Read Luke 9 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
Luke 9:1-56 Chiastic Structure:
Here’s a puzzle. In the 1A pair, Jesus told His disciples to shake off the dust from their feet from the town that will not receive them, as a testimony against them. But then when the Samaritan town did not receive Jesus in the 2A pair, He rebuked His disciples for wanting to call down judgment on the town.
But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man has not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went to another village. Luk 9:55-56
The answer is found in Matthew’s record of these things.
“And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” Mat 10:14-15
Judgment is reserved for the Day of Judgment and not one millisecond before, because the Spirit of God does not desire fire and brimstone, but repentance and mercy. When Jesus taught us to judge not, He was reserving final judgment for Himself on the Day of Judgment. It is too high for us humans.
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
The Spirit of Jonah – Christine Miller
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