You Know Not What Spirit You are Of - Luke 9:55

The beloved physician Luke wrote concerning Jesus, “it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, will you that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?”, and in chapter nine and verse fifty-five of his book Luke shared how Jesus answered, “you know not what manner of spirit you are of” where we read:

But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, You know not what manner of spirit you are of.

The verse reads, “But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, ...” Luke began with the words, “but he turned” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover Jesus turned around”, “and rebuked them” which means “and adjudged, taxed with fault, chided, reproved and censured severely James and John”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed” the following words. Luke shared how Jesus “turned” toward “James and John” and “corrected and reproved” them with the following words.

The verse goes on to say, “... You know not what manner of spirit you are of.” Luke continued with the words, “you know not what manner of spirit” which means “you, James and John, do not understand, perceive or discern what sort of simple essence which is devoid of all or at least all grosser matter and possesses the power of knowing, desiring, deciding and acting”, “you are of ” or “that James and John embody”? Luke shared how Jesus told “James and John” they were unaware of the “essence and thoughts” they were exhibiting in their question.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus “firmly corrected” His disciples James and John” because of their question concerning “destroying” the “Samaritans” with “fire from heaven”. God desires to “save” people, not destroy them, and He sent His Son Jesus to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world to demonstrate to everyone His plan of “Salvation” for them. People who believe and trust in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins regardless of their previous rejection of Him, and those who are wise will yield their lives to Him and invite everyone else to yield to Him as well.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".