Following Christ as He Obeys God

Introduction

Luke has mercilessly recorded the failures of the apostles in faith, power, listening, and humility.

We usually couch our speech about Christians, not just people, in terms of good and bad. If I were to ask you: are you a good Christian, what would your answer be?

In your mind, what do you measure yourself by? Is it a mother, father, grandparent? Why do you consider them good Christians, but you don’t consider yourself one? What did they do that distinguishes them from you?

At a minimum, being a believer in Jesus Christ makes one a follower of Christ, but isn’t it strange that we when we think about examples to follow that rarely we think about him? How do we explain that?

Luke has mercilessly recorded the failures of the apostles in faith, power, listening, and humility.

There are three key elements to consider in this passage:

A theme: lack of faithfulness and understanding on the part of the apostles that manifests itself in arrogancy.

A purpose: Jesus followed God’s divine plan even to the point of death.

A reality: True Christianity is God’s people following Christ’s example in humility, faith, and obedience.

49 Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ⸆ Ἰωάννης εἶπεν· ⸀ἐπιστάτα, εἴδομέν τινα ⸁ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἐκβάλλοντα δαιμόνια καὶ ⸀1ἐκωλύομεν αὐτόν,* ὅτι οὐκ ἀκολουθεῖ μεθʼ ἡμῶν. 50 εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν °ὁ Ἰησοῦς· μὴ κωλύετε⸆·* ⸋ὃς γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν καθʼ ⸀ὑμῶν, ὑπὲρ ⸀ὑμῶν ἐστιν.⸌

Notice that John’s statement is his response to Jesus’ teaching about humility.

Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament, 28th Edition Chapter 9

49 Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ⸆ Ἰωάννης εἶπεν· ⸀ἐπιστάτα, εἴδομέν τινα ⸁ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἐκβάλλοντα δαιμόνια καὶ ⸀1ἐκωλύομεν αὐτόν,* ὅτι οὐκ ἀκολουθεῖ μεθʼ ἡμῶν. 50 εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν °ὁ Ἰησοῦς· μὴ κωλύετε⸆·* ⸋ὃς γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν καθʼ ⸀ὑμῶν, ὑπὲρ ⸀ὑμῶν ἐστιν.⸌

The Apostles were prohibiting someone who was not among those who routinely followed Jesus from doing what Jesus had given the Apostles power to do.

They key phrase here is “in your name.”

Mark’s version indicates that John and the others might have thought they were preserving Jesus’ reputation by taking such actions or at least were serving as the gatekeepers of the truth.

Jesus rebukes them. Notice that Jesus draws a line. One is either against “you” or “on your behalf.” But, one cannot be a genuine follower of Jesus and insult Christ or his people.

John does not see things clearly.

*51 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ἀναλήμψεως αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ⸂τὸ πρόσωπον ἐστήρισεν⸃ τοῦ πορεύεσθαι εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.

Jesus’ life moved toward a certain outcome.

Luke indicates here that it was not merely death. As Jesus has already taught, it would include resurrection.

Now, we have a new element, Jesus being taken up. This is a clear reference to his ascension.

Notice also how we “fixed his face to proceed unto Jerusalem.”

This appears to be an expression connoting Jesus' intention of going to Jerusalem despite the sufferings that await him there. Going to Jerusalem, therefore, and facing the suffering that he already revealed awaits was not a mere accident of time and place for Jesus. They were the necessary reasons for his very revelation to Israel.

This appears to be an expression connoting Jesus' intention of going to Jerusalem despite the sufferings that await him there. Going to Jerusalem, therefore, and facing the suffering that he already revealed awaits was not a mere accident of time and place for Jesus. They were the necessary reasons for his very revelation to Israel.

The phrase "to set his face toward" most likely, according to Marshall, "follows a Hebrew idiom expressive of determination to do something." See Hazael in .

The phrase "to set his face toward" most likely, according to Marshall, "follows a Hebrew idiom expressive of determination to do something." See Hazael in .

52 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ.* καὶ πορευθέντες εἰσῆλθον εἰς ⸀κώμην Σαμαριτῶν ⸁ὡς ἑτοιμάσαι αὐτῷ·

Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament, 28th Edition Chapter 9

*51 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ἀναλήμψεως αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ⸂τὸ πρόσωπον ἐστήρισεν⸃ τοῦ πορεύεσθαι εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.* 52 Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ.* καὶ πορευθέντες εἰσῆλθον εἰς ⸀κώμην Σαμαριτῶν ⸁ὡς ἑτοιμάσαι αὐτῷ· 53 καὶ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο αὐτόν,* ὅτι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἦν ⸀πορευόμενον εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ. 54 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ ⸆ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης εἶπαν·* κύριε, θέλεις εἴπωμεν πῦρ καταβῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀναλῶσαι αὐτούς⸇;* 55 στραφεὶς δὲ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς⸆. 56 καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς ἑτέραν κώμην.

1. (118) Now there arose a quarrel between the Samaritans and the Jews on the occasion following:—It was the custom of the Galileans, when they came to the holy city at the festivals, to take their journeys through the country of the Samaritans; and at this time there lay, in the road they took, a village that was called Ginea, which was situated in the limits of Samaria and the great plain, where certain persons thereto belonging fought with the Galileans, and killed a great many of them (Joseph, Antq. 20.117-118)

Jesus sent some of his followers as messengers to announce his arrival in Galilee and to prepare for him.

53 καὶ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο αὐτόν,* ὅτι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἦν ⸀πορευόμενον εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ. 54 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ ⸆ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης εἶπαν·* κύριε, θέλεις εἴπωμεν πῦρ καταβῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀναλῶσαι αὐτούς⸇;* 55 στραφεὶς δὲ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς⸆. 56 καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς ἑτέραν κώμην.

Luke has mercilessly recorded the failures of the apostles in faith, power, listening, and humility even at the teaching of Jesus. The days just prior to Jesus' transfiguration, and especially those after he returned, brought one unmitigated spiritual disaster for Jesus' apostles after another. We may take comfort in the fact that being a genuine believer does not mean that we are perfect. While these verses make plain that they do not have a perfect understanding and they make colossal blunders based upon their own arrogant assumptions, what never gets questions is their unwavering commitment for the person of Christ. We also know that after Jesus' crucifixion that these very men will question whether or not Jesus was the Messiah.

What would it take to move you from bad Christian to good? What steps taught in the word of God are you willing to follow to become the kind of believer that God saved you to be? Are you following Christ, or are you trying to live up to someone else’s standard?