Bible Commentaries

Teacher! Look, I beg you, at my son. For the healing of this boy with an evil spirit, see notes on Matthew 17:14-21.

Don't forget what I am about to tell you. For this second announcement of his death, see notes on Matthew 17:22-23.

As to which one of them was the greatest. See notes on Matthew 18:1-6. John spoke up. See notes on John's statement in Mark 9:38-40.

As the days drew near. The time when he must suffer and die. Set out on his way to Jerusalem. He knew what he must face there, but he has made up his mind, and will do as God wants him to do. It is impossible to know the exact time frame here. This seems to be still early in Jesus' public ministry. Luke must intend to show that Jesus was aware of the Cross long before he came to it, and that this Cross fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. Compare Luke 24:25-26. He sent messengers ahead of him. To find a place to stay for the night. Went into a Samaritan village. Josephus says the Galileans usually went through Samaria on their way to Jerusalem for the Feasts. The Samaritans and the Jews hated each other.

Would not receive him. The reason given for this is that it was plain he was going to Jerusalem. Perhaps if he had planned to stay there and teach and heal, they would have received him. Lord, do you want us to call fire down? To refuse to receive a religious teacher was considered the same as rejecting his teaching. The two "Men of Thunder" (Mark 3:17) are ready to destroy the whole village. Religious enthusiasm has caused people to sin by persecuting others. [But compare Elijah, 2 Kings 2:9-12.]

Jesus turned and rebuked them. He had not come to destroy, but to save! [A few manuscripts add: "You don't know what kind of Spirit you belong to; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. "]

A certain man said to Jesus. This must have happened many times. See notes on Matthew 8:18-22. Matthew identifies this man as a teacher of the Law. I will follow you. That Matthew 10:23). Jesus tests this man's sincerity by pointing out the hardships. Jesus had no permanent home, and often spent the night out in the open. He said to another man. A disciple. See note on Matthew 8:21. Let the dead bury their own dead. This disciple may have been an apostle who wanted to stay with his father until his father's death. Preaching the Kingdom of God has the very highest priority. Let the world take care of its own duties. And then keeps looking back. This was not just "saying good-bye" to his family. This man feels he cannot leave his family. A believer, ready to be buried with Christ in baptism, who goes home to talk it over with unbelieving relatives, has a good chance of being talked out of doing it. See Matthew 10:34-39 and notes there.