LUKE 9

 Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the kingdom of God and gave them power to cast out demons and cure sickness. He told them to take nothing with them. If anyone rejected them, they were to shake the dust from their feet. When the apostles returned, they told them what they had done.

Meanwhile, Herod heard about Jesus and was paranoid that He was John the Baptist raised from the dead. Herod wanted to see Jesus. 

Again, Jesus and the apostles were together, and the multitude followed Jesus, and He taught them and healed those who needed healing. But it was late and the disciples wanted to send them away to go get food, but Jesus told them to feed them; however, they only had five loaves and two fish. There were five thousand men to feed.

Therefore, Jesus took the loaves and fish and blessed and broke them and the disciples gave them to the people, who ate and were filled. Then they took us twelve baskets of leftovers. 

Later, Jesus asked his disciples who the people said He was, and they answered, "John the Baptist, but some said Elijah, and others said...one of the old prophets. Jesus asked them whom they believed He was, and Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

Then Jesus warned them not to tell anyone, but that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be reject and killed, and be raised the third day. Jesus told them that if any desired to come after Him, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Him. 

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory...

Then Jesus added that there were some standing before Him who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God. Eight days later, He took Peter, John, and James to a mountain to pray. As He prayed, His face was altered and His robe became white and glistening, and Moses and Elijah appeared in glory with Him, and they spoke about His decrease and what He would accomplish at Jerusalem. Peter asked if they should make a tabernacles for Him and Moses and Elijah, not knowing what he said. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice said: 

This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!

The voice stopped and Jesus was alone, and they told no one what they saw. 

The next day a man asked Jesus to help his only son who had a demon because the other disciples were unable to cast it out. Jesus said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you." Then Jesus cast out the unclean spirit and healed the boy.

Again, Jesus told His disciples that the Son of Man would be betrayed into the hands of men, but they did not understand and were afraid to ask. Instead they argued about who would be greater in heaven, and Jesus told them that he who is least among you all will be great. 

Jesus also sent messengers before Him into Samaria, but they did not receive Him; and John and James asked if they should command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, as Elijah did, but Jesus rebuked them and said He did not come to destroy lives but to save them. 

Lastly, a man came to Jesus and said he would follow Jesus, and Jesus told him that He had nowhere to lay His head. Another said he would follow Jesus, but first he had to bury his father. Jesus told him, let the dead bury the dead, but you go preach the gospel. Then a third said he would follow Jesus after he said good bye to his family; and Jesus said no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

COMMENTARY

When Jesus was on earth, He gave power to His disciples to heal the sick, as a way to demonstrate the credentials of the apostles -- to prove who they were. Those gifts did not last, as there were cases where some were sick or unwell, like Paul or Timothy, and the gift of healing was not used on them. Near the end of the apostles ministries, it was more important to demonstrate a correct theology than to have healing gifts (see 2 John 10; Gal. 1:8).

TRANSFIGURATION

The Transfiguration of Christ demonstrates the goal of humanity -- what is to take place on the day all believers are raised up to be with Christ. "The dead shall be raised, and those who are alive shall be changed; that is, they shall undergo metamorphosis. Then they will all be translated and brought into the presence of God." (YAY!)

Light did not shine on Jesus but came from His body, moving outwardly. 

Moses, representative of the Law, and Elijah, representative of the prophets, were present with Jesus and they were discussing the approaching death of Christ. "The significance of the Law and the prophets reveals that the only way God could save us is through the righteousness that we obtain by faith." In the Old Testament, this was through sacrifice, which was a lamb. The prophets spoke of the Lamb of God (Christ) who would take away the sins of the world. 

THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

Three examples of what is required to become a disciple or follower of Christ: one example was to show that poverty would likely be the outcome because Jesus had nowhere to sleep while spreading the gospel; the next was that discipleship came first before human affections; and the last example is that you cannot be a halfhearted follower of Christ. 

Theophanes the Greek 15th C.