Luke 9:46 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then there arose a reasoning— Διαλογισμος, a debate, or dispute. As this dispute happened immediately after Jesus foretold his own sufferings and resurrection, some imagine that by his sufferings the disciples understood certain great difficulties which their Master was to meet with before the establishment of his kingdom; and by his resurrection from the dead, his surmounting those difficulties: however, the circumstances mentioned by St. Matthew 17:23 that the prediction made them exceeding sorry, does not seem to agree so well with that supposition, unless the thought of his meeting with any opposition at all grieved them, even though they were sure he would surmount it. According to St. Luke's representation in our version, this dispute happened at the time when our Lord rebuked his disciples for it; but we are expressly told, Mark 9:33 that it happened as they went to Capernaum. But the evangelists may be easily and perfectly reconciled by translating St. Luke's words thus; Now, there had arisen a dispute, &c. namely, as they travelled into Capernaum—a translation entirely agreeable to the original.