51 Now
it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He
steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And
as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His
face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this,
they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and
consume them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But
He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know
what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come
to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to
another village.
Commentary
Vs. 51-53 51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.
At this time Jesus knew that His Ascension (i.e. the time for His returning to heaven had come), however first He must be rejected and betrayed by the Jews and their leaders and the then be Crucified to death through the will and order of both the Jews and the Gentiles; before rising from the dead three days later. And so, Jesus now sets His face to go to Jerusalem. Previously He had “visited” it. But now He sets His face to go there, knowing what awaits Him there this time is His destiny with the Cross. Now Jesus sent some messengers before Him to prepare for Him when He arrived in Jerusalem. And so, as they went, they entered a Samaritan village which when they heard it was Jesus, and that He was going to Jerusalem that they did not receive Him, because Jesus’ face was set on going to Jerusalem (vs. 53). Thus, God was directing not only Jesus’ steps, but also the Samaritans, so as not to hinder Him on His way to Jerusalem.
Vs. 54-56 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
Now when the brothers James and John saw that the Samaritans did not receive Jesus, they became indignant, and said to Jesus: “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” (Vs. 54). However, when Jesus heard that He turned and rebuked them and said: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
Now the reason Jesus so strongly rebuked them is that His whole mortal life and purpose for being here on earth was to save people, not destroy people, and that is the whole point of His now setting His face to go to Jerusalem to be willingly Crucified for us all, so that He can save everyone who believes in Him from eternal destruction (John 3:16). The time of Judgment then does not come while men and woman are living, not matter how wrong or wicked they are, but only when people are deceased, until then the door of salvation remains open to everyone in every place to come and enter the Kingdom of God by God’s grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:9). And so it was when that Samaritan village did not receive them they went to another (vs. 56).
Scripture Quotations
Commentary
Vs. 51-53 51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.
At this time Jesus knew that His Ascension (i.e. the time for His returning to heaven had come), however first He must be rejected and betrayed by the Jews and their leaders and the then be Crucified to death through the will and order of both the Jews and the Gentiles; before rising from the dead three days later. And so, Jesus now sets His face to go to Jerusalem. Previously He had “visited” it. But now He sets His face to go there, knowing what awaits Him there this time is His destiny with the Cross. Now Jesus sent some messengers before Him to prepare for Him when He arrived in Jerusalem. And so, as they went, they entered a Samaritan village which when they heard it was Jesus, and that He was going to Jerusalem that they did not receive Him, because Jesus’ face was set on going to Jerusalem (vs. 53). Thus, God was directing not only Jesus’ steps, but also the Samaritans, so as not to hinder Him on His way to Jerusalem.
Vs. 54-56 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
Now when the brothers James and John saw that the Samaritans did not receive Jesus, they became indignant, and said to Jesus: “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” (Vs. 54). However, when Jesus heard that He turned and rebuked them and said: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
Now the reason Jesus so strongly rebuked them is that His whole mortal life and purpose for being here on earth was to save people, not destroy people, and that is the whole point of His now setting His face to go to Jerusalem to be willingly Crucified for us all, so that He can save everyone who believes in Him from eternal destruction (John 3:16). The time of Judgment then does not come while men and woman are living, not matter how wrong or wicked they are, but only when people are deceased, until then the door of salvation remains open to everyone in every place to come and enter the Kingdom of God by God’s grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:9). And so it was when that Samaritan village did not receive them they went to another (vs. 56).
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson
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