Luke 9:1-62
1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3 And he said unto them,Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
13 But he said unto them,Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples,Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying,Whom say the people that I am?
19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
20 He said unto them,But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;
22 Saying,The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
23 And he said to them all,If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings,a he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
37 And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.
38 And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.
39 And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.
40 And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.
41 And Jesus answering said,O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.
43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
48 And said unto them,Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
50 And Jesus said unto him,Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him,Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another,Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him,Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him,No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:1. He called his twelve disciples together, privately, it would seem, and gave them power and authority to preach, and to heal diseases. Those powers must go together as was foretold in Isaiah 35. This divine commission was ground of confidence to all thus sent into the world. A minister of Christ without ministerial powers, would be like an ambassador at a foreign court without instructions. They have the keys of the church for the admission of converts, and power to deny the sacramental bread to profane persons; yea, by faith and prayer, they have power to shut and open heaven. Revelation 11:1.
Luke 9:13. Give ye them to eat. See note on John 6:5.
Luke 9:23. If any man will come after me. See on Mark 8:34.
Luke 9:31. And spake of his decease: εξοδον, departure. See on Matthew 17:3. On what else should prophets speak, but of the accomplishment of prophecy? This vision gave the apostles rank with the first of seers.
Luke 9:38. Look upon my son. See note on Mark 9:17.
Luke 9:47. Jesus took a child, and set him by him. The narrative is more fully related in Matthew 18:3.
Luke 9:55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. When our Saviour was going to keep the passover at Jerusalem his company became great, and it was necessary for the villagers to be apprized that they might make larger preparations to lodge the worshippers. But by keeping the passover at Jerusalem the Samaritans supposed that Jesus decided their old controversy in favour of the Jews, and that his popularity would for ever fix the decision. This stirred up the animosity of their hearts not to receive him: and one wrong spirit being apt to produce another, it stirred up a spirit of vengeance in the breasts of the two brothers, James and John. Here we have to lament the bigotry of the human heart, which in all ages has been the disgrace of religion. It were indeed to be wished that the church of Christ was one in doctrine, in discipline, and communion in all nations, and genuine piety endeavours to make it so; but where pride and partiality prevail it cannot be. The church of Rome says she has effected this unity, and condemned the whole christian world which does not bow to Rome; and yet she never could be united within her own pale. Her schisms and controversies have subjected her to far greater inconveniences than protestant nations ever sustained from their religious sects. Besides, much good results from several religious denominations sharing in the worship of the nation. They vie with one another in preaching and in living; and they afford the human mind, impelled by instinct to love variety, an opportunity of cordially embracing those tenets and that mode of worship, which seem most congenial to its view. Yes, and where the government is wise, alike to protect the whole, they rival one another in loyalty and public spirit.
As to the peculiar tenets of religious sects, the weak minds of men are very much in the power of the books they read, and the doctrines they hear. A habit of listening to certain doctrines settles a kind of conviction on the mind, that we really cannot help our religious views. It is only the giants in intellect and genius that can trace all doctrines to their source, and distinguish error from truth. Hence our mental errors claim the same compassion as blindness and lameness in the body. Hence also the justness of our Lord's rebuke of James and John, when they wished to consume a small town with fire from heaven, which simply rejected but did not persecute their master. This proposed vengeance was greater than the fault; it would have destroyed them in their sins, and left no time for repentance. Many of the Samaritans afterwards embraced the gospel, and the district abounded with churches. Acts 9:31. But this improper zeal would have frustrated all the glory which followed.
Mark how they sheltered this zeal under the high example of Elijah, who did indeed twice destroy fifty men. But this was under a most daring spirit of persecution, and these men were destroyed to save a nation from idolatry and error. The circumstances therefore were very dissimilar; and the two zealous brothers, by asking their master first, teach us that severity in such cases should never be indulged.
The rebuke which Jesus gave those brothers is highly instructive. Ye know not your spirit. It was a spirit of rash and unsanctified revenge; and the more dangerous, as they thought it was of God. And surely there is no truth more strongly and clearly demonstrated than that the persecutors of the church have been actuated by a wrong spirit. Posterity has therefore branded their memory as infamous. They have destroyed or banished the most peaceful subjects of the nation; they have caused their manufacturers to emigrate, and ultimately brought a recoil of vengeance from heaven on themselves, and on their less offending children. Let us therefore, instead of persecuting one another, cultivate the opposite virtues of harmony, peace and love, so shall we have joy at the appearing of our common Lord. See on Mark 9:38.
REFLECTIONS.
In addition to former reflections on the subjects contained in this chapter, we would stay a moment on the three cases which fell short of conversion. The first is that of a scribe acquainted with the law, as in Matthew 8:19. Touched with the glory of the Saviour's words and works, he offered to become his disciple before he had counted the cost, and all the sacrifices which ministers must make for the salvation of souls. A scholar, educated in all the softer habits of life, to fare hard, to work hard, and to sleep hard, are irksome habits to flesh and blood.
The second was willing to follow, but he had obsequies first to pay to his father's remains; and while doing these, and discharging his executive duties, his good desires might die away.
The third asked time to bid farewel to his relatives, whom he would find hostile to his novel views, and determined to oppose his change of heart and life. In all these cases, religion was only secondary. Therefore the farms and the merchandise would divert them from following the Saviour; whereas, religion should ever be the predominant principle of the heart.