Luke 9:51-62

This passage occurs in the Revised Common Lectionary.  Most recently June 29, 2025.

Summary:  Clearly Jesus is focused and determined here.  The Greek highlights this.  This passage is a humbling reminder for a culture that wants to fit Jesus into our life rather than build our life on Jesus.  Church becomes one of many competing activities instead of the encounter with the living Lord that weekly re-orients our life.  The good news? Jesus does not let the rejection of pagans stop him from dying on the cross for them and for us; likewise our lack of focus and prioritization of Jesus does not change his death for us on the cross.

Key words:
αναλημψεως (meaning "ascension", 9:51)  This inclusion of this word is a reminder that the ascension is an integral part of the plan for Jesus.  

I sense that for Luke, the ascension here doesn't mean simply going back to heaven, but completing the salvation of humankind.  I base this on the way in which Luke writes

ἐν τῷ συμπληρουσθαι τὰς ἡμέρας (meaning "during the fulfillment of days", 9:51)  

• This is an articular infinitive phrase.  See grammar note below 
• The word ἡμέρας, which means, "days" is in the plural.  Given that the actual ascension is typically understood as a singular event, this would mean that something broader is happening.
• In Acts 2:1, Luke uses the same phrase "ἐν τῷ συμπληρουσθαι..." to describe that the day of Pentecost had arrived.  In this case, Luke refers to something that is happening right then and not in the future.  This suggests that for Luke, the ascension is beginning in this story.
• Luke uses the articular infinitive with "ἐν τῷ + infinitive" quite a bit (well over 25 times in the Gospel).  I cannot find a singular example where it refers to a future event.

το προσωπον εστηρισεν ("strengthened his face", 9:51)  It is interesting that Luke uses the word face (προσωπου) three times in this three verses.  Almost no English translations capture this.  Luke wants to give us a visual here.  Jesus has set his face toward Jerusalem.  His eyes are on the prize!

του ("the" in the genitive, 9:51)  Greek can show intention by combining "του" + an infinitive.  Greek can also show intention with the preposition "εις" meaning "for."  In 9:51 Luke stacks all of this together to create one long sentence of purpose!

ετοιμασαι (meaning "prepare", 9:52)  The word prepare shows up frequently in the Gospel of Luke and often at important times:

John the Baptist prepares for John (1:17, 1:76, 3:4)
God's celebration of Jesus birth (Luke 2:31)
Prepare for Passover (22:8)
Prepare spices for burial (23:56, 24:1)

προτον ("proton" meaning "first", 9:59,60)  The core problems is neither love nor duty with family.  However, the key is the word first -- proton.  What is first in your life?

A proton is the building block of the periodic table -- of chemistry.  It is the foundation upon which every atom exists.  In fact, an atom can be stripped on neutrons, even temporarily electrons.  But without a proton, an atom, by definition, ceases to exist.  What is integral and essential for us today?

Grammar note:  preposition + articular infinitive (ἐν τῷ συμπληρουσθαι)

A quick primer on what is happening grammatically here.  

• When it comes to an infinitive, the only information you get about the verb is its tense and voice.  
• In this case, we have a present tense verb, which emphasizes on-going action. 
• The middle voice isn't one we really have in English; the best way to think about it is "reflexive" verbs like "I bathe myself", in that the subject and object of the verb are the same.  "the thing filled itself"
• An articular infinitive adds an article.  This should be familiar to English readers:  "The fulfilling"
• In an infinitive phrase, the subject is actually in the accusative.  Here = "the days"
• The exciting part is actually the preposition.  This really sets the translation.  The preposition ἐν can mean "in", or often in such phrases, "during" or "while" or "when."
• In this case, we might want to translate it as "when the days of the ascension were being fulfilled."  Wordy but also theologically complex!
• Last note:  The word συμπληρουσθαι an infinitive coming from the words συν πληροω, meaning "with" and "fill" In every language "n" is a soft sound and so the "synp" morphs into a "symp" (try to synp without it sounding like an "symp")

Luke 9:28-36 (Transfiguration)

This passage is found in the  Revised Common Lectionary on Transfiguration Sunday, Year C (Most recently:  March 2, 2025)  The Roman Catholic church does not celebrate Transfiguration at this time.

