Luke 9:51-62
51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53 but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 Then they went on to another village.
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Jesus' Way
St. Luke's Gospel contains three main sections --
Infancy Narrative 1:1 - 2:52
Ministry in Galilee 3:1 - 9:50
Ministry in Jerusalem, Passion and Resurrection 9:51 - 24:53
Before starting His ministry in Galilee, Jesus overcomes evil temptations in Luke 4:1-13. After His Transfiguration, He ends His ministry in Galilee by expelling an evil spirit from a young man, Luke 9:37-43.
In our Gospel for today, Luke 9:51 begins the third section of His Gospel. Jesus is determined to start His ministry in Jerusalem to fulfill human redemption and salvation through His Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection.
Three roads are still used to go up from Galilee to Jerusalem: the Patriarchs Road through Samaria; the Coastal Road through Caesarea-Jaffa; and the rift road going through Jericho. This time the Samaritans, who are hostile to the Jews, refuse to let Jesus and His disciples cross into their territory (vv. 53-54).
In verse 54, James and John offer to bring fire down from heaven to consume those who go against them. We, too, tend to burn or destroy our opponents when Jesus wants us to keep the door open for love and repentance.
The two brothers James and John, who Jesus calls "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17) seem to have strong and impulsive characters. They want to punish the Samaritans with burning fire coming down from heaven but, thanks be to God, they have to obtain Jesus' approval first. Jesus' reaction is to rebuke them for such thoughts (v. 55). "He did not come to condemn but to save," John 12:47.
Jesus refuses violence against those who don't accept Him or have different views, or even try to hurt Him. He distinguishes between evil and its perpetrator, leaving an open gate for repentance, and giving the offender time to return to themself and to God. "Take another way" says the Syriac-Aramaic version, another road and another approach to the issue. Jesus takes the rift way passing by Jericho.
On the way, a gentleman wants to follow Jesus, but he has other priorities before becoming a disciple. Continuing their way up to Jerusalem, they meet many who want to follow Jesus, but they present their excuses for why they are delaying their commitment. Among them is the man who wants to bury his father. Jesus' response to him in Syriac-Aramaic is "Let the mortals bury their dead" (v. 60).
Jesus uses a metaphoric and popular example by saying,"No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God." A farmer who starts to plow his field should concentrate and look ahead to keep the good direction, the furrow intact and straight. Looking back, he will lose his direction and distort the work.
Either you choose or you refrain from it. "But first let me do this or that" doesn't work with Jesus. Discipleship requires mature choices, commitment and continuity. Being Jesus' disciples today, we are expected to take His way of nonviolence, no revenge, distinguish between evil and its perpetrator, leaving an open window for repentance.
When we are asked to do something in His Name, let us give it priority and commitment without saying, "I would like to but first..." Let our commitment first be given to Christ the Lord. This is the best way that leads to His Kingdom.