Presented by Fr. Joseph
Cardozo SJ
The
journey of
Jesus to
Jerusalem
Travel Narrative
(Lk. 9: 51 – Lk. 19: 44)
 The title “travel narrative” is given by scholars
to the section in Luke’s Gospel which describes
Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.
 Mark devotes just one chapter (Mk. 10) to Jesus’
journey, Mathew two chapters (chs. 19 –
20),while Luke gives nearly ten chapters to it.
 Zacharias Mattam says: The journey of Jesus to
Jerusalem is to accomplish the Paschal Mystery.
 Kealy says: “…in general, it is a rambling journey around
central Palestine and at 17: 11 Jesus is no nearer Jerusalem
than at the beginning…the way to Jerusalem has both
symbolic and theological meaning for Luke.”
Significance of Jerusalem:
 Jerusalem is the centre of his Gospel, the place of Jesus‟
suffering, death, resurrection and ascension.
 Jerusalem is the goal of his journey, since no prophet can
be allowed to die anywhere except in Jerusalem (13: 33).
 On the way, Jesus explains what is required of his disciples
as they follow him. Jesus is preparing his disciples to
carry on his mission after his death (9: 60; 10: 3.16; 17:
Why is it called a travel narrative?
Because there is a constant reference
made to Jesus‟ being on his way to
Jerusalem (e.g., 9: 51, 53, 57;
10: 1, 38;
13: 22, 33;
14: 25;
17: 11;
18: 31;
19: 11, 28);
 Jesus takes up this journey while he is
at the peak of his ministry in Galilee (Lk:
4: 14 – 9: 50), in keeping with the plan
of God.
 In 9: 51, Luke makes a solemn
announcement to that effect, with which
the journey to Jerusalem begins…

…when the days drew near for him to
be taken up (meaning ascension
through death and resurrection), he
set his face to go to Jerusalem…
 Jerusalem was the centre of the Jewish
religious hopes and promises.
 It was the dearest dream of all the Jews
scattered to the four corners of the world to see
Jerusalem, to visit it at least once in their life.
About Jerusalem in the Lucan work, we
can make the following observations…
The overaching geographical perspective in
Luke – Acts can be seen in the evangelist‟s preoccupation with Jerusalem as the city of
destiny for Jesus and the pivot for the salvation
of humankind.
 Statistics show the importance of
Jerusalem in the Lucan work: the word
“Jerusalem” occurs 31 times in Luke and
59 times in Acts; in Mark 11 and in
Mathew 13.
In the whole New Testament: 141 times.
 The whole Gospel narrative is included by the
holy city of Jerusalem: it begins with the priest
Zechariah burning incense in the temple of
Jerusalem (1: 9), and ends also with the
apostles blessing God in the temple (24: 53).
 Jesus is dedicated in the temple of Jerusalem
(2: 22).
 Righteous and devout Simeon (2: 30 – 32).
 Anna the prophetess…spoke of him to all
who were looking for the redemption of
Jerusalem (2: 38).

Jesus at the age of twelve in Jerusalem (2: 49)
 Jesus dies on the cross in Jerusalem (23: 46)
The way of Jesus which begins with the public
ministry (Lk. 3: 4, 23; 4: 30) very explicitly and
decisively moves on to Jerusalem (9: 51 to 19:
31) for the accomplishment of his “exodus” –
from death to glory.
 It is in Jerusalem that the „taking up‟ of Jesus
viz., death – resurrection – ascension takes
place.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit by the risen
Jesus on the apostles, on the Pentecost day
takes place in Jerusalem (Acts 2).
 They are empowered to be his witnesses, and
their mission in his name begins with
Jerusalem (24: 47)
 Scholars observe that behind the idea of
Jerusalem as the city of destiny and the pivot
for the Word of God‟s salvation to all the
nations may lie on certain OT notions.
 Is. 49: 6 may have influenced Luke in this respect: “I
will give you as a light to the nations, that my
salvation may reach to the end of the earth (Lk
2: 32 & Acts 13: 47)
 In the Gospel, the narrative of Jesus‟
ministry moves toward Jerusalem. While
in Acts, the geographical movement is
away from Jerusalem. The ministry of
the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 1 – 7) is
followed by the evangelization of Judea
and Samaria (8 – 12).
The Content of the Travel Narrative

Travel narrative as a literary compilation of:
* Sayings of Jesus (proverbs, parables,
criticism of his opponents
* Pronouncement stories;
* A few miracle stories
* All these pericopes are set in the
framework of the journey to Jerusalem
in the company of his disciples.
The connection between these varied
elements is often very loose and it is
impossible to detect a structure in this
narrative or any generic or logical
development.
