Luke 9

1 And having called together his twelve disciples, he gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to cure sicknesses,

2 and he sent them to proclaim the reign of God, and to heal the ailing.

3 And he said unto them, `Take nothing for the way, neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats each;

4 and into whatever house ye may enter, there remain, and thence depart;

5 and as many as may not receive you, going forth from that city, even the dust from your feet shake off, for a testimony against them.'

6 And going forth they were going through the several villages, proclaiming good news, and healing everywhere.

7 And Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things being done by him, and was perplexed, because it was said by certain, that John hath been raised out of the dead;

8 and by certain, that Elijah did appear, and by others, that a prophet, one of the ancients, was risen;

9 and Herod said, `John I did behead, but who is this concerning whom I hear such things?' and he was seeking to see him.

10 And the apostles having turned back, declared to him how great things they did, and having taken them, he withdrew by himself to a desert place of a city called Bethsaida,

11 and the multitudes having known did follow him, and having received them, he was speaking to them concerning the reign of God, and those having need of service he cured.

12 And the day began to decline, and the twelve having come near, said to him, `Let away the multitude, that having gone to the villages and the fields round about, they may lodge and may find provision, because here we are in a desert place.'

13 And he said unto them, `Give ye them to eat;' and they said, `We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes: except, having gone, we may buy for all this people victuals;'

14 for they were about five thousand men. And he said unto his disciples, `Cause them to recline in companies, in each fifty;'

15 and they did so, and made all to recline;

16 and having taken the five loaves, and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and was giving to the disciples to set before the multitude;

17 and they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up what was over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets.

18 And it came to pass, as he is praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he questioned them, saying, `Who do the multitudes say me to be?'

19 And they answering said, `John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and others, that a prophet, one of the ancients, was risen;'

20 and he said to them, `And ye -- who do ye say me to be?' and Peter answering said, `The Christ of God.'

21 And having charged them, he commanded [them] to say this to no one,

22 saying -- `It behoveth the Son of Man to suffer many things, and to be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and the third day to be raised.'

23 And he said unto all, `If any one doth will to come after me, let him disown himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me;

24 for whoever may will to save his life, shall lose it, and whoever may lose his life for my sake, he shall save it;

25 for what is a man profited, having gained the whole world, and having lost or having forfeited himself?

26 `For whoever may be ashamed of me, and of my words, of this one shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he may come in his glory, and the Father's, and the holy messengers';

27 and I say to you, truly, there are certain of those here standing, who shall not taste of death till they may see the reign of God.'

28 And it came to pass, after these words, as it were eight days, that having taken Peter, and John, and James, he went up to the mountain to pray,

29 and it came to pass, in his praying, the appearance of his face became altered, and his garment white -- sparkling.

30 And lo, two men were speaking together with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

31 who having appeared in glory, spake of his outgoing that he was about to fulfil in Jerusalem,

32 but Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep, and having waked, they saw his glory, and the two men standing with him.

33 And it came to pass, in their parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, `Master, it is good to us to be here; and we may make three booths, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,' not knowing what he saith:

34 and as he was speaking these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them, and they feared in their entering into the cloud,

35 and a voice came out of the cloud saying, `This is My Son -- the Beloved; hear ye him;'

36 and when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone; and they were silent, and declared to no one in those days anything of what they have seen.

37 And it came to pass on the next day, they having come down from the mount, there met him a great multitude,

38 and lo, a man from the multitude cried out, saying, `Teacher, I beseech thee, look upon my son, because he is my only begotten;

39 and lo, a spirit doth take him, and suddenly he doth cry out, and it teareth him, with foaming, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him,

40 and I besought thy disciples that they might cast it out, and they were not able.'

41 And Jesus answering said, `O generation, unstedfast and perverse, till when shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring near hither thy son;'

42 and as he is yet coming near, the demon rent him, and tore [him] sore, and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the youth, and gave him back to his father.

43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God, and while all are wondering at all things that Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,

44 `Lay ye to your ears these words, for the Son of Man is about to be delivered up to the hands of men.'

45 And they were not knowing this saying, and it was veiled from them, that they might not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

46 And there entered a reasoning among them, this, Who may be greater of them?

47 and Jesus having seen the reasoning of their heart, having taken hold of a child, set him beside himself,

48 and said to them, `Whoever may receive this child in my name, doth receive me, and whoever may receive me, doth receive Him who sent me, for he who is least among you all -- he shall be great.'

49 And John answering said, `Master, we saw a certain one in thy name casting forth the demons, and we forbade him, because he doth not follow with us;'

50 and Jesus said unto him, `Forbid not, for he who is not against us, is for us.'

51 And it came to pass, in the completing of the days of his being taken up, that he fixed his face to go on to Jerusalem,

52 and he sent messengers before his face, and having gone on, they went into a village of Samaritans, to make ready for him,

53 and they did not receive him, because his face was going on to Jerusalem.

54 And his disciples James and John having seen, said, `Sir, wilt thou [that] we may command fire to come down from the heaven, and to consume them, as also Elijah did?'

55 and having turned, he rebuked them, and said, `Ye have not known of what spirit ye are;

56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save;' and they went on to another village.

57 And it came to pass, as they are going on in the way, a certain one said unto him, `I will follow thee wherever thou mayest go, sir;'

58 and Jesus said to him, `The foxes have holes, and the fowls of the heaven places of rest, but the Son of Man hath not where he may recline the head.'

59 And he said unto another, `Be following me;' and he said, `Sir, permit me, having gone away, first to bury my father;'

60 and Jesus said to him, `Suffer the dead to bury their own dead, and thou, having gone away, publish the reign of God.'

