Preaching and the Land - Luke 9:51-62

In our gospel story for this coming Sunday,

Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal

Jesus has concluded the Galilean ministry and "set his face toward Jerusalem."  Surprisingly, he took the route through Samaria.  Most Jews avoided this region by taking the road through the Jordan River Valley.

Jesus sent His disciples ahead to make preparations.  But the villagers would not receive them because of their chosen destination, Jerusalem.  The sons of thunder, James and John reacted in a way descriptive of their names.

Our Lord rebuked the spirit of his disciples and continued his journey.  Further along, three men approached Jesus and inquired as to the possibility of discipleship.

So what do we learn from the land and the prescribed relationships between Jews and Samaritans?  What more can we know regarding the roadside conversations. 

• the village may have been Sychar or one of the other villages around the twin mountains of Gerizim and Ebal
• the strong feelings of the Samaritans are founded upon enmity with the Jews and support of their temple on Mt. Gerizim, not the temple in Jerusalem
• their entrenched relationships stood in the way of customary acts of hospitality
• three men approached Jesus along the way offering to follow only to choose family over discipleship in the end
• in the first-century, the father commanded authority and ultimate loyalty
• one man requested that he be allowed to return home and care for his father until death and burial (the father is not even dead yet)
• the other man asked to be allowed to say farewell to family
• neither would-be follower can leave family and follow Rabbi Jesus as demanded
• the image from the field holds true from what we know of farming practice in the 1st century
• the demands of the Kingdom of God require even more attention than plowing a straight furrow