Christ sends his apostles to work miracles and to preach, 1-6. Herod desires to see Christ, 7-9. The apostles return, 10, 11. Christ feeds five thousand, 12-17; inquires what opinion the world had of him; foretells his passion, 18-22; proposes to all the pattern of his patience, 23-27. The transfiguration, 28-36. He heals the lunatic, 37-42; again forewarns his disciples of his passion, 43-45; commends humility, 46-50; bids them to show mildness toward all without desire of revenge, 51-56. Some would follow him, but upon conditions, 57-62.
1 Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither staffs, nor bag, neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece. 4 And into whatever house you enter, abide there, and from there depart. 5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them." 6 And they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him. And he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8 And by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had risen again. 9 And Herod said, "I have beheaded John, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" And he desired to see him.
10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them and went aside privately into a desolate place, belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him. And he received them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and healed those who had need of healing.
12 And when the day began to decline, the twelve came and said to him, "Send the multitude away so that they may go into the towns and country around and lodge and get food, for we are here in a desolate place." 13 But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy provisions for all this people." 14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, "Make them sit down by fifties in a company." 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 And they ate and were all satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets of fragments that remained.
18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him, and he asked them, saying, "Who do the people say that I am?" 19 They, answering, said, "'John the Baptist,' but some say, 'Elijah,' and others say, 'One of the ancient prophets has risen again.'" 20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter, answering, said, "Christ of God." 21 And he strictly charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing, 22 Saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be put to death, and be raised on the third day."
23 And he said to them all, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whoever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses himself or is cast away? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his own glory, and in that of his Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you in truth, there are some standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."
28 And it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter, John, and James and went up upon a mountain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his clothing was white and glistening. 30 And behold, two men talked with him who were Moses and Elijah, 31 Who appeared in glory and spoke of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they were awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not knowing what he said. 34 While he was thus speaking, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son. Hear him." 36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
37 And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they had come down from the hill, many people met him. 38 And behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, "Master, I implore you to look upon my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit takes him and he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and bruising him, it hardly departs from him. 40 And I implored your disciples to cast him out, but they could not." 41 And Jesus, answering, said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." 42 And as he was yet coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and delivered him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they were all wondering at all things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 "Let these sayings sink down into your ears. For the Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men." 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was hid from them so that they did not perceive it. And they feared to ask him concerning that saying.
46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. 47 And Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child and set him by him, 48 And said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all, the same shall be great."
49 And John answered and said, "Master, we saw one casting out demons in your name and we tried to stop him because he does not follow with us." 50 And Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us, is for us."
51 And it came to pass, when the time had come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And sent messengers before his face. And they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him. 53 And they did not receive him because he was apparently going to Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, "Lord, do you wish that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did?" 55 But he turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of man has not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." And they went to another village.
57 And it came to pass, that as they were going in the way, a certain man said to him, "Lord, I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 And he said to another, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their dead, but go and preach the kingdom of God." 61 And another also said, "Lord, I will follow you, but first let me go bid farewell to those who are at my house." 62 And Jesus said to him, "No man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God."
Matthew Henry Commentary - Luke, Chapter 9[➚]
[v.1-2] - Gospel Link: Matthew 10:1; Mark 6:7.
[v.3-5] - Gospel Link: Matthew 10:9-15; Mark 6:8-11.
[v.6] - Gospel Link: Mark 6:12-13.
[v.7-9] - Gospel Link: Matthew 14:1-2; Mark 6:14-16.
[v.10-17] - Gospel Link: Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; John 6:1-13.
[v.18-20] - Gospel Link: Matthew 16:13-16; Mark 8:27-29.
[v.20] - "Christ of God" - In other words, "The Messiah of God."
[v.21] - Gospel Link: Matthew 16:20; Mark 8:30.
[v.22] - Gospel Link: Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31.
[v.23-25] - Gospel Link: Matthew 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-36.
[v.26] - Gospel Link: Matthew 10:32-35; Mark 8:38.
[v.27] - Gospel Link: Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1.
[v.28-36] - Gospel Link: Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8.
[v.35] - "This is my beloved Son" - Some Greek texts (Nestle, Tregelles, et al) read as, "This is my Son, my Chosen (ὁ ἐκλελεγμένος)."
[v.37-42] - Gospel Link: Matthew 17:14-18; Mark 9:14-27.
[v.46-48] - Gospel Link: Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 9:34-37.
[v.49-50] - Gospel Link: Mark 9:38-40.
[v.54] - "even as Elijah did" - Reference, 2nd Kings 1:9-12.
[v.57-60] - Gospel Link: Matthew 8:19-22.