61 And another also said, `I will follow thee, sir, but first permit me to take leave of those in my house;'

62 and Jesus said unto him, `No one having put his hand on a plough, and looking back, is fit for the reign of God.'

Luke 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The apostles sent forth. (1-9) The multitude miraculously fed. (10-17) Peter's testimony to Christ, Self-denial enjoined. (18-27) The transfiguration. (28-36) An evil spirit cast out. (37-42) Christ checks the ambition of his disciples. (43-50) He reproves their mistaken zeal. (51-56) Every thing to be given up for Christ. (57-62)

Verses 1-9 Christ sent his twelve disciples abroad, who by this time were able to teach others what they had received from the Lord. They must not be anxious to commend themselves to people's esteem by outward appearance. They must go as they were. The Lord Jesus is the fountain of power and authority, to whom all creatures must, in one way or another, be subject; and if he goes with the word of his ministers in power, to deliver sinners from Satan's bondage, they may be sure that he will care for their wants. When truth and love thus go together, and yet the message of God is rejected and despised, it leaves men without excuse, and turns to a testimony against them. Herod's guilty conscience was ready to conclude that John was risen from the dead. He desired to see Jesus; and why did he not go and see him? Probably, because he thought it below him, or because he wished not to have any more reprovers of sin. Delaying it now, his heart was hardened, and when he did see Jesus, he was as much prejudiced against him as others, ( Luke 23:11 ) .

Verses 10-17 The people followed Jesus, and though they came unseasonably, yet he gave them what they came for. He spake unto them of the kingdom of God. He healed those who had need of healing. And with five loaves of bread and two fishes, Christ fed five thousand men. He will not see those that fear him, and serve him faithfully, want any good thing. When we receive creature-comforts, we must acknowledge that we receive them from God, and that we are unworthy to receive them; that we owe them all, and all the comfort we have in them, to the mediation of Christ, by whom the curse is taken away. The blessing of Christ will make a little go a great way. He fills every hungry soul, abundantly satisfies it with the goodness of his house. Here were fragments taken up: in our Father's house there is bread enough, and to spare. We are not straitened, nor stinted in Christ.

Verses 18-27 It is an unspeakable comfort that our Lord Jesus is God's Anointed; this signifies that he was both appointed to be the Messiah, and qualified for it. Jesus discourses concerning his own sufferings and death. And so far must his disciples be from thinking how to prevent his sufferings, that they must prepare for their own. We often meet with crosses in the way of duty; and though we must not pull them upon our own heads, yet, when they are laid for us, we must take them up, and carry them after Christ. It is well or ill with us, according as it is well or ill with our souls. The body cannot be happy, if the soul be miserable in the other world; but the soul may be happy, though the body is greatly afflicted and oppressed in this world. We must never be ashamed of Christ and his gospel.

Verses 28-36 Christ's transfiguration was a specimen of that glory in which he will come to judge the world; and was an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. Our Lord Jesus, even in his transfiguration, was willing to speak concerning his death and sufferings. In our greatest glories on earth, let us remember that in this world we have no continuing city. What need we have to pray to God for quickening grace, to make us lively! Yet that the disciples might be witnesses of this sign from heaven, after awhile they became awake, so that they were able to give a full account of what passed. But those know not what they say, that talk of making tabernacles on earth for glorified saints in heaven.

Verses 37-42 How deplorable the case of this child! He was under the power of an evil spirit. Disease of that nature are more frightful than such as arise merely from natural causes. What mischief Satan does where he gets possession! But happy those that have access to Christ! He can do that for us which his disciples cannot. A word from Christ healed the child; and when our children recover from sickness, it is comfortable to receive them as healed by the hand of Christ.

Verses 43-50 This prediction of Christ's sufferings was plain enough, but the disciples would not understand it, because it agreed not with their notions. A little child is the emblem by which Christ teaches us simplicity and humility. What greater honour can any man attain to in this world, than to be received by men as a messenger of God and Christ; and to have God and Christ own themselves received and welcomed in him! If ever any society of Christians in this world, had reason to silence those not of their own communion, the twelve disciples at this time had; yet Christ warned them not to do the like again. Those may be found faithful followers of Christ, and may be accepted of him, who do not follow with us.

Verses 51-56 The disciples did not consider that the conduct of the Samaritans was rather the effect of national prejudices and bigotry, than of enmity to the word and worship of God; and through they refused to receive Christ and his disciples, they did not ill use or injure them, so that the case was widely different from that of Ahaziah and Elijah. Nor were they aware that the gospel dispensation was to be marked by miracles of mercy. But above all, they were ignorant of the prevailing motives of their own hearts, which were pride and carnal ambition. Of this our Lord warned them. It is easy for us to say, Come, see our zeal for the Lord! and to think we are very faithful in his cause, when we are seeking our own objects, and even doing harm instead of good to others.

Verses 57-62 Here is one that is forward to follow Christ, but seems to have been hasty and rash, and not to have counted the cost. If we mean to follow Christ, we must lay aside the thoughts of great things in the world. Let us not try to join the profession of Christianity, with seeking after worldly advantages. Here is another that seems resolved to follow Christ, but he begs a short delay. To this man Christ first gave the call; he said to him, Follow me. Religion teaches us to be kind and good, to show piety at home, and to requite our parents; but we must not make these an excuse for neglecting our duty to God. Here is another that is willing to follow Christ, but he must have a little time to talk with his friends about it, and to set in order his household affairs, and give directions concerning them. He seemed to have worldly concerns more upon his heart than he ought to have, and he was willing to enter into a temptation leading him from his purpose of following Christ. No one can do any business in a proper manner, if he is attending to other things. Those who begin with the work of God, must resolve to go on, or they will make nothing of it. Looking back, leads to drawing back, and drawing back is to perdition. He only that endures to the end shall be saved.