He stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem

The high point of our Lord’s self-revelation has been reached on the top of the mount where He was transfigured before them, and the three disciples caught a startling glimpse of the intrinsic glory that was His but had been veiled from human view. A week earlier Peter had declared their belief in His deity, and this had been confirmed to him and his two companions. Yet another contrast is to be drawn here and now. Even in His transfigured and glorious state, the conversation had been about His decease. So our Lord veils His glory once more, comes down from the mount, and once again prepares to humble Himself to walk the long, lonely, dusty road to Jerusalem.

His face is set towards Jerusalem. Visibly,this meant that the Samaritans, through whose countryside He would find the most direct route to Jerusalem, would see just another Jew on the way to the great feast, and they would make life difficult for all such. Animosity between the Samaritans and the Jews, who had once been of the same stock, had broken out when the Jews under Ezra and Nehemiah had returned from exile to re-build Jerusalem and the temple. On their return, they found a nation of people who had intermarried with the pagans round about them and had developed a way of worship that was foreign to Moses and the law. The Jews, therefore, rejected any help from the Samaritans in rebuilding Jerusalem, and the breach was final.

Metaphorically, however, the phrase ‘he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem’ speaks to us of His total acceptance of the path of suffering that lay before Him. ‘He must suffer’ had now become ‘I will suffer’. The heights of the mount have been replaced with the lowlands of Samaria. The adulation and acceptance of the mount have been replaced with the shame and rejection of Samaria. Yet with what grace He accepts their rejection and rebukes James and John for their severe attitudes. These men had been selfish (wanting to sit on His right and left hand in the glory), sectarian (rebuking one who was not of their company) and severe in calling down judgement from heaven. But the Saviour is none of these things; nor should we be.