Ordinary Time Week 6

Psalm: Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 or Psalm 16

Old Testament: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14

 or 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21

Gospel: Luke 9:51-62

Epistle: Galatians 5:1, 13-25

In reading these passages today I was struck by one strange detail from the Gospel of Luke: in verse 51 it says that Jesus knew the time of his Ascension was near. It is strange that the Ascension takes center stage at this point, even over the crucifixion, death, or resurrection. But before we ponder over that detail, let's first take a look at the verse as a whole and what is happening in this passage. Verse 51 is classic Luke and is found in no other Gospel. Jesus 'sets his face toward Jerusalem' the text reads. The author of Luke is focused on Jerusalem more than the other Gospels and Luke also presents Jesus on a journey towards a goal--the Passion Week. In Acts as well Luke presents the church, through the various evangelists, as on a journey.

In the first half of our passage notice the comparison with an episode from Elijah's life found in 2 Kings 1:9-16. There Elijah twice sent down fire from heaven on some of the king's messengers. They were sent to try to force Elijah to retract the curse he had placed in King Ahaziah. (As an aside and a critique of the lectionary, shouldn't we be reading this passage from 2 kings as well?) In the context of this story it makes a little more sense that James and John wanted to send fire down on the Samaritans for rejecting Jesus. After all, Elijah used this power to verify he was a man of God, and Jesus should take the same prerogative and show that he is a man of God as well.

This passage also draws our attention to Elijah in another way that relates to the Ascension. Pretty quickly after this incident with the fire, Elijah is taken up into heaven. In fact, after saying King Ahaziah died, the text says, "And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal." (2 Kings 2:1) this is similar to Luke 9:51, "When the days were approaching for His ascension [being taken up to heaven], He was determined to go to Jerusalem." Both passages mention the elements of traveling and being taken up to heaven.

I think it is clear that the disciples had Elijah in mind and Luke wants to draw our attention to him as well. That is probably the key to why the text mentions the Ascension drawing near rather than the crucifixion or resurrection. Clearly all of this was in mind because Luke says, when the "days" were approaching--plural. All the days and events that occurred in Jerusalem from his arrest through to his ascension are in mind.

The more difficult question to answer is why Luke wants to draw our attention to Elijah. The disciples were just shooting on the fly, but Luke was intentional. No doubt there are many facets, but at the least we can say that Luke wanted to place Jesus within the larger story of Israel and the prophets. Jesus was a continuation of that story, but also something radically new.

Well I think I have spent this whole post talking about the first half of the Gospel passage and have failed to even mention the radical call to all-encompassing discipleship that Jesus explicates in verses 57-62. I think we have all heard sermons on this, but it never hurts to hear a reminder. Jesus is calling us to put him above any other commitment, including our own family. Radical discipleship!

Let us live worthy of this calling, by the power of the Spirit, to the glory of the Father.

Grace and peace.