesus’ teachings, however, create a mental disconnect such that their minds can’t keep up. Several times, Jesus has warned them the religious leaders in Jerusalem are going to kill Him (Luke 9:44). And then, three days later, He’s going to rise again (Luke 9:22). He’s also told them that they must be willing to be crucified and lose their lives to save them (Luke 9:23–25).
Those words don’t make any sense of their expectations. So, they cling to what they can understand: Jesus will be king, and they will reign with Him (Luke 22:30).
In response, Jesus gives more confusing words. To respect children is to respect Jesus. The least will be the greatest. It goes against everything the world tells them.
First, Jesus says that His disciples must “receive” a child. A child has no status or power. She cannot reciprocate honor or favors. Jesus’ followers must be willing to accept and show hospitality to those who cannot repay. To do so is to accept and show hospitality to Jesus and, ultimately, God the Father (Matthew 25:31–40).
Second, Jesus’ followers must endeavor to have the same status as a child. Matthew records, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4). Jesus will demonstrate this attitude when He washes the disciple’s feet (John 13:1–17). This is not a plea for blind faith, but a call to trust based on imperfect knowledge.
In this context, one’s “name” wasn’t sounds and syllables. One’s “name” referred to their character, reputation, and authority. To receive a child “in Jesus’ name” means to treat them as Jesus would: with benevolence and protection (Luke 17:2; 18:15–17). To emulate Jesus in this way demonstrates that the person is a follower of Christ. And since He does the work of His Father (John 14:10), it demonstrates that the person accepts His Father, as well.
This passage is a companion to Luke 9:23–27. In both cases, Jesus tells His disciples to reject what the world values for the sake of their future position in the kingdom of God. Here, it’s worldly status and honor. In the earlier teaching, it’s their lives.
Verse 49. John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.”
Since affirming that Jesus is the Messiah (Luke 9:18–20), witnessing God’s glory and affirmation of Jesus (Luke 9:28–36), and watching the crowds react to His power with amazement (Luke 9:43), the disciples have gotten power-hungry. They can’t understand why Jesus keeps talking about being betrayed and killed (Luke 9:44–45; Mark 9:30–32). They’d rather argue over what positions they’ll have when Jesus comes into His kingdom (Luke 9:46–48).
Jesus has used the example of a child: symbolically and literally the person with the least amount of power and status. He said that those who receive a child receive Him. They will only be great if they humble themselves and accept the powerlessness of a child in the eyes of the world (Luke 9:48). In fact, they need to be willing to give up their very lives (Luke 9:23–26).
Now, they see a man who is not part of the larger group of disciples rescuing people from demon possession. This is something Jesus empowered them to do; they’d experienced success in it (Luke 9:1–6, 10). Recently, however, they found themselves unable to cast out a single demon from a long-tortured boy (Luke 9:38–40). Their failure led Jesus to label them “faithless and twisted,” like the rebellious children of Israel (Luke 9:41; Deuteronomy 32:5).
The disciples are apparently still thinking about worldly power and authority. They don’t seem to care if people are being healed from demonic possession. They seem to want to protect their “brand:” their sense of prestige and identification with godly power. Their hearts seem to say, who cares if he’s helping people; he’s not going through proper channels.
This passage shows the wideness of God’s kingdom. We can’t judge someone just because they’re outside of our church, denomination, or ministry.
This man stands in contrast with the sons of Sceva. When Paul saw success teaching, healing, and casting out demons in Ephesus, seven sons of a Jewish high priest tried the same. They attempted to expel demons by saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims” (Acts 19:13). The evil spirit they confronted responded, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). The demon then proceeded to beat the men, who ran out of the house injured and naked.
The underlying theme of both stories is motives. The sons of Sceva were itinerant Jewish magicians who thought they had found a new money-making power. The disciples didn’t want to share the glory of their position in God’s kingdom. Before we confront anyone we see as a threat to God’s truth, the first thing we should do is consider whether we’re acting out of pride and jealousy.
Context Summary
Luke 9:49–50 records another illustration of what it means to follow Jesus. John tells Jesus about a man unknown to the disciples who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name. He tells Jesus they told the man to stop. Jesus responds that they should let the man be; they don’t have to be so suspicious or prideful. This group of stories shows that to follow Jesus, we need to accept hardship, give up our rights, and have grace with people. Mark 9:38–41 gives a longer account of the disciples’ oversized zeal to defend Jesus’ name.
Verse 50. But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”
The disciples saw a man casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Since they don’t recognize him, they tell him to stop (Luke 9:49). The disciples think they are preparing for the kingdom of God within the kingdom of Israel. Jesus has a much bigger task in mind: the kingdom of God throughout the world in the body of the church.
