Luke 9:51 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

When the time was come— About this time the feast of dedication approached—a solemnity not appointed by the law of Moses, but by that heroic reformerJudasMaccabeus,in commemoration of his having cleansed the temple, and restored its worship, after both had been profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes: but although this feast was of human institution, and Jesus foresaw that further attempts would be made upon his life at Jerusalem, he did not fear it, but went thither with the utmost calmness and resolution. St. Luke explains the reason of this: he had now continued upon earth very near to the final period of his life below, and was soon to be taken up to heaven, whence he had come down; he therefore resolved from this time forth to appear as openly as possible, and to embrace every opportunity of fulfilling the duties of his ministry. When the time was come, or fulfilled, (” εν τω συμπληρουσθαι,) according to the Hebrew idiom, signifies, when the time drew on, or approached. The word αναληψις, in this passage, signifies Christ's being received or taken up into heaven; for we find the word ημερας, whence it is derived, applied expressly to his ascension, Mark 16:19. Acts 1:2. The word ημερας, days or times, does not always imply a determinate space, but is sometimes used in a loose and indefinite sense, as in this place. The phrase, he stedfastly set his face, imports a strong and intrepid resolution, notwithstanding the foreknowledge that our Saviour had of the dangers which awaited him. See Ezekiel 4:3.