As the time approached when he was to be taken up to Heaven, he set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem, and sent messengers ahead. They set out and went into a Samaritan village to make arrangements for him; but the villagers would not have him, because he was making for Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this, they said: "Lord, may we call down fire from Heaven to burn them up?"
But he turned and rebuked them, and they went on to another village.
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As the time approached when he was to be taken up to Heaven, he set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem.
Funny way to get to Heaven. I’d rather levitate. Getting tied to earth by nails on a cross?
The Samaritans in this passage are not quite the Good Samaritans of the soon-to-be parable. I wonder if it irked James and John again that Jesus featured a good Samaritan in that parable?
When the disciples James and John saw this, they said: "Lord, may we call down fire from Heaven to burn them up?" But he turned and rebuked them, and they went on to another village.
I felt curious about church history. I started reading it on my own. Lots of fire calld down to burn up the heretics.
I just watched "Schlinder’s List" again. The wind blown ashes from burning bodies falling onto the playgrounds of children nearby.
Yet we see this behavior in Elijah.
Euphemism strikes again? Probably hinting at Elijah, at that. Jesus being like him, but different in flavor... no roast humans, even if it means they hang me up!
Samaritans did prove sympathetic to Christianity in future centuries. But they were in a slightly different niche than the Judeans; much nasty politics between Judah and Israel as we see in the persistent criticism from Jerusalem against them having their own denomination, even when they're worshiping YHWY. We get a revolution against the Baalists, but they keep on complaining against "the sin of Jereboam" which pretty much comes down to having an independent place of worship. When the exiled elite returns to Jerusalem from Babylon-- the Samaritans offer to help, & the Judeans refuse the offer.
Anyway, Jesus isn't "sent to" the Samaritans. It's Jerusalem where he's got that final assignment. Meanwhile, he has these disciples to keep in line...
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