Jesus’ kingdom is inclusionary. The disciples will be leaders in the church, but they cannot complete the task alone (Luke 10:2). Priscilla and Aquilla knew this when they found Apollos forcefully teaching the parts of Jesus’ story he knew. Instead of declaring him a false teacher, they took him aside and trained him (Acts 18:24–28).
Jesus has shown the disciples how to identify someone who is with Him: they honor the powerless and willingly serve all (Luke 9:48; Mark 9:35). This man, casting out demons when the disciples lost their ability (Luke 9:40), expresses the concern for downtrodden people which Jesus looks for.
By placing this story right after the disciples’ argument over who is greatest (Luke 9:46–48), Luke also sends a message: the disciples still don’t understand their role in God’s kingdom. They think they are protecting Jesus’ “brand:” as if He were a corporate trademark or a patent. In their minds—at least, for now—there’s no room for anyone who isn’t in the inner circle. Paul will later write to the Corinthian church:
For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? – 1 Corinthians 1:11–13a
The disciples will learn that the group is designed to encourage Christ-followers and help them grow, not to protect their precious positions.
We don’t know anything about this man. Apparently, he isn’t a part of the larger group of disciples who periodically travel with Jesus (Luke 10:1–12). He has enough faith in Jesus to expel demons, but we don’t know how much he understands who Jesus is.
This marks the end of the section some Bible scholars call “Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee.” Not all the events occur in Galilee, but this section includes the core of Jesus’ ministry to the crowds, especially the miracles. In Luke 9:51, Jesus “[sets] his face to go to Jerusalem.” Luke’s account shifts into an intense period of Jesus training the disciples for what they can expect in the future. They don’t believe that Jesus will be betrayed and turned over to religious leaders who ensure He meets death on a cross. But they need some foundation when they do finally believe. In addition, they need strong training on what the kingdom of God really is so they will be ready to build the church.
What scholars sometimes refer to as the “Travelogue to Jerusalem” includes stories and teachings to that end (Luke 9:51—19:27). After the travelogue, Luke recounts Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. Luke also wrote the book of Acts to show Theophilus (Acts 1:1–3) how the disciples used Jesus’ teaching. They expanded God’s kingdom through the church from Jerusalem all the way to Rome.
Verse 51. When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
Luke 9:51 is a pivot between two major sections of Luke’s gospel. Jesus’ ministry of outreach is ending. He begins the path to Jerusalem and the cross, though in this verse Luke seems to be referring specifically to Jesus’ ascension when he is “taken up.” Like much of Luke, the stories are not strictly chronological; they are arranged to present a theological flow that illustrates why Jesus must be sacrificed.
The travelogue is filled with teaching and has very few miracles. Compared to the Galilean ministry (Luke 4:14—9:50), few of the stories are repeated in Mark, and almost half are not found in Matthew, either. Highlights include the rejection by the Samaritans (Luke 9:51–56); the ministry of the seventy-two (Luke 10:1–12); the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37); the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1–13); Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem (Luke 13:31–35); the “lost” parables, including the prodigal son (Luke 15); the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31); and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10). The section also records several of Jesus’ teachings about the end times (Luke 10:13–15; 11:29–32; 12:35–48; 13:22–30; 14:15–24; 17:20–37).
These pericopes—sections of a text—are not usually combined into groups, but if they were, they might be ordered as follows:
•Luke 9:52—11:13: The disciples’ often-misguided acceptance of their Messiah and the promised blessings.
•Luke 11:14–54: The Pharisees’ rejection of their Messiah and the promised woes.
•Luke 12:1—13:9: The proper focus in light of the coming of the kingdom of God.
•Luke 13:10–35: A miracle, a message about the kingdom, and a description of salvation.
•Luke 14:1—15:32: A miracle, a message about the kingdom, and descriptions of salvation.
•Luke 16:1—17:10: Examples of misunderstandings about the kingdom.
•Luke 17:11—18:34: A miracle, messages about the kingdom, and stories about salvation.
•Luke 18:35—19:27: A miracle, a story of salvation, and a message about the kingdom.
The next section, what some refer to as “The Presentation,” begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28–40).
