You Will Be Offended

I think we took his fork from him.
Absolutely shattered!

Scripture:

Luke 9:51   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.

Observation:

If this were a play, Luke would be pulling up the curtain on the second act. There is movement here, a journey from Galilee to Jerusalem and along the way Jesus and the disciples will travel and discover God’s love for the outcast. 

Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” He knew what was to come next, and that he was to suffer in Jerusalem. The three disciples had been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and had overheard the conversation about departing from Jerusalem. This was a part of the plan but it would take time to get there. 

It was not uncommon for the Jews to travel through Samaria. Some have suggested that they would go around this region but that was out of their way. It was already a three-day walking journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. They would need to stop and find a place to rest for the night. 

Jesus tells the disciples to go ahead of him into a village and get a place ready for him. Considering all that Jesus had taught about hospitality, this is an interesting scene. They were not received hospitably, but Luke says this is because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. There is something in the lack of hospitality that is a part of the lesson for the disciples. This has to do with the culmination of the trip which would be Jesus’ death and resurrection. Along the way, Jesus would be rejected and offended by the behavior of people. However, the disciples would eventually find themselves as ones who would offend Jesus. Just think of Peter’s denial of Christ. 

The disciples were offended by the response, and from a scene in the Old Testament, want to know if they can call down fire and brimstone to burn up these people. Jesus would constantly be offended, and so would his disciples. If they were to destroy everyone who offended them, there would be very few people left. God’s love is on display, for he will reveal to them that even the Samaritans whom they despise, will be offered salvation. 

Cyril of Alexandria would say: “He did this so they might learn that as ministers of the divine tidings, they must rather be full of long-suffering and gentleness, not revengeful. They must not be given to wrath or savagely attack those who offend them” (COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 56). This is what it would mean to be a disciple. He would go on to say that Jesus “rather persuaded them to be patient and to cherish a mind that is unmovable by anything like this.”

Application:

There is so much in life that can be offensive, and it’s easy to get our feelings hurt. Jesus really gets into practical application with his disciples and sometimes the lessons are pretty uncomfortable. I’m afraid we might be right there with them, wanting to call down fire and brimstone on those who are not gracious to Christians or to the church. 

In this world there are many people who will treat Christianity as though it were a pariah. More and more people in the United States are biblically illiterate and view Christians as unloving and intolerant people. As Christianity becomes increasingly counter-cultural (not because Christianity is changing, but because the morals of our world are), we will be offended. The point is that we are not supposed to be easily offended, by people inside or outside of the church. Divine judgment is to be in the hands of God. 

Maybe we ought to be comforted by the fact that disciples will be offended, but through this experience we are to learn about God’s great love. We are caught in the crosshairs of God’s great love for us and the world. Just think how often we have offended our Lord, and then reflect on the patience we ought to have with others. Finger-pointing and continual criticism is the modern day version of calling down brimstone and fire. As a disciple, understand that you will be offended, but your response to that offense will help you to become more like Christ. 

Prayer:

Lord, there is so much for me to learn. Help me to follow you faithfully and journey with you to Jerusalem and beyond. Amen.