Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 9:56

"And they went to another village." — Luke 9:56 (ASV)

Jesus strongly disapproved the suggestion of James and John by rebuking them (cf. 4:35, 41; 8:24). If the Samaritans were consciously rejecting Christ by rejecting his disciples, one would have expected that Jesus’ instruction in 9:5 would apply—a mild reaction compared to that of James and John. But Jesus’ messengers were rejected merely because they were Jews going to Jerusalem.

This is the second major treatment of discipleship in Luke (cf. v.23). The structure of this passage is noteworthy. The familiar “rule of three” is employed by Luke in recording three conversations. There is an interchange of order: in the first conversation the inquirer initiates the conversation and Jesus states the objection; in the second order this is reversed; in the third the man both initiates the dialogue and raises the objection, with Jesus adding a comment. Each dialogue contains some theological language: “Son of Man” (v.58), “proclaim the kingdom of God” (v.60), “service in the kingdom of God” (v.62). Discipleship is not simply following Jesus in one’s lifestyle but is involvement in the important work of the kingdom.