Context Summary
Luke 9:51 is a hinge between two major sections of Luke’s gospel. Luke 1:1-4 is the book’s prologue. Luke 1:5—4:13 covers Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s lives before Jesus began His public ministry. Luke 4:14—9:50 records Jesus’ Galilean ministry. Luke 9:52—19:27 is sometimes called “Jesus’ Travelogue to Jerusalem.” Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem,” more than geographically or chronologically, but theologically. Jesus is intent on completing His mission, knowing it is soon time for Him to “be taken up.” Jesus teaches the disciples about the theological implications of what He will accomplish in Jerusalem. Luke 19:28—21:38 explains what happened while Jesus was in Jerusalem before His arrest, and Luke 22:1—24:53 describes the week of Jesus’ crucifixion, which some refer to as the “Passion Narrative.”
Verse 52. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.
In both this segment (Luke 9:51–56) and the next (Luke 9:57–62), Luke highlights the importance of the message and the hardships the messengers will face. Here, the first town rejects a fundamental part of Jesus’ message: that salvation comes from the Jews (John 4:22). Because of that, Jesus and His group must move on to the next town. In the next series of vignettes, potential full-time disciples learn total devotion to Jesus’ message can mean discomfort and estrangement from family.
As Jesus travels south from Galilee to Jerusalem, He takes an unusual route. Many Jews in Galilee preferred the longer trek, crossing the Sea of Galilee or the Jordan River south of it, going along the roads east of the river through Decapolis and Perea, and crossing into Judea near Jericho. The problem with the shorter, easier, and more direct route straight south was that Jews had to pass through Samaria.
The divide between Samaritan and Jew seems to have come during the time of Nehemiah. But the groundwork for the Samaritans becoming a distinct group goes back further. When Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, the priests established the tabernacle—the worship center—in Shiloh. This was within the tribe of Ephraim, which later became the dominant tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel. During the time of the judges, the tribe of Dan established their own place of worship (Judges 18). When David conquered Jerusalem, he made that city the political and religious center, building a tent for the ark of the covenant on Mount Moriah. God confirmed Jerusalem as His chosen city when Solomon built the temple and the priesthood fully transitioned from Shiloh.
Early in the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the nation split (2 Chronicles 10). Jeroboam, the new king of the northern kingdom of Israel, feared his people would want to reunite with the southern kingdom of Judah. To properly worship God, they would have to go to Jerusalem in Judah, where they might grow sentimental and want to reunite the country (1 Kings 12). So, Jeroboam built two altars, one in the south at Bethel and one in the north at Dan. Although Jeroboam did not start the idolatry in the north, he did institutionalize it. Despite overtures by Judah’s king Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30:1), this continued through the time Assyria brought in Gentiles with pagan gods who further diluted God-worship.
Due to Israel’s continued idolatry and rebellion against God, God ordained the nation of Assyria to destroy them. Assyria did not keep conquered people together like Babylon would hundreds of years later. As a way of discouraging victims from unifying and revolting, they spread them throughout their empire, leaving only a remnant in their homeland. Then they moved in people of other conquered nations (2 Kings 17). The “Samaritans” were descendants of the Jewish remnants who intermarried with Gentile immigrants. Their religion was a hodgepodge of Judaism and foreign idolatry.
By the time of Jesus’ ministry, things were even more mixed up. Four hundred years before, around the time of the prophet Malachi, a group of priests left Jerusalem and established a new worship center near Shechem and Mount Gerizim. They created their own sect of Judaism, about which history remembers little. Among the few details retained is that they believed Gerizim, not Jerusalem, was God’s preferred place of worship.
We don’t know what “preparations” refers to. Some say it means the disciples were to arrange for a group to hear Him speak. In Luke’s travelogue (Luke 9:51—19:27), Jesus’ priorities shift away from ministering to crowds. He focuses more on preparing His disciples for His crucifixion and their role in establishing the church. So, it may just mean they are looking for lodging. Then again, we don’t know when this story happened. Luke may have placed this story here not because of chronology but because it illustrates the rejection Jesus faces as He makes His journey to the cross.
Context Summary
Luke 9:52–56 records how a Samaritan village refuses to give Jesus and the disciples hospitality. This was a grievous insult in that time. In response, John and James offer to call down fire from heaven, but Jesus rebukes them. This is the first of several stories in Luke 9:52—11:13 where Jesus corrects the disciples’ idea of what it means that He is Lord. Here, Jesus teaches the disciples they do not need to judge those who reject Jesus.
Verse 53. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
Jesus and the disciples are traveling south, from Galilee through Samaria, and to Jerusalem. Jesus has sent “messengers” ahead to a town in Samaria to “make preparations for him” (Luke 9:52). Perhaps they are to announce that Jesus is coming to teach. Or they may be looking for food and lodging. Whatever their goal, the locals reject them. There are two possible reasons they would do so.
