Discovery BoxLuke 9:51-53 
Context9:51 Now when 1 the days drew near 2 for him to be taken up, 3 Jesus 4 set out resolutely 5 to go to Jerusalem. 6 9:52 He 7 sent messengers on ahead of him. 8 As they went along, 9 they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance 10 for him, 9:53 but the villagers 11 refused to welcome 12 him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. 13
1 tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
2 tn Grk “the days were being fulfilled.” There is literary design here. This starts what has been called in the Gospel of Luke the “Jerusalem Journey.” It is not a straight-line trip, but a journey to meet his fate (Luke 13:31-35).
3 sn Taken up is a reference to Jesus’ upcoming return to heaven by crucifixion and resurrection (compare Luke 9:31). This term was used in the LXX of Elijah’s departure in 2 Kgs 2:9.
4 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Grk “he set his face,” a Semitic idiom that speaks of a firm, unshakable resolve to do something (Gen 31:21; Isa 50:7).
6 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
7 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
8 tn Grk “sent messengers before his face,” an idiom.
9 tn Grk “And going along, they entered.” The aorist passive participle πορευθέντες (poreuqente") has been taken temporally. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
10 tn Or “to prepare (things) for him.”
11 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the villagers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Or “did not receive”; this verb, δέχομαι (decomai), is a term of hospitality or welcome (L&N 34.53).
13 tn Grk “because his face was set toward Jerusalem.”
sn Jerusalem is to be the place of rejection, as Luke 9:44 suggested. Jesus had resolved to meet his fate in Jerusalem, so the rejection was no surprise.
