The passage
      v51. The Samaritans, who were half-cast Jews, were despised by the Jews. The Samaritans didn't much like the Jews either, and so when Jewish pilgrims had to pass through Samaria, journeying to Jerusalem, abuse, and sometimes violence, resulted. Jesus was observably Jerusalem bound and this prompted a reaction from the Samaritans. Judgement was their deserved end, according to James and John. Yet, Jesus was heading for the cross and thus, the deliverance of those enslaved by sin. Even the Samaritans were to share in this salvation and so the disciples were rebuked for their lack of perception.
      v52-53. A Jew would normally try to skirt around Samaria, when heading for Jerusalem, but the picture we get here is of Jesus' need to press on toward his destiny. The disciples set out to organize lodgings in a nearby village, but the locals sense Jesus' agitation to be on his way and in Jerusalem and this only provokes racial hostility.
      v54. As usual, the disciples have missed the point, and so they ask Jesus whether they can call for an Elijah type judgement upon the village.
      v55-56. The rebuke of Jesus exposes the disciples' failure to understand the nature of his journey, which, despite their lack of perception, continues.
      v57. Again in travel mode, Jesus presses on toward Jerusalem. Luke wants us to see the journey within the context of Jesus moving toward the cross. So, on the way Jesus meets three candidates for discipleship, three people who want to join with Jesus on the journey. The first and third candidates volunteer, the second is invited.
      v58. Jesus seems to test the commitment of this first candidate, as he does with the others, by telling him that discipleship is a difficult road to travel; he doesn't want "fair-weather disciples". Jesus "is the penniless and ever-working one who has sacrificed family and home for the sake of the kingdom", E. Ellis. With the first candidate, Jesus appears to demand self-sacrifice. Yet, it is possible that Jesus is calling for a commitment to the deliverance gained by the lowly suffering servant. Those wanting to follow the Son of Man must accept a humiliated, not a glorious messiah. Deliverance comes via a cross.
      v59-60. With the second candidate, Jesus appears to demand that all must be laid aside. Religious duty demanded that a dead relative be buried. Left unburied, all the relatives would be ceremonially unclean. Jesus' retort is that the "dead" (in the sense of those who do not, and will not, share the resurrection life of Christ) aught to be left to bury the physically dead. A disciple needs to accept the urgency of their mission, and strive to proclaim the good news. Of course, we can do this and attend our dad's funeral at the same time. Jesus' vivid description serves to make a point, not define a law.
      v61-62. With the third candidate, Jesus appears to demand undivided loyalty. Reliance on family, on the familiar, on the tested and tried, rather than on the deliverance provided by Jesus, excludes us from the kingdom. The imagery here comes from Elijah's call of Elisha, 1Ki.19:20ff.

Following Jesus
      "The privilege and the seriousness of following Christ are of such tremendous magnitude that there is no room for excuse, for compromise with the world, or for halfheartedness. What a challenge and inspiration to know that He who calls us to complete devotion and loyalty, Himself followed wholeheartedly the road of self-denial - yea, even to the death of the cross!" N. Geldenhuys.
      Oh dear! such devotion and loyalty I do not possess, and I fear, I will never possess. Am I then lost before the throne of my God? Am I then that unfaithful servant without hope? Am I the forsaken one? Luther felt that he was the forsaken one and easily mouthed the words "my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Yet, he came to realize that it was "Christ forsaken for me." Christ has taken the punishment due me, and in its place has bestowed upon me his worthiness. My salvation does not depend on my worthiness as a disciple, but on Christ's worthiness.
      Here lies the point of our passage. Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem, toward a cross and empty tomb. In this is deliverance for lost humanity. So we are asked to rely on the humiliated Christ and the absurdity of the claim that he has risen from the dead, rather than on the tangible things of life. The question is, are we willing to rely on him for our salvation? Not only must we personally rely on this deliverance, but we must accept the urgency of making it known to broken humanity.
      Our standing in the kingdom of God depends on our daily reliance upon the good news of that deliverance achieved for us by Christ in his death and resurrection. The rest is in God's hands.

v52
      apesteilen (apostellw) aor. "he sent [messengers]" he sent. This is not actually a mission to the Samaritans, but certainly alludes to the role of the disciples as sent-ones, going before the coming king, preparing his way. This is of course, the role of all disciples in all ages.
      pro poswpou autou "on ahead" - before his face. An allusion to Mal.3:1.
      eiV kwmhn Samaritwn "into a Samaritan village" - A Jew would not normally pass through Samaria when heading to Jerusalem, so why is Jesus travelling through this "unclean" territory"? The incident may image the coming worldwide mission, but more likely illustrates Jesus' urgent resolve to fulfill his destiny in Jerusalem.
      wJV eJtoimasai (eJtoimazw) inf. "to get things ready [for him]" - to prepare / to make arrangements. This conjunction, with the infinitive, produces a result, or purpose clause. Jesus sent the messengers on ahead for the purpose of getting things ready for him, or, as a result of sending them, they got things ready for him. Result and purpose are often too close to separate.