It’s possible the villagers are refusing to listen to Jesus teach. The beliefs of the Samaritans are a combination of Judaism, historic idolatry (1 Kings 12:25–33), imported Assyrian religion (2 Kings 17:24–33), and teachings from a Jewish cult established about four hundred years before Jesus’ birth. As the woman at the well tells Jesus, Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim (John 4:20). Samaritans may fall victim to religious teachers and charlatans who practice magic for money (Acts 8:9), but they reject the idea that Jerusalem is the only place to worship God.
If the villagers are refusing to provide lodging for the group, they are breaking a sacred cultural obligation for hospitality. Yet their reaction is understandable. The religious and ethnic mixture of the Samaritans led to serious civil conflict. This came to a head when John Hyrcanus became high priest. He was the son of one of the Maccabean brothers who fought against Antiochus IV Epiphanes and won a time of political independence for the Jews. In 128 BC, John Hyrcanus attacked the city of Shechem and destroyed the Samaritan temple on Gerizim. So, as Jerusalem is both the religious and political center of the Jews, the Samaritans have political as well as religious reasons to reject Jews.
In Luke’s writings, however, this village is an anomaly. The next villages will accept Jesus (Luke 9:56). Thanks to the testimony of the woman at the well, Jesus will make great inroads in her town of Sychar (John 4:1–42). The blind man who returns to thank Jesus while nine others run off is Samaritan (Luke 17:16). Jesus uses a Samaritan in a parable to exemplify hospitality (Luke 10:33). And after Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, Samaritans will be some of the first to accept Jesus as their savior (Acts 8:4–8, 14–17)—even John will return and preach the gospel throughout Samaria (Acts 8:25).
This is the first pericope—or story—in the section of Luke sometimes referred to as “The Travelogue to Jerusalem.” Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem, as He teaches His disciples to follow Him so they can build the church, starts with rejection. Before He enters what is commonly called the “Passion Week,” Jesus will mourn over the rejection of Jerusalem (Luke 13:31–35). Jesus enters the city with much fanfare, but the religious leaders will tell Him to rebuke the celebrants (Luke 19:39). In a moment, James and John offer to call down fire to destroy the Samaritan village because they reject Jesus (Luke 9:54). They don’t yet understand that the Jewish leadership will not only reject but conspire to kill Jesus.
Verse 54. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
Jesus has sent messengers to a village in Samaria to “make preparations for him” (Luke 9:52). Because Jesus is headed to Jerusalem, the villagers refuse to accommodate their request (Luke 9:53). We don’t precisely know their issue, but it’s probably either religious or political. Religiously, the Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim and do not believe Jerusalem is the proper place to worship God. Politically, about 150 years prior, John Hyrcanus, the chief priest, burned down the Samaritan’s temple. The Samaritans have good reasons to reject Jesus both for His loyalty to Jerusalem and because He’s a Jew. Even so, in a culture in which hospitality was central, this rejection was extremely insulting and even shameful.
And yet, James and John are also caught in the Old Testament mindset. They believe Jesus is the Messiah who will conquer Rome, bring political independence to the Jews, and reign, with the brothers by His side (Mark 10:35–37). They are defending Jesus’ kingdom and the return of Jewish rule: a thought that would strike fear into any Samaritan.
In addition, James and John know the Samaritans do not worship God as they should. The distinction between Samaritans and Jews seems to have come during the time of Nehemiah. Yet the groundwork for that division goes back further. Idolatry was a problem for the people of Israel during the time of judges. It intensified when the northern kingdom of Israel broke off from Solomon’s foolish son, and the new leader established idols to keep his people out of Jerusalem and the temple (1 Kings 12:25–33). Throughout their history, they worshiped more and more foreign gods until God called the Assyrians to destroy them—which introduced even more pagan deities (2 Kings 17:24–33). The Samaritans were descendants of intermarriage between Israelites and Gentiles. They only followed the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and worshipped on Mount Gerizim, believing the temple in Jerusalem, and its priests, to be illegitimate.
James and John can grit their way through the rampant false worship in Samaria. They don’t have the patience for blatant rejection of the Messiah. Their thoughts apparently go back to the northern kingdom’s king Ahaziah who sought the insight of Baal-zebub as to whether he would recover from his injury. Elijah challenged his idolatry and called fire from heaven to destroy his sacrilegious messengers (2 Kings 1).
In that time and place, Elijah’s actions were a proper response. Israel was rejecting their God, whose worship only properly happened in Jerusalem. In this time and place—that described by Luke in this passage—Jesus is preparing His disciples for a new way. His political kingdom will not come yet. In God’s church, His worshipers will abandon Jerusalem and spread throughout the world. It is Jesus they must be faithful to, not Jerusalem. This is why Jesus has already told them that if a town rejects their message of Him, they are to “leave that town [and] shake off the dust from [their] feet as a testimony against them” (Luke 9:5).
