Luke 9:55

55 Jesus turned and rebuked them.

Luke 9:55 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:55

But he turned and rebuked them
He turned himself about to them, and looking upon them with a stern countenance, sharply reproved them for their intemperate zeal, their passion of wrath, and anger, and desire of revenge:

and said, ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of;
or do not consider that this is not the true spirit of zeal, but of anger and revenge; and is not agreeable to the spirit of the meek and humble followers of Christ, or to the Spirit of God, and those gifts of his bestowed on them, nor to the spirit of the Gospel dispensation: so good men, for want of attention, may not know sometimes from what spirit they act; taking that for a good one, which is a very bad one; being covered with specious pretenses of love and zeal, and the examples of former saints; not observing the difference of persons; times, and things.

Luke 9:55 In-Context

53 But the people there would not receive him, because it was clear that he was on his way to Jerusalem.
54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"
55 Jesus turned and rebuked them.
56 Then Jesus and his disciples went on to another village.
57 As they went on their way, a man said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. [Some manuscripts add] and said, "You don't know what kind of a Spirit you belong to; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy human lives, but to save them."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.