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Matthew 17

Chapter 17

The Transfiguration of Jesus.^[a] ¹^(A)After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.^[b] ²^[c]^(B)And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. ³^[d]And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. ⁴Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents^[e] here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵^(C)While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,^[f] then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” ⁶^[g]When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” ⁸And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

The Coming of Elijah.^[h] ⁹^(D)As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision^[i] to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” ¹⁰^[j]^(E)Then the disciples asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹^(F)He said in reply,^[k] “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; ¹²^(G)but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” ¹³^[l]Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

The Healing of a Boy with a Demon.^[m] ¹⁴^(H)When they came to the crowd a man approached, knelt down before him, ¹⁵and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic^[n] and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water. ¹⁶I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” ¹⁷^(I)Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse^[o] generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him here to me.” ¹⁸Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,^[p] and from that hour the boy was cured. ¹⁹Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” ²⁰^[q]^(J)He said to them, “Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” [²¹]^[r]

The Second Prediction of the Passion.^[s] ²²^(K)As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, ²³and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed with grief.

Payment of the Temple Tax.^[t] ²⁴^(L)When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax^[u] approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” ²⁵“Yes,” he said.^[v] When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” ²⁶^[w]When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. ²⁷But that we may not offend them,^[x] go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”

Footnotes

17:1–8 The account of the transfiguration confirms that Jesus is the Son of God (Mt 17:5) and points to fulfillment of the prediction that he will come in his Father’s glory at the end of the age (Mt 16:27). It has been explained by some as a resurrection appearance retrojected into the time of Jesus’ ministry, but that is not probable since the account lacks many of the usual elements of the resurrection-appearance narratives. It draws upon motifs from the Old Testament and noncanonical Jewish apocalyptic literature that express the presence of the heavenly and the divine, e.g., brilliant light, white garments, and the overshadowing cloud.
17:1 These three disciples are also taken apart from the others by Jesus in Gethsemane (Mt 26:37). A high mountain: this has been identified with Tabor or Hermon, but probably no specific mountain was intended by the evangelist or by his Marcan source (Mk 9:2). Its meaning is theological rather than geographical, possibly recalling the revelation to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 24:12–18) and to Elijah at the same place (1 Kgs 19:8–18; Horeb = Sinai).
17:2 His face shone like the sun: this is a Matthean addition; cf. Dn 10:6. His clothes became white as light: cf. Dn 7:9, where the clothing of God appears “snow bright.” For the white garments of other heavenly beings, see Rev 4:4; 7:9; 19:14.
17:3 See note on Mk 9:5.
17:4 Three tents: the booths in which the Israelites lived during the feast of Tabernacles (cf. Jn 7:2) were meant to recall their ancestors’ dwelling in booths during the journey from Egypt to the promised land (Lv 23:39–42). The same Greek word, skēnē, here translated tents, is used in the LXX for the booths of that feast, and some scholars have suggested that there is an allusion here to that liturgical custom.
17:5 Cloud cast a shadow over them: see note on Mk 9:7. This is my beloved Son…listen to him: cf. Mt 3:17. The voice repeats the baptismal proclamation about Jesus, with the addition of the command listen to him. The latter is a reference to Dt 18:15 in which the Israelites are commanded to listen to the prophet like Moses whom God will raise up for them. The command to listen to Jesus is general, but in this context it probably applies particularly to the preceding predictions of his passion and resurrection (Mt 16:21) and of his coming (Mt 16:27, 28).
17:6–7 A Matthean addition; cf. Dn 10:9–10, 18–19.
17:9–13 In response to the disciples’ question about the expected return of Elijah, Jesus interprets the mission of the Baptist as the fulfillment of that expectation. But that was not suspected by those who opposed and finally killed him, and Jesus predicts a similar fate for himself.