James and John’s display is not all bad, however. First, they recognize the great power they have access to. They will need that confidence when they travel and teach that Jesus offers salvation. Second, at least they ask Jesus’ permission, rather than immediately acting on their impulses.
Verse 55. But he turned and rebuked them.
A Samaritan village has rejected Jesus (Luke 9:52–54). The way James and John react in comparison to Jesus is telling. Although the disciples have been commissioned to spread Jesus’ message (Luke 9:2), they do not fully understand it.
They understand that Jesus is the Messiah: He is God’s chosen one who will reign on earth. They understand He has the authority of God in both His actions and His teachings. They understand He has given them some of that authority and that they will reign with Him. And they understand that Jesus condemns anyone who defies Him.
What they have missed is the full context of those truths. Jesus will reign, but not yet (Acts 1:6–7). Jesus does have the authority of God, but He uses it judiciously and in service of the lost. He did give the disciples authority to preach and perform miracles, but He also told them that if no one would hear their message, they were to leave (Luke 9:1–6). Finally, they didn’t quite get that when Jesus castigates people who reject Him, they are always religious leaders who should know better. With lost and confused who respond in ignorance and fear, He shows incredible restraint. Jesus condemns scribes and Pharisees who refuse to see the truth. But their judgment and destruction are set for another time (Revelation 20:11–15). His power to save is a higher priority than His power to rule (2 Peter 3:8–13).
In this chapter, Luke weaves stories together to form interesting contrasts. Among these are the different habits of Jesus and His earliest followers. First, Jesus gives the disciples power to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the arrival of the kingdom of God (Luke 9:1–6). Shortly after, the disciples fail to understand they can feed a crowd (Luke 9:10–17). Luke compares Herod Antipas and the crowds who think Jesus is a prophet (Luke 9:7–9) to the disciples who rightly declare Him the “Christ of God” (Luke 9:18–20). Jesus twice reveals His coming death (Luke 9:21–22, 44–45) and warns that His followers should expect the same treatment (Luke 9:23–27, 57–62). The Twelve argue over who is greatest (Luke 9:46–48), persecute a man who could be a disciple (Luke 9:49–50), and attempt to destroy a village that doesn’t honor them as they think they are due (Luke 9:51–55). Most significantly, Jesus reveals His glory as the Son of God (Luke 9:28–36), then discovers nine disciples together can’t expel a single demon (Luke 9:37–43).
Luke doesn’t reveal Jesus’ frustration with the Twelve like Mark does, but the stories he has put together give us a glimpse of how gracious Jesus is with all of us. Today, we are called to illuminate the truths of God’s Word. We are to explain how those truths compare with the evil and broken systems and fallible individuals around us (1 Peter 3:15–16). We are not called to destroy the lost but to be patient as we call them to repentance.
Verse 56. And they went on to another village.
A Samaritan village refuses to show Jesus hospitality. In defense of Jesus’ honor, James and John offer to call fire down from heaven to consume the people. Jesus rebukes them (Luke 9:50–55).
This is not the first time the disciples have watched Jesus respond to rejection by walking away. When He came to His hometown of Nazareth and read from Isaiah to show that He is the Jewish Messiah, the townspeople wanted to throw Him off a cliff for blasphemy. “But passing through their midst, he went away” (Luke 4:16–30).
On the other side of the Sea of Galilee, in Decapolis, Jesus healed a man of a legion of demons, which resulted in a herd of demonized pigs running down the hill into the sea. When the people realized what Jesus had done, they responded in fear and begged Him to go…so He went (Luke 8:26–39).
Jesus is not afraid to give people time to let His message permeate minds and hearts. We don’t know how many in Nazareth eventually came to a saving faith, but we know Jesus’ brothers did (Acts 1:14). When Jesus left Decapolis, the man He healed stayed behind to tell others what God had done. When Jesus returned to the area, He was met by a crowd of about four thousand men, plus women and children, who wanted to receive His healing and hear His teaching (Matthew 15:32–39; Mark 8:1–10).
As for these specific Samaritans, we don’t know what happens to them. Jesus met a woman in Sychar at Jacob’s well, a town in Samaria; based on her testimony and their own hearing of Jesus, many in her town believed (John 4:1–42). When Jesus heals ten blind men, the only one to turn around and thank Him is a Samaritan (Luke 17:16). And when John is building the church in Jerusalem, he will be called to Samaria to validate the conversion of a great many thanks to the work of Philip. John and Peter will lay their hands on the new believers and stand astonished when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. As they return to Jerusalem, they will preach the gospel in other Samarian towns (Acts 8:4–25).
