Luke 9:51 Meaning and Explanation
“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →As the time for his being taken up approaches, Jesus resolutely sets his face to go to Jerusalem.
What Does Luke 9:51 Mean?
Here the Gospel of Luke pivots. The days are being fulfilled for Jesus to be received up, his death, rising, and ascension gathered into one phrase, and he stedfastly sets his face to go to Jerusalem. From this verse onward, every road in Luke runs toward that city and the cross that waits there.
The set face is the love of Christ in the form of resolve. He is not swept toward Jerusalem; he chooses it, echoing the Servant of Isaiah who set his face like a flint. Every step is a decision, and every decision is for us. When obedience grows costly, disciples look here: a Lord who saw everything coming and went anyway, his face fixed, his purpose unbroken, his goal our redemption.
Luke 9:51 in the Original Language
analepsis (ἀνάληψις), 'received up' -- a taking up; ascension.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 9:51
What does Luke 9:51 mean?
As the time for his being taken up approaches, Jesus resolutely sets his face to go to Jerusalem.