When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans . . . But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. Luke 9:51-53
“How long must I put up with you?”
The literal answer is, not very. The days are coming to an end, rounding off to a period. He sets his face (ESV) toward Jerusalem. The NKJV adds “steadfastly.” NIV: “resolutely set out.” HCSB: “determined to journey.” The sense of the Hebrew is something like “stiffened his face,” as if pushing against the force of a hurricane. From now on, the narrative will be about this journey to Jerusalem and what happened there: a wandering teacher and his little band of disciples on their way to . . . not change the world, but realign it.
The world responds as it always does, in two basic ways. First, outright opposition, as demonstrated in Samaria. We don’t like you and we don’t like where you’re going; all Jerusalem-bound pilgrims need to choose another route. Bible commentators comment on the socio-political backstory of the hostility between Jews and Samaritans, but there’s always a backstory. My mama was a Christian fanatic, my dad was a drunk, my wife stole everything I had, God dealt me a rotten hand and I don’t need your Jesus. Or perhaps: my life has been a dazzling success and I have everything anyone could want, so I don’t need your Jesus. Go away.
He goes away, brushing aside the generous offer of the sons of Zebedee to call down fire on the transgressors. That fire will be for next time—this isn’t the Judgment.
Then there are those who are attracted to him, but not enough. They find something else that needs to be done first, whether family obligations, social duties, work or play. They don’t get it—all those things can be accommodated if one first takes up residence in the Kingdom. But half-baked plans to move there sometime won’t do. All in, or all out. That’s what he demands, and that’s what he is. He has set his face, and will not look back until . . . Well, not ever. Not. Ever.
(Neither will the twelve, though they don’t know it yet. They don’t know they will scatter like sheep and despair of life itself, but they are all in because he called them, and he will see this through.)
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For the original post in this series, go here.