In these last two stories of Luke 9, we discover that Jesus’ ministry isn’t stagnant. Movement fills the stories. Jesus is going toward Jerusalem; the messengers went to the town; then they went to another town; they were going along the road; a man offered to follow Jesus; two men wanted to go home first before going with Jesus. Jesus does not let rejection discourage Him. He will leave when He is rejected but stay and do good when people are receptive.
When we feel rejected, it’s a good idea to talk it out and find out the reason. But after we do, we can feel free to continue on to the next thing God has planned for us.
Verse 57. As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
The four Gospels give the story of Jesus’ life and ministry to reveal His identity and His message to the writers’ audiences—including us. In doing so, each writer had specific ideas they especially wanted to get across, illustrated by vignettes. All four start with Jesus’ life before His ministry began—Matthew and Luke with His birth, Mark at His baptism, John in eternity past and then at Jesus’ baptism. And they all end with His crucifixion and resurrection. In between those two bookends, the stories often get swapped about and it can be extremely difficult to place the different vignettes in their proper chronological order.
In Luke 9:51, Luke transitions from Jesus’ public ministry, primarily in Galilee. He goes on to focus more on Christ’s private ministry wherein He prepares the disciples for His crucifixion and their task to build the church. This section contains more teaching and fewer miracles. But that doesn’t mean that Luke strictly divided the events.
Luke 9:57–62 records Jesus’ reactions to three would-be disciples. Either they ask to follow Him or He invites them. They seem to agree, perhaps with a condition. Jesus discourages them by revealing a hardship or sacrifice they will face. We don’t know what any of the three eventually decide.
This little group is the last segment in a series of four describing what it means to follow Jesus. First, it requires humility and servanthood over power and authority (Luke 9:46–48). Second, it means faith in Christ over acceptance by other followers (Luke 9:49–50). Third, following Christ requires belief in what He says instead of treasured tradition and cultural identity (Luke 9:51–56). Fourth, being a Jesus-follower demands whole-heartedness and the willingness to sacrifice (Luke 9:57–62).
This last segment written here is not chronological. This is Luke’s masterful weaving of stories to show his greater theme. Matthew explains that at least the first two interactions happened right before Jesus told the disciples to sail across the Sea of Galilee where they fought a storm while Jesus slept (Matthew 8:18–27). Placing the story here may be difficult for westerners who like things orderly and chronological. Jesus is more concerned that we fully understand what it takes to follow Him.
Combining what we read in Matthew and Luke reveals a deeper message in this first encounter, however. Matthew says this man is a scribe—a teacher of the Mosaic law (Matthew 8:19). If Matthew’s placement is chronological, the scribe sees Jesus’ great success as a teacher in Galilee, not the rejection He will face from Samaritans and Jewish leadership. A scribe would learn about the Law and then teach and enforce it. Jesus wants more from a follower. He wants humility, servanthood, faith, and submission. Yet He also wants someone willing to follow Him to the cross (Luke 9:23–26). A person easily discouraged by the idea of financial or social hardship isn’t likely a sincere follower.
Verse 58. And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
A scribe (Matthew 8:19) has told Jesus he will follow Him (Luke 9:57). He has seen Jesus teach and perform miraculous acts of healing to large crowds in Galilee. As this occurs during Jesus’ early ministry, based on Matthew’s account, they are probably in Capernaum, where Jesus regularly stays at Andrew and Peter’s home. The scribe does not know the traveling, rejection, and sacrifice Jesus will endure.
Luke uses this story as a flashback in a series that explains what it means to follow Jesus. In the previous story, a Samaritan town refused to host Jesus (Luke 9:52–56). He does not own a home. He doesn’t even have one to use, as a slave would. Despite His humanity, He does not belong in this world and has no safe place to dwell.
Jesus’ itinerant lifestyle acts like a metaphor for the world’s rejection. Jesus tells the disciples that the world hates Him, so the world will hate the disciples, as well (John 15:18–20). He told them that they will have to be willing to take up their cross and lose their lives if they want to follow Him and receive the reconciliation with God He promises (Luke 9:23–26).
Even so, we shouldn’t think that God has terrible fates or hardships prepared for every Jesus-follower. Nor does He plan for every Christian to give up the comforts of home. After Jesus cast out a group of demons from a man, the man wanted to follow Jesus. The man had wailed in the tombs, torn off his clothes, and gashed his skin with rocks—he wasn’t going to be deterred by the thought of sleeping rough. But Jesus had another plan for him: he was to return to his home and tell everyone how God had freed him. Sometimes following Jesus entails staying where we are (Luke 8:26–39; Mark 5:1–20).
