(51) And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly 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 his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. (54) And when his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? (55) But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. (56) For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
I apprehend, by the time being come that Jesus should be received up, is not meant that his public ministry in preaching was now nearly over; for, according to all calculation, the crucifixion of Christ was, at least, six months after. But, probably, it means, that it was now arrived when he should ascend from Galilee to Jerusalem; for after this, we do not find our Lord again in Galilee. The indisposition in the Samaritans to receive Jesus, it is possible, might arise from their discovering our Lord's wishes to go up to Jerusalem. And this they construed into a partiality for the temple, at the holy city, in preference to the mountain of Samaria, for worship, Reader! observe, I do not decide upon it: I only offer my conjecture. See John 4:9-29. But whether I am correct or not in this view of the subject, one point I beg the Reader not to overlook, the striking contrast of our Lord's mind to that of the apostles' James and John. They were for calling fire from Heaven to resent the insult offered to Jesus. But Jesus himself manifested nothing but meekness and love. Oh! how blessed, how very blessed is it to behold Jesus pre-eminent in mercy, as he is pre-eminent in greatness!