v53
      ouk edexanto (decomai) aor. mid. "the people did not welcome [him]" - they did not receive. This negative reaction may be toward the disciples as they made plans for Jesus' arrival in the village, therefore, "they would not receive him
      poreuomenon (poreuomai) part. "[because he was] heading" - [because the face of him was] going. "Because he was making for Jerusalem", NEB. The implication is that the villagers are not so much rejecting to Jesus as such, but rather another wondering holier-than-thou Jewish rabbi who wants to get out of Samaria as quickly as possible so he isn't too polluted by the experience. If this is the case, then Luke's point is to illustrate Jesus' focus on the journey to Jerusalem.

v54
      idonteV (oJraw) aor. part. "[when the disciples James and John] saw this" - seeing. Most translations assume that the participle here forms a temporal clause.
      qeleiV (qelw) "[do] you want" - will, wish. Functioning as an independent clause without the usual introductory conjunction or prepositional phrase, ie. it is an asyndeton. Used for staccato effect to introduce the disciples' question.
      eipwmen (eipon) aor. subj. "do [you want] us to call [fire down ....]" - we should call / we should order. A deliberative subjunctive. An allusion to 2 Kings 1:10, 12. The disciples have asked for an Elijah type judgement upon the villagers.

v55
      straqeiV (strefw) aor. pas. part. "[but Jesus] turned" - having turned. "Turning to face his disciples ...."
      epetimhsen (epitimaw) aor. "rebuked [them]" - he rebuked, reproved. The point is that judgement will come to those who deserve it, yet this is not the time for judgement, but the time for journey, journey to the cross. Therefore, the disciples are rebuked for their lack of perception.

v56
      eporeuqhsan (poreuomai) aor. pass. "they went" - they journeyed. Luke makes the point that the journey continues.

v57
      poreuomenwn (poreuomai) part. "as they were walking [along the road] - they were going [on/in the way]. Luke is underlining the travel motif. Jesus is on the way to the cross.
      akolouqhsw (akolouqew) fut. "I will follow [you]" - "I will be your disciple."
      oJpou ean aperch/ "wherever you go" - This conjunction with the particle, followed by the subjunctive, forms a locative clause which explains where the action of "I will be your disciple" is located, namely, "wherever you go" (wherever you take me). Are we to understand he is saying, "I will be your disciple and follow you to Jerusalem and to the cross"?

v58
      klinh/ (klinw) subj. "[the Son of Man has no place] to lay [his head]" - [.... does not have where the head] he may lay down. "Jesus doesn't even have a bedroom where he can go to sleep." No response by the "certain man" is recorded. Yet, what response is Jesus looking for? It is usually understood that Jesus wants us to think seriously before committing ourselves to the Christian way. Yet, this interpretation rests on the assumption that Jesus is always on about "doing/suffering" - faithful obedience that limits our enjoyment of life and often brings with it persecution. Yet, it is possible that Jesus is describing his status in the world, not necessarily the status of those who would follow him. Jesus is the lowly one, and so the question is, are we willing to become the disciple of this entirely "unsuccessful" man?

v59
      akolouqei (akolouqew) pres. imp. "follow [me]" - follow. Here Jesus does the inviting.
      epitreyon (epitrepw) aor. imp. "first let [me] go" - allow, permit. The request is obviously genuine. The father is either dead or dying. The son is willing to accept Jesus' call, but he first seeks permission to be allowed to fulfill his family responsibility and take charge of his father's burial.

v60
      afeV (afihmi) aor. imp. "let" - allow/permit .. let [the dead bury their dead]. The natural reading of these words is that we should allow those in sheol to worry about each other, and let the living worry about the living, cf. Fitzmyer. Some suggest that it means "let the spiritually dead burry their dead." In more general terms it may mean something like, "don't get yourself worked up about the death of a relative, focus on the living. What's important is the proclamation of the gospel to the living, for only they can hear it, believe and be saved." It is very unlikely that Jesus is telling him he can't go to his dad's funeral, but rather, that he must get his priorities right. Commitment to the kingdom and its proclamation is what matters. Tannehill notes that Jesus' striking language serves to make a point and should not be taken literally. There is a possible allusion to Ezekiel 24:15-24.
      apelqwn (apercomai) aor. part. "you go" - going. The participle should not be read as an imperative. Possibly a temporal clause etc. "when / while / as you go / are going, proclaim ...."
      diaggelle (diaggellw) pres. imp. "proclaim" - The present tense implies continuation, "preach far and wide."

v61
      eJteroV "another [said]" - "A different person said to Jesus ....."
      epitreyon (epitrepw) aor. imp. "[but first] let [me]" - allow, permit.
      apotazasqai (apotassw) aor. inf. + dat. "say good-by" - to say farewell. Lit. give up.