This is one of many times where Jesus refers to Himself with the title Son of Man. It means a human (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 8:4), but readers of Daniel—which would certainly include the scribe—know it has a deeper meaning. “One like the son of man” will receive great honor from the Ancient of Days: “And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13–14). Jesus has no place to lay His head but He owns the entire world and everything on it.
The illustration Jesus uses is later adapted in Plutarch’s account of The Lives of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus 9.5. The quote describes the life of a soldier: “The wild beasts roam over Italy and each one has its own hole or lair, but those who fight and die for Italy have only the light and the air as their portion.” It’s not clear if Plutarch knew of Jesus’ words or if they both used an older proverb.
Verse 59. To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Luke is presenting another flashback to further explain what Jesus requires of His disciples. In the previous example, a scribe wanted to follow Jesus and Jesus told him he would have to give up the luxury of house and bed (Luke 9:57–58; Matthew 8:19). In this case, Jesus personally invites a man to come along with Him.
Culturally, the man’s request is honorable. Caring for one’s parents is a significant tenet both in Judaism and later in Christianity. Scholars debate over what the man means by “burying” his father. If his father has just died and needs to be embalmed and placed in a tomb, the man will be made unclean for a week to fulfill the purification process (Numbers 19:11). If his father is on his deathbed, he’ll have to wait for the death and then perform the purification process. It’s possible, however, the man is referring to the completion of the burial process. When someone died, they were wrapped in aromatic herbs and placed in a tomb. After a year during which the bugs ate the flesh, the bones were removed and placed in an ossuary—a stone box—which was permanently placed in the family tomb.
The man may even have meant, “I want to wait until my father has died,” either to avoid upsetting his family or to simply wait for a more convenient time.
Jesus’ response is scandalous. The man has the responsibility of ensuring his father is properly buried. Jesus tells him: Let someone else do it; following Me takes precedence over even the most honorable family obligation (Luke 9:60). Only the Messiah, the Son of God, could make such a demand.
Matthew identifies this man as “another of the disciples” (Matthew 8:21). We tend to think of the disciples as just the Twelve, but larger groups did periodically travel with Jesus.
Verse 60. And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Jesus has invited one of His casual disciples to follow Him more fully (Luke 9:59; Matthew 8:21). This likely means to come along as He travels around Galilee, healing and preaching. The man has made what seems to be a very reasonable request: that he be allowed to bury his father first (Luke 9:59). If the father has just died, the son will need to prepare the body, place it in a tomb, and go through a week-long cleansing ritual (Numbers 19:11). If the father is on his deathbed, the son will have to wait until he dies and then do the ritual. Or the son may mean he needs to take his father’s bones from the tomb and place them in the family’s more permanent resting place, a process which could take up to a year. He might even mean he wants to wait until after his father’s natural life—however long that might take.
As a son, he has the responsibility and the honor to care for his father’s body. As a disciple, Jesus calls him to a greater purpose. The man needs to let someone else bury his father; he needs to spread the news of the coming of God’s kingdom.
Jesus’ play on words most likely means that the spiritually dead—those who refuse to follow Him—can bury the physically dead; in this case, the spiritually living—the disciple—has more important things to do. Scholars debate as to how literal Jesus is being. Does He really mean that the man should shirk an important family responsibility to travel with Jesus? Is He exaggerating for effect to show how serious this is? Or is He responding to someone whose request is more of an excuse?
We can’t rule out that in this case, Jesus is being literal. Family is important but following Him takes priority. Jesus dismissed His biological family who wished to interrupt His ministry (Luke 8:19–21). He will warn that following Him takes such devotion that family ties look like hatred in comparison (Luke 14:26). And He says that we need to be willing to sacrifice family relationships to be worthy of Him (Matthew 10:34–39).
Jesus will make a similar sacrifice. Alongside burying one’s father, it is the eldest’s son’s responsibility to care for his widowed mother. Jesus can’t do that. Even though He is raised from the dead three days after the crucifixion, forty days later He ascends to heaven. He can’t stay and take care of Mary—He has more important things to do for God’s kingdom. So, He finds another: the apostle John takes Mary into his home as if she were his own mother (John 19:25–27).
Jesus doesn’t require this sacrifice of all of us; family relationships are important. But just as we must be willing to give up our lives for Him (Luke 9:23–24), we need to be able to sacrifice the relationships that give us the most comfort or sense of cultural security.