Yet, it has been noticed that the apparent
incoherence of Chs 10 to 19 is
considerably reduced by observing the
sustained preaching of repentance, the
classic prophetic task, which runs
through them.
The Leading viewpoints
in the Travel Narrative
Various scholars say: that Luke portrays…
Doctrine for the disciples with directions for the
life and the work of the disciples and the future
missionary work of the community of the
disciples;
Material may have been arranged in connection
with Deuteronomy;
Instructions for the apostles and discussion
with opponents;
Jesus‟ consciousness of suffering is
expressed as a journey;
Journey to the Passion is united with
Jesus‟ activity as prophetic teacher
destined to be the Messiah;
Diverse viewpoints…
 “…we must be satisfied with the insight that in
the „travel narrative‟ of Luke, the Lord, who
goes on his „way‟ to Jerusalem, the city of
destiny, to suffer, die and to be raised
according to God‟s will, equips his disciples for
the mission of preaching after his exodus (9:
60; 10: 3, 16; 17: 22 – 25).”
 The travel account becomes, then, a
collection of teachings for the young
missionary Church, in which instruction of
disciples alternates with debates with
opponents.
Some other observations…
The journey in the Gospel narrative fits Luke‟s
conception of the life of „believers‟ or disciples
narrated in Acts as a pilgrimage always on the
move (Acts 9: 2; 19: 9, 23: 22: 4; 24: 14, 22).
This is true for Jesus and for his followers.
The journey is to Jerusalem and to Jesus‟ death
and glorification.
It is in respect of His sufferings that Jesus is
described as “going on ahead” of the disciples
(19: 28).
Jesus goes before his disciples as pioneer or
leader (Acts 3: 15; 5: 31).
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Some central Themes found in the
Travel Narrative
Radical discipleship (chs. 9; 14; 18)
The Good Samaritan: who is my neighbour?
(Ch. 10)
The women friends of Jesus: Martha and Mary
(Ch. 10)
The “Father” Prayer (Ch. 11)
The parables of repentance and loving
forgiveness (Chs. 15; 16)
The Zacchaeus story (Ch. 19)
Warnings on dangers of riches, covetousness,
hypocrisy, etc.,(ch. 18).
The need to renounce oneself and take up the
cross(14: 25 – 35; 18: 31 – 34);
The need to sell one‟s goods to follow Christ
(12: 13 – 21; 18: 18 – 30; 16: 1 – 15; 16: 19
– 31);
 The teaching on abandoning oneself to the
divine providence (12: 22 – 34);
The teaching on fraternal love and care for the
weakest and the lost (15: 1 – 32; 17: 1 – 10).
Travel Narrative
(Lk. 9: 51 – Lk. 19: 44)
…is a journey towards suffering, death and
resurrection. Hence, the teaching he
imparts in this section is a teaching given
in the face of death and confirmed by God
through the resurrection.
In what does being a Christian
really consist?
It is a journey with Christ to the resurrection
and glory through the path of the Cross.
As Abraham travelled from Ur to the promised
land and as the people of Israel travelled from
Egypt to the Promised Land; Christian life is a
journey with Christ to heavenly Jerusalem
through his Passion, Death and
Resurrection, which must be fulfilled also
in us.
The Rejection of the Samaritan Village
(9: 51 – 56)
v.51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he
set his face to go to Jerusalem:
 This section opens with a statement about the Crucifixion
and Resurrection: the phrase ‘being taken up’ expresses
the whole mystery of His Passion, Death, Resurrection and
Ascension that would take place in Jerusalem.
(John‟s Gospel uses the term „glorify‟ to refer to the same
events (Jn. 7: 39; 12: 16, 23; 13: 31ff)).
Being aware of what awaits him, Jesus begins the journey
to Jerusalem with determination. There is no turning back.
vv. 52 – 56: (we will read together…).
At the beginning of his public life, he was
rejected by his own home town in Nazareth.
When the first phase of his ministry in Galilee
was over and he began the journey to
Jerusalem, He is rejected by the people of
Samaria. It will be culminated by his rejection
by the people as a whole.
The Jews had no dealings with Samaritans (Jn.
4: 9). The history made them Schismatics in
their eyes, hence the lack of welcome accorded
to Jesus and his disciples (9: 52 – 54).
 Hospitality was sacred among the people of Israel and
to refuse it to someone was considered a grave sin,
because having travelled on foot in the heat of the
sun, if at night, the traveller was not given proper food
and rest, he could even die.
 James and John whom Mark calls “Sons of Thunder”
(Mk 3: 17) were so scandalized at this refusal of
hospitality by the Samaritans that they wanted to call
down fire from heaven to burn them up, as Elijah had
done in the OT to the soldiers sent by the king Ahaziah
(2 Kgs 1: 10 – 12).
