The Journey Unto Death
Luke 9:51
By Harold Dinsmore, M.Div.
© 2007 Harold Dinsmore

Jesus knew well that death was an unwelcome guest at any house.  He had often come across death.  Sometimes He restored life to the lifeless bodies.  At other times He did not.  But He understood death.  In fact, His entire life was one giant step toward death.

Luke 9:51 says, “He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem”

Leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion in Jerusalem, He and His disciples had been on a preaching tour for several weeks prior to the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover.  He had been in the area around His home town of Nazareth in chapter 6, and had preached in several towns there and moved on over to the Sea of Galilee and had crossed over to Bethsaida.  He then moved toward the Mediterranean Sea, having crossed through Gennesaret and finally arrived in Tyre and Sidon along the coast.  From there, He traveled to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, into the area known as the Decapolis (10 cities).  He sailed to the district of Dalmanutha on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, which is near the city of Magdala.  Having left there, they sailed once more for Bethsaida.  He then set forth for the northern city of Caesarea Philippi.

It was on the way to Caesarea Philippi that we pick up the narrative in Mark 8:31.  Out beside this passage in your margin; mark this with a large #1.  This begins His journey toward death, His final journey to Jerusalem.