NOTES for Luk 9:49-56

It is striking that the disciples of Christ until His very Resurrection from the dead are captive to common Jewish notions. Faced with the rejection of the Samaritans, they are already ready to pray for fire from heaven and cite the prophet Elijah as an example for imitation.

It cannot but be admitted that such a form of preaching seemed optimal to many Christians for centuries. In one empire a special theological theory was even invented, according to which the emperor should be converted to Christianity, and he in turn would conquer the whole world with fire and sword and drive all subject peoples into the faith. All would be well, it is only a pity that the empire fell, not having had time to fulfill the mission entrusted to it.

The words of Christ in response to this strange thought of the disciples are simple and stern: “You do not know what spirit you are of”. Even if empires have nowadays died out (probably, fortunately), this temptation is still great in the lives of individual people as well — and this means the rebuke that Christ gives to our inclination to violence remains extremely relevant. It is not fitting to defend truth with force, because Truth conquers — on the Cross.