17:9 The vision: Matthew alone uses this word to describe the transfiguration. Until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead: only in the light of Jesus’ resurrection can the meaning of his life and mission be truly understood; until then no testimony to the vision will lead people to faith.
17:10 See notes on Mt 3:4; 16:14.
17:11–12 The preceding question and this answer may reflect later controversy with Jews who objected to the Christian claims for Jesus that Elijah had not yet come.
17:13 See Mt 11:14.
17:14–20 Matthew has greatly shortened the Marcan story (Mk 9:14–29). Leaving aside several details of the boy’s illness, he concentrates on the need for faith, not so much on the part of the boy’s father (as does Mark, for Matthew omits Mk 9:22b–24) but on that of his own disciples whose inability to drive out the demon is ascribed to their little faith (Mt 17:20).
17:15 A lunatic: this description of the boy is peculiar to Matthew. The word occurs in the New Testament only here and in Mt 4:24 and means one affected or struck by the moon. The symptoms of the boy’s illness point to epilepsy, and attacks of this were thought to be caused by phases of the moon.
17:17 Faithless and perverse: so Matthew and Luke (Lk 9:41) against Mark’s faithless (Mk 9:19). The Greek word here translated perverse is the same as that in Dt 32:5 LXX, where Moses speaks to his people. There is a problem in knowing to whom the reproach is addressed. Since the Matthean Jesus normally chides his disciples for their little faith (as in Mt 17:20), it would appear that the charge of lack of faith could not be made against them and that the reproach is addressed to unbelievers among the Jews. However in Mt 17:20b (if you have faith the size of a mustard seed), which is certainly addressed to the disciples, they appear to have not even the smallest faith; if they had, they would have been able to cure the boy. In the light of Mt 17:20b the reproach of Mt 17:17 could have applied to the disciples. There seems to be an inconsistency between the charge of little faith in Mt 17:20a and that of not even a little in Mt 17:20b.
17:18 The demon came out of him: not until this verse does Matthew indicate that the boy’s illness is a case of demoniacal possession.
17:20 The entire verse is an addition of Matthew who (according to the better attested text) omits the reason given for the disciples’ inability in Mk 9:29. Little faith: see note on Mt 6:30. Faith the size of a mustard seed…and it will move: a combination of a Q saying (cf. Lk 17:6) with a Marcan saying (cf. Mk 11:23).
17:21 Some manuscripts add, “But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting”; this is a variant of the better reading of Mk 9:29.
17:22–23 The second passion prediction (cf. Mt 16:21–23) is the least detailed of the three and may be the earliest. In the Marcan parallel the disciples do not understand (Mk 9:32); here they understand and are overwhelmed with grief at the prospect of Jesus’ death (Mt 17:23).
17:24–27 Like Mt 14:28–31 and Mt 16:16b–19, this episode comes from Matthew’s special material on Peter. Although the question of the collectors concerns Jesus’ payment of the temple tax, it is put to Peter. It is he who receives instruction from Jesus about freedom from the obligation of payment and yet why it should be made. The means of doing so is provided miraculously. The pericope deals with a problem of Matthew’s church, whether its members should pay the temple tax, and the answer is given through a word of Jesus conveyed to Peter. Some scholars see here an example of the teaching authority of Peter exercised in the name of Jesus (see Mt 16:19). The specific problem was a Jewish Christian one and may have arisen when the Matthean church was composed largely of that group.
17:24 The temple tax: before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in A.D. 70 every male Jew above nineteen years of age was obliged to make an annual contribution to its upkeep (cf. Ex 30:11–16; Neh 10:33). After the destruction the Romans imposed upon Jews the obligation of paying that tax for the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. There is disagreement about which period the story deals with.
17:25 From their subjects or from foreigners?: the Greek word here translated subjects literally means “sons.”
17:26 Then the subjects are exempt: just as subjects are not bound by laws applying to foreigners, neither are Jesus and his disciples, who belong to the kingdom of heaven, bound by the duty of paying the temple tax imposed on those who are not of the kingdom. If the Greek is translated “sons,” the freedom of Jesus, the Son of God, and of his disciples, children (“sons”) of the kingdom (cf. Mt 13:38), is even more clear.
17:27 That we may not offend them: though they are exempt (Mt 17:26), Jesus and his disciples are to avoid giving offense; therefore the tax is to be paid. A coin worth twice the temple tax: literally, “a stater,” a Greek coin worth two double drachmas. Two double drachmas were equal to the Jewish shekel and the tax was a half-shekel. For me and for you: not only Jesus but Peter pays the tax, and this example serves as a standard for the conduct of all the disciples.