Verse 61. Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
Much of this chapter describes what Jesus expects in His followers. In Luke 9:57–60, Luke presented two flashbacks from earlier in Jesus’ ministry. In one, a scribe wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus warned him he would have to surrender his creature comforts (Luke 9:57–58; Matthew 8:19–20). In the second, Jesus invited one of His disciples to follow Him more fully. When the man asked to bury his father first, Jesus told him to let someone else do it; he needed to teach the world about God’s coming kingdom (Luke 9:59–60; Matthew 8:21–22).
This last interaction is original to Luke, and we don’t know when it happens. Nor do we know what “saying farewell” to his home means. Surely Jesus would let him run into the house, grab his cloak, and kiss his mom goodbye. There must be some tighter emotional connection we’re not aware of.
What we do know is that Luke has included several allusions to the Old Testament prophet Elijah in this chapter. When Herod Antipas contemplated who Jesus might be, one of the options was the return of Elijah (Luke 9:8)—a sentiment held by some of the people (Luke 9:19). When Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain to reveal His glory, Moses and Elijah met Him there (Luke 9:30). In fact, Luke mentions or alludes to Elijah more than a dozen times from Luke 4:25 through the end of this chapter.
In this case, Jesus and the man resemble Elijah’s call to Elisha. The difference is, Elijah let Elisha say goodbye to his family (1 Kings 19:19–21). Jesus’ strong words may represent the fact that His mission is more important and urgent even than Elijah’s. Or, as with other responses, it might be a way to deflect someone who simply wants an excuse to say, “no thank you.”
Verse 62. Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke has been using short pericopes—segments of a text—to show what Jesus expects from His disciples. Most shockingly, He expects them to accept that He is going to die (Luke 9:43–45). He wants them to live in servanthood, not ambition (Luke 9:46–48). He wants them to recognize an ally, even they are not part of the group (Luke 9:49–50). And He wants them to know when it’s time to peacefully move on (Luke 9:51–56).
In Luke 9:57–62, he includes three short stories about how counter-cultural Jesus-followership is. A scribe may wish to learn from Jesus, but he shouldn’t expect the hospitality and comfort traveling teachers and miracle-workers usually try to elicit from their audience (Luke 9:57–58; Matthew 8:19–20). A nominal disciple of Jesus learns that following Him may require abandoning the deeply rooted responsibilities he has as a family member (Luke 9:59–60; Matthew 8:21–22). Finally, a man who wishes to say farewell to his family learns that Jesus’ mission is too important and urgent for even those delays (Luke 9:61).
Near the end of Elijah’s ministry, God told him to call Elisha to take his place. Elijah found Elisha plowing a field with twelve yoke of oxen and placed his cloak on the younger man’s shoulders. Elisha knew what this meant and asked permission to say goodbye to his parents. With Elijah’s permission, Elisha sacrificed the oxen, boiled the flesh, and threw a party for the people. Only then did Elisha follow Elijah (1 Kings 19:19–21).
In this chapter of Luke, people have speculated that Jesus is the second coming of Elijah (Luke 9:8, 18–19). Unlike Elijah, however, Jesus doesn’t let this man delay his commission. He needs to leave and follow Jesus now, and not look back on his old life, even to say goodbye.
Luke’s point isn’t that this poor man didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to his family. Nor is he saying that a Jesus-follower can lose salvation. It is true that those who look back by returning to their old way of living show signs that they may not have been saved at all. But Peter’s lapse proves that Jesus is willing and able to forgive even the sin of inconsistency (Luke 22:54–62; 24:33–34; John 21:15–19). It is not failure—in the sense of sin—which proves a person is not a follower of Christ, but failure to repent.
Luke is showing that following Jesus is a serious commitment. We can’t look back at the past; we need to keep our eyes on our work and where it will take us in the future. Jesus’ comment about looking back reflects a modern proverb: “you steer where you look.” A person driving a vehicle tends to drift when they take their eyes from the road ahead. If someone is plowing a field and looks back, they will naturally turn and not plow in straight rows. Jesus wants the man to look straight ahead and leave his old life behind.
End of Chapter 9.
Please Note:
The material use in this post, video is from BibleRef.com which is from Got Questions Ministries and is posted here to be read by Immersive reader in the Edge Browser. If you copy this material please follow these rules:
•Content from BibleRef.com may not be used for any commercial purposes, or as part of any commercial work, without explicit prior written consent from Got Questions ministries.
•Any use of our material should be properly credited; please make it clear the content is from BibleRef.com.
•BibleRef.com content may not be altered, modified, or otherwise changed unless such changes are specifically noted.
Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded 
Leave a comment