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Last Journey From Galilee
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Himself for the sins of men was soon to strike. He would not fail
nor falter. His foes had long plotted to take His life; now He would
lay it down.
And He “sent messengers before His face: and they went, and
entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him.”
But the people refused to receive Him, because He was on His way
to Jerusalem. Little did they realize that they were turning from
their doors the best gift of heaven. But all was lost to the Samaritans
because of their prejudice and bigotry.
James and John, Christ’s messengers, were greatly annoyed at
the insult; they were filled with indignation because He had been so
rudely treated by the Samaritans. They reported to Christ that the
people had even refused to give Him a night’s lodging. Seeing Mount
Carmel in the distance, where Elijah had slain the false prophets,
they said, “Wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from
heaven, and consume them?” They were surprised at Jesus’ rebuke:
“Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is
not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And He went to
another village.
It is no part of Christ’s mission to compel men to receive Him.
He desires only voluntary service, the willing surrender of the heart
under the constraint of love. There can be no more conclusive
evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan than the disposition to
hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work, who act
contrary to our ideas. Nothing can be more offensive to God than
for men, through religious bigotry, to bring suffering on those who
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are the purchase of the Saviour’s blood.
A considerable part of the closing months of Christ’s ministry
was spent in Perea, the province beyond the Jordan from Judea. See
Mark 10:1
. Here the multitude thronged His steps, and much of His
former teaching was repeated.
As He had sent out the Twelve, so He “appointed seventy others,
and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two into every town and
place where He Himself was about to come.” RSV. For some time
these disciples had been in training for their work. They had had
the privilege of intimate association with Him and direct personal
instruction.