Tuesday, July 14, 2020

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 9:51-56 comments: the Samaritan village spared


Luke 9:51 ¶  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.

The disciples expressed their all too human ambition for status in the previous passage. They wanted to hold back others, not of their group, who were preaching in Christ’s name. Now, they want to kill those who do not welcome Christ. These Samaritans and the Jews were in conflict over where they were to worship which resulted in them refusing to receive Christ after He diplomatically sent messengers to alert them of His coming thereby invoking the wrath of His followers. They knew He was headed to Jerusalem and their worship was focused on Samaria. Note the following when Jesus came to Sychar, a city of Samaria and the woman at the well was speaking to Him. Another village will be blessed instead with the Saviour’s presence.

John 4:20  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.


Reminds me of the history of political Christianity throughout Europe and the Middle East for two thousand years. Supposed Christians lobbied for power and privilege using the faith as an excuse or platform for power and murder. They closed ranks and persecuted other Christians who did not do things exactly their way or acknowledge their authority. They killed, to the tune of millions, other non-conforming believers and non-Christians.

Christ condemned all of that, the persecution of people who did not fall in line with what we perceive as doctrinal truth and those not of our own denomination. He condemned not only the persecution but the murder that has been such a prominent part of the history of religion. Remember the tares? God will deal what is wrong at the end. I do not say we should fellowship with error but physical persecution is not Christian.

The reference to Elias, Elijah from the Hebrew, can be found in 2Kings, chapter 1.

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