“Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?”
The full verse · Luke 9:54 · KJV
when this, they , , wilt that we to come , , ?
Asked by
James Son of Zebedee: son of Zebedee and brother of John, one of the twelve, surnamed with John "Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17); John: son of Zebedee and brother of James, one of the twelve apostles
Asked to
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, who had "stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51)
The Scene
As Jesus sets out for Jerusalem, He sends messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for Him, but the village does not receive Him, "because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51-53).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJames and John were offended that their Master was turned away. Matthew Henry credits them with "A great zeal for the honour of their Master." Gill says they were "enraged" at the Samaritans and "burning with love to him, and zeal for his honour."
They also reached for a Bible example. Barnes notes on "As Elias did": "By this they wished to justify their zeal," pointing to Elijah calling down fire on the king's captains (2 Kings 1:10-12). But Barnes says what lay underneath: "It is rather a love of revenge." Their question sounded like zeal for Jesus, but it came from wanting to pay the village back.
The Response
What Scripture recordsJesus refused. "He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:55-56). There was no fire and no revenge. "And they went to another village" (Luke 9:56).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsJews and Samaritans were long divided. Barnes explains that "One of the subjects of dispute between the Jews and Samaritans pertained to the proper situation of the temple": the Jews held it should be at Jerusalem, the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim. Gill likewise ties the refusal to Jesus going to Jerusalem rather than honoring the Samaritans' temple on Mount Gerizim. John 4:9 notes that "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans."
Elias is the Greek form of Elijah. In 2 Kings 1:10-12, Elijah twice called down fire from heaven on captains sent by King Ahaziah. The words "even as Elias did" and Jesus' words in Luke 9:55-56 are in the Textus Receptus behind the KJV; the ESV notes that only some manuscripts include them.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyJames and John had the right Master but the wrong spirit. Jesus' answer shows why He came: "not... to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:56). Barnes draws the lesson that "apparent" zeal for God may be only improper opposition toward our fellow men, and that Jesus kept loving those who opposed Him.
The Samaritans do not disappear from Luke's story. Soon after, Jesus tells of "a certain Samaritan" who showed mercy (Luke 10:33). Later, in Acts, the apostles sent Peter and John to Samaria, and they "preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans" (Acts 8:14, 25). The same John who wanted fire later brought the gospel.
Look Closer
Why did the Samaritan village refuse to receive Jesus?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord Jesus, You came to save and not to destroy; where is my zeal for You mixed with a wish to see others pay?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- When someone rejects you or what you believe, what is your first reaction, and what does it show about your heart?
- John, who wanted fire to fall, later carried the gospel to the Samaritans with Peter (Acts 8:14, 25). Tell about someone you once resented who became someone you prayed for or served.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
It is possible to be zealous for God in the wrong spirit. James and John loved Jesus, but they wanted judgment for people who had turned Him away. Barnes urges that when we want to honor God, we should examine our spirit and see if some bad feeling toward others lies underneath our professed zeal.
When you are rejected for your faith, you do not need to retaliate. Jesus simply went to another village. You can move on without bitterness, and leave room for those same people to receive Him later.
This does not mean sin does not matter or that God never judges. It means vengeance is not your mission. The Son of man came to save.
Scripture's own application: Romans 12:19-21
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