Mark 9

Chapter 9

¹^[a]^(A)He also said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come in power.”

The Transfiguration of Jesus.^[b] ²After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.^(B) And he was transfigured before them, ³and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. ⁴Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. ⁵^[c]Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. ⁷Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;^[d] then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” ⁸Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

The Coming of Elijah.^[e] ⁹As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.^(C) ¹⁰So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant. ¹¹^(D)Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹²He told them, “Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt? ¹³But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”^(E)

The Healing of a Boy with a Demon.^[f] ¹⁴When they came to the disciples,^(F) they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. ¹⁶He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. ¹⁸Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.” ¹⁹He said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth. ²¹Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. ²²It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ²³Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” ²⁴Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” ²⁵Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” ²⁶Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!” ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. ²⁸When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive it out?” ²⁹^[g]He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

The Second Prediction of the Passion. ³⁰^(G)They left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it.^(H) ³¹He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death he will rise.” ³²But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.

IV. The Full Revelation of the Mystery

The Greatest in the Kingdom.^[h] ³³They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”^(I) ³⁴But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. ³⁵Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”^(J) ³⁶Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, ³⁷“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”^(K)

Another Exorcist.^[i] ³⁸John said to him,^(L) “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” ³⁹Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. ⁴⁰For whoever is not against us is for us.^(M) ⁴¹Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.^(N)

Temptations to Sin. ⁴²^(O)“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna,^[j] into the unquenchable fire. [⁴⁴]^[k] ⁴⁵And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. [⁴⁶] ⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, ⁴⁸where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’^(P)

The Simile of Salt. ⁴⁹^[l]“Everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”^(Q)

Footnotes

9:1 There are some standing…come in power: understood by some to refer to the establishment by God’s power of his kingdom on earth in and through the church; more likely, as understood by others, a reference to the imminent parousia.
9:2–8 Mark and Mt 17:1 place the transfiguration of Jesus six days after the first prediction of his passion and death and his instruction to the disciples on the doctrine of the cross; Lk 9:28 has “about eight days.” Thus the transfiguration counterbalances the prediction of the passion by affording certain of the disciples insight into the divine glory that Jesus possessed. His glory will overcome his death and that of his disciples; cf. 2 Cor 3:18; 2 Pt 1:16–19. The heavenly voice (Mk 9:7) prepares the disciples to understand that in the divine plan Jesus must die ignominiously before his messianic glory is made manifest; cf. Lk 24:25–27. See further the note on Mt 17:1–8.
9:5 Moses and Elijah represent, respectively, law and prophecy in the Old Testament and are linked to Mount Sinai; cf. Ex 19:16–20:17; 1 Kgs 19:2, 8–14. They now appear with Jesus as witnesses to the fulfillment of the law and the prophets taking place in the person of Jesus as he appears in glory.
9:7 A cloud came, casting a shadow over them: even the disciples enter into the mystery of his glorification. In the Old Testament the cloud covered the meeting tent, indicating the Lord’s presence in the midst of his people (Ex 40:34–35) and came to rest upon the temple in Jerusalem at the time of its dedication (1 Kgs 8:10).
9:9–13 At the transfiguration of Jesus his disciples had seen Elijah. They were perplexed because, according to the rabbinical interpretation of Mal 3:23–24, Elijah was to come first. Jesus’ response shows that Elijah has come, in the person of John the Baptist, to prepare for the day of the Lord. Jesus must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt (Mk 9:12) like the Baptist (Mk 9:13); cf. Mk 6:17–29.
9:14–29 The disciples’ failure to effect a cure seems to reflect unfavorably on Jesus (Mk 9:14–18, 22). In response Jesus exposes their lack of trust in God (Mk 9:19) and scores their lack of prayer (Mk 9:29), i.e., of conscious reliance on God’s power when acting in Jesus’ name. For Matthew, see note on Mt 17:14–20. Lk 9:37–43 centers attention on Jesus’ sovereign power.
9:29 This kind can only come out through prayer: a variant reading adds “and through fasting.”
9:33–37 Mark probably intends this incident and the sayings that follow as commentary on the disciples’ lack of understanding (Mk 9:32). Their role in Jesus’ work is one of service, especially to the poor and lowly. Children were the symbol Jesus used for the anawim, the poor in spirit, the lowly in the Christian community.
9:38–41 Jesus warns against jealousy and intolerance toward others, such as exorcists who do not follow us. The saying in Mk 9:40 is a broad principle of the divine tolerance. Even the smallest courtesies shown to those who teach in Jesus’ name do not go unrewarded.
9:43, 45, 47 Gehenna: see note on Mt 5:22.
9:44, 46 These verses, lacking in some important early manuscripts, are here omitted as scribal additions. They simply repeat Mk 9:48 itself a modified citation of Is 66:24.
9:49 Everyone will be salted with fire: so the better manuscripts. Some add “every sacrifice will be salted with salt.” The purifying and preservative use of salt in food (Lv 2:13) and the refinement effected through fire refer here to comparable effects in the spiritual life of the disciples of Jesus.