 In Gen 19, we read how when the people of Sodom
and Gomorrah refused to give hospitality to the two
messengers God sent them, fire came down from
heaven and burnt up the two cities.
 Jesus rebukes the over zealous disciples.
 Jesus came to Samaria to take on his shoulders their
rejection and sins.
 As a result after his Resurrection and Pentecost,
Samaria would receive the gift of conversion and faith
in Jesus Christ (Acts 8: 4 – 8).
 God‟s love is greater than man‟s rejection and sin.
 We need to see in the rejection of Christ by the people
of Samaria our own reality of sinfulness and rejection
of Christ, which also Jesus carried on his body to the
cross.
 In Is. 1: 18 “though your sins are like scarlet, they
shall be as white as snow; though they are red as
crimson, they shall be like wool.”
The Cost of Discipleship 9: 57 - 62
 Narration of three would-be disciples of Jesus.
To each of them Jesus indicated the stringent
nature of discipleship (Radical Discipleship).
Vv. 57 – 58 The first would-be-disciple had
misunderstood the degree of self-sacrifice
involved; Jesus demands total commitment
from those who want to be his disciples.
To the first would-be-disciple who, Mathew says
was a scribe (Mt. 8: 18), Jesus said that He
was one who had nowhere to call his own to
rest, no home, and no security. The only place
he had to lay his head, was on the cross (Jn.
19: 30).
For a disciple of Christ the only place where he
can rest in this world, is the cross given
him/her by God. There, his Master is waiting
for him/her to become one with him.
Like Christ, the disciple cannot live as though
this earth is his permanent home. He too is a
pilgrim, a stranger and a wayfarer.
The vocation to follow Christ is a call to go and
die with him in order to share in his
resurrection and glory .
It is only by renouncing oneself and taking up
the cross, that one can follow Christ.
vv. 59 – 60 Here Jesus calls those outside the
Kingdom as „dead.‟
 There are two kinds of deaths, one natural and
the other spiritual, i.e., death of sin.
Jesus Christ came to give eternal life to the
people. Those who do not have eternal life are
physically alive but spiritually dead.
Here Jesus says to the would-be-disciple to let
the spiritually dead to bury their physically
dead.
The call of Christ and of the Kingdom is more
important than the obligation to one‟s parents.
Jesus himself gave an example of it at the age
of twelve(Lk. 2: 49).
The second part of the answer of Jesus, “but as
for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God,”
(Lk 9: 60b) is found only in Luke.
Here Jesus links the call to announce the
Kingdom of God with the call to follow the
mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of God.
This requires from the disciple absolute freedom
from all human ties to the family and
fatherland.
He must follow the same path walked by Jesus.
With regard to the second would-be-disciple,
the initiative came from Jesus himself. But he
asked to be allowed to go and bury the father
first.
In all cultures, the obligation of a son with
regard to his dead father or mother is sacred.
This is all the more so among the Jews. The
duty of burying the father was considered more
important than even reciting the Shema.
Whether the father was actually dead or not, is
unclear here. Most probably the request
implied that he be allowed to look after the
father in his old age until death;
Once the duty towards the father was done, he
would be free to follow Jesus.
Jesus is not cancelling the fourth
commandment; he is only asserting the
precedence of the first commandment to
love God above everything (Dt. 6: 4 – 9).
He said on another occasion, “He who
loves father or mother more than me is
not worthy of me. He who loves son or
daughter more than me is not worthy of
me (Mt. 10: 37).”
v. 61 …to look back means to have one’s
heart attached to something.
 The third volunteer requested permission from the
„Lord,‟ to take leave from his family, just as Elisha asked
to be allowed to go and wish good by to his parents,
when Elijah called him (1 Kgs. 19: 19 – 21).
 But then Elisha, realizing that in this way he could lose
the calling to the prophetic mission, he gave it up and
having killed the pair of oxen he was ploughing with, he
used the plough for fire wood and prepared a meal for
those working with him and then followed Elijah in his
prophetic ministry.
 Jesus requires from his disciples the same radical
detachment and total dedication.
 Here Jesus, probably referring to this incident in the life
of Elisha said: “no one who puts his hand to the plough,
and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.
 John P. Kealy says, “the plough in Palestine had only
one handle and required total concentration to go
straight in the hard earth. Sacrifice and total dedication
are essential to discipleship.
 The answer of Jesus to all the three would-be-disciples,
stresses the same message of sacrifice, particularly of
home (leaving even without saying goodbye),
detachment and the undivided loyalty required (Lk. 14:
26 – 33; 2 Tim. 2: 4; Mt 10: 37 – 38).
 The total dedication discipleship involves, requires that
he follow Christ wholeheartedly without looking back.
The wife of Lot looked back and became a pillar of salt