Summary:  The Greek gives one license to drive this sermon in just about any Scriptural direction one's heart desires.  It is all there -- Baptism, end times, resurrection, even the Exodus.  The inclusion of Elijah and Moses already suggested this, but the Greek allows for all sorts of connections!

Key words that are unique to Luke's account:

οκτω ("eight"; 9:28)  In the early church, the 8th day was significant because it was the day on which the resurrection and hence all Christian worship, was celebrated.  In modern times, we often think we worship on the 7th day, but really, we worship on the 8th day!  That the transfiguration happened on the 8th day.  In this way, Luke points us toward the resurrection.  A possible sermon:  Our baptismal charism is the ability to see resurrection where others see death!?

προσευχομαι ("pray"; 9:28)  Jesus prays quite a bit in Luke's Gospel, far more than in the other gospels.  (Curiosity:  Although he does pray in John's Gospel, the word is never used!)  In fact, in Luke's Gospel, Jesus is praying as the heavens are opened in his baptism.  Jesus prays other times too, but these are unique to Luke's Gospel.  This suggests that for Luke, there is a connection between prayer, baptism and the gates of heaven being opened for us.

εξαστραπτω ("shone brightly"; 9:29) The Greek for "brilliant" (his coat) has tucked within it the word "astra" like "astronomy." Jesus is bright like the stars. Interestingly, the only other place this word appears in the whole Bible is Ezekiel and Daniel, whose passages are filled with "end-times" language.  (One could argue that Luke suggests the person seen by Daniel in Daniel 10 is a pre-incarnate Jesus; that perhaps the one riding the chariot in Ezekiel is also Jesus!)  Even if that is too much, this a reminder that transfiguration has an eschatological bent -- it is the future breaking in.  When it looks like the past, that is simply because the future broke in then as well.

What is worth noting is that the word transformation (μεταμορφοω) is not used in Luke's Gospel (as opposed to Matthew and Mark.  Jesus face just became "other" (ετερον, literally "hetero.")

εξοδος ("departure"; 9:31) The word for "departure" here is literally "exodus." Moses is talking with Jesus about Jesus' exodus.  A couple of points here:
- The term exodus is not accidental.  There are a number of other allusions to the original exodus:
They go up a mountain to encounter God (ορος 28); God's glory (δοξη 31) appears in a cloud (νεφελη 34) through which a voice appears; the humans seek to build a tent/tabernacle (σκηνας 33) to worship him.
- Jesus has just been preaching about his death and resurrection; so quickly turning to this event gives us permission to read the paschal mystery in light of the exodus!
- Is the Christian exodus more of a social/political exodus (leaving behind oppressive governmental systems) or is a spiritual exodus (away from the power of death and sin).  Both?  Regardless, it seems fair to understand Jesus mission within the context of the second book of the Bible, one of liberation.
- Jerusalem is the goal of this exodus.  Jesus will soon set his face toward there (9:53); he will be crucified, resurrected and ultimately glorified there.  Why is this so important to Luke?

διαγρηγορήσαντες (from διαγρηγορέω; meaning "awake", 9:32)  This word is so long that one might be tempted to keep moving!  It comes from two words that are more common:  δια + εγειρω.  When you add δια to a word, it intensifies it.  They are thoroughly arisen.  Which is interesting then to read the verse: "After they had thoroughly arisen, they saw his glory."  Somehow, seeing Jesus in his glory requires a resurrection of us!

This to me is the crux of the preaching challenge I am experiencing in 2025.  People want a resurrection -- they want a sanctuary, a moment of peace and hope.  Yet we are called back into action in a very chaotic world - in Jesus' case, his exodus in Jerusalem.  How can worship on Sundays (and preaching) be something where people experience the sense of sanctuary AND equipping for the chaos?  Obviously, the sanctuary experience itself is equipping, but to what extent do we need to mention/discuss/resist even the events in the world?

Note:  For those hungry for some more morsels, I also have a previous post on this text http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2010/02/luke-928-36.html