Luke 9:28-62

²⁸^(A)About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.^[a] ²⁹While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. ³⁰And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,^[b] ³¹^[c]^(B)who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. ³²Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory^[d] and the two men standing with him.^(C) ³³As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents,^[e] one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. ³⁴^[f]While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. ³⁵^[g]^(D)Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” ³⁶After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time^[h] tell anyone what they had seen.

The Healing of a Boy with a Demon.^[i] ³⁷^(E)On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸There was a man in the crowd who cried out, “Teacher, I beg you, look at my son; he is my only child. ³⁹For a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams and it convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it releases him only with difficulty, wearing him out. ⁴⁰I begged your disciples to cast it out but they could not.” ⁴¹Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you and endure you? Bring your son here.” ⁴²As he was coming forward, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion; but Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and returned him to his father. ⁴³And all were astonished by the majesty of God.

The Second Prediction of the Passion.^(F) While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴“Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” ⁴⁵But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

The Greatest in the Kingdom.^(G) ⁴⁶^[j]An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.^(H) ⁴⁷Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side ⁴⁸and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”^(I)

Another Exorcist.^(J) ⁴⁹Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” ⁵⁰Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

V. The Journey to Jerusalem: Luke’s Travel Narrative^[k]

Departure for Jerusalem; Samaritan Inhospitality. ⁵¹^[l]When the days for his being taken up^[m] were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,^(K) ⁵²^[n]and he sent messengers ahead of him.^(L) On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, ⁵³but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. ⁵⁴When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”^(M) ⁵⁵Jesus turned and rebuked them, ⁵⁶and they journeyed to another village.

The Would-be Followers of Jesus.^[o] ⁵⁷^(N)As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” ⁵⁹And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “[Lord,] let me go first and bury my father.” ⁶⁰But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.^[p] But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹^(O)And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” ⁶²[To him] Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes

9:28 Up the mountain to pray: the “mountain” is the regular place of prayer in Luke (see Lk 6:12; 22:39–41).
9:30 Moses and Elijah: the two figures represent the Old Testament law and the prophets. At the end of this episode, the heavenly voice will identify Jesus as the one to be listened to now (Lk 9:35). See also note on Mk 9:5.
9:31 His exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem: Luke identifies the subject of the conversation as the exodus of Jesus, a reference to the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus that will take place in Jerusalem, the city of destiny (see Lk 9:51). The mention of exodus, however, also calls to mind the Israelite Exodus from Egypt to the promised land.
9:32 They saw his glory: the glory that is proper to God is here attributed to Jesus (see Lk 24:26).
9:33 Let us make three tents: in a possible allusion to the feast of Tabernacles, Peter may be likening his joy on the occasion of the transfiguration to the joyful celebration of this harvest festival.
9:34 Over them: it is not clear whether them refers to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, or to the disciples. For the cloud casting its shadow, see note on Mk 9:7.
9:35 Like the heavenly voice that identified Jesus at his baptism prior to his undertaking the Galilean ministry (Lk 3:22), so too here before the journey to the city of destiny is begun (Lk 9:51) the heavenly voice again identifies Jesus as Son. Listen to him: the two representatives of Israel of old depart (Lk 9:33) and Jesus is left alone (Lk 9:36) as the teacher whose words must be heeded (see also Acts 3:22).
9:36 At that time: i.e., before the resurrection.
9:37–43a See note on Mk 9:14–29.
9:46–50 These two incidents focus on attitudes that are opposed to Christian discipleship: rivalry and intolerance of outsiders.
9:51–18:14 The Galilean ministry of Jesus finishes with the previous episode and a new section of Luke’s gospel begins, the journey to Jerusalem. This journey is based on Mk 10:1–52 but Luke uses his Marcan source only in Lk 18:15–19:27. Before that point he has inserted into his gospel a distinctive collection of sayings of Jesus and stories about him that he has drawn from Q, a collection of sayings of Jesus used also by Matthew, and from his own special traditions. All of the material collected in this section is loosely organized within the framework of a journey of Jesus to Jerusalem, the city of destiny, where his exodus (suffering, death, resurrection, ascension) is to take place (Lk 9:31), where salvation is accomplished, and from where the proclamation of God’s saving word is to go forth (Lk 24:47; Acts 1:8). Much of the material in the Lucan travel narrative is teaching for the disciples. During the course of this journey Jesus is preparing his chosen Galilean witnesses for the role they will play after his exodus (Lk 9:31): they are to be his witnesses to the people (Acts 10:39; 13:31) and thereby provide certainty to the readers of Luke’s gospel that the teachings they have received are rooted in the teachings of Jesus (Lk 1:1–4).
9:51–55 Just as the Galilean ministry began with a rejection of Jesus in his hometown, so too the travel narrative begins with the rejection of him by Samaritans. In this episode Jesus disassociates himself from the attitude expressed by his disciples that those who reject him are to be punished severely. The story alludes to 2 Kgs 1:10, 12 where the prophet Elijah takes the course of action Jesus rejects, and Jesus thereby rejects the identification of himself with Elijah.
9:51 Days for his being taken up: like the reference to his exodus in Lk 9:31 this is probably a reference to all the events (suffering, death, resurrection, ascension) of his last days in Jerusalem. He resolutely determined: literally, “he set his face.”
9:52 Samaritan: Samaria was the territory between Judea and Galilee west of the Jordan river. For ethnic and religious reasons, the Samaritans and the Jews were bitterly opposed to one another (see Jn 4:9).
9:57–62 In these sayings Jesus speaks of the severity and the unconditional nature of Christian discipleship. Even family ties and filial obligations, such as burying one’s parents, cannot distract one no matter how briefly from proclaiming the kingdom of God. The first two sayings are paralleled in Mt 8:19–22; see also notes there.
9:60 Let the dead bury their dead: i.e., let the spiritually dead (those who do not follow) bury their physically dead. See also note on Mt 8:22.

New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Chapter 9

IV. The Full Revelation of the Mystery

Footnotes

Cross references

V. The Journey to Jerusalem: Luke’s Travel Narrative^[k]

Footnotes

Cross references

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Chronological

Chapter 17

Footnotes

Cross references

Chapter 9

IV. The Full Revelation of the Mystery

Footnotes

Cross references

V. The Journey to Jerusalem: Luke’s Travel Narrative[k]

Footnotes

Cross references

V. The Journey to Jerusalem: Luke’s Travel Narrative^[k]