Luke 9:18-36

CONTENTS. This section presents ‘the glory of the Son of man confessed on earth and ratified from heaven.' Luke is much briefer than Matthew and Mark. He omits the promise to Peter (with Mark), and also the rebuke of Peter, which Mark retains. In the account of the transfiguration we find a few additional particulars. The conversation about Elijah is not mentioned.

CHRONOLOGY. The events intervening between the feeding of the five thousand and the confession of Peter were numerous and important. The other three Evangelists all tell of Christ's walking on the sea during the night after the first miracle of the loaves. Arriving at Capernaum, He delivered a discourse there (John 6:22-71). The Passover (one year before His death) was at hand (John 6:4). This year was virtually one of persecution. The effect was to lead our Lord into retirement, and to bring out plainer declarations to the disciples. Matthew (chaps, 15, 16) and Mark (chaps, 7, 8) tell how he passed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, returning to Decapolis, feeding four thousand there, sailing to Magadan, where new opposition encountered Him, then recrossing the lake, when an opportunity was afforded Him of warning His disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, journeying from Bethsaida Julius near which they had landed to the region of Cesarea Philippi, where the confession of Peter was made. All these important events are passed over by Luke. But unless we know of the previous and growing hostility narrated by the other Evangelists, the prediction of Luke 9:22 seems abrupt, and Luke 9:51 inexplicable. We can as little determine why Luke omits so much at this point, as why the others pass over the events of the next six months, which are so fully narrated in chaps, 10 - 18. Thus the Gospels supplement each other, but with no evidence of such a purpose on the part of the Evangelists.