As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” 59 And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “[Lord,] let me go first and bury my father.” 60 But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” 62 [To him] Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke places this scene on the road to Jerusalem (v. 51). From this point, Jesus walks toward the mystery of His suffering, death, and resurrection. On the way, three short conversations teach the cost of following Him. Each reply of Jesus is clear and demanding. Discipleship is not only an intention. It is a decision that orders all other duties.
In the first exchange, a man says, “I will follow you wherever you go” (v. 57). Jesus answers that “the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” (v. 58). “Son of Man” is Jesus’ way of speaking about Himself. It recalls Dan 7:13-14 and also highlights His humility in the Gospels. The cost here is real poverty and rejection. Animals have a place to rest; the Messiah accepts insecurity. The one who follows Him must be ready to share that condition. Earthly safety and status cannot set the terms for discipleship.
In the second exchange, Jesus says to another, “Follow me” (v. 59). The man asks to go first and bury his father. In first-century Judaism, burial was a serious family duty that could involve extended obligations. Jesus replies, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (v. 60). This is forceful speech to state priority, not a denial of the Fourth Commandment. Many commentators note that the request may imply an open-ended delay until the father’s death and the completion of all rites. Jesus teaches that the kingdom has first claim. Routine affairs can be handled by those who are “dead” in a spiritual sense; the disciple called by Christ must put the proclamation of God’s reign before all other claims.
In the third exchange, another says, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home” (v. 61). Jesus answers with a farming image: “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God” (v. 62). A plowman must face forward to keep a straight furrow. Looking back makes the line crooked and the work fail. The cost here is a whole heart and an undivided focus. The contrast with Elisha—who was allowed to say farewell before following Elijah (cf. 1 Kgs 19:19-21)—shows that Jesus’ call is greater and more urgent. The kingdom is present in His person. The response must be immediate and firm.
Across these three sayings, the cost of following Jesus becomes plain: accept insecurity for His sake, place the kingdom above even strong human duties, and keep your eyes fixed ahead without a divided heart. The timing is now, because He is on His way to give His life and to accomplish the work the Father gave Him (v. 51). The disciple does not look back. He walks behind the Lord with steady steps and unwavering commitment.
Lord Jesus, help me to fix my eyes on You. Give me a faithful heart that does not delay, a steady will that does not look back, and a clear mind to put Your kingdom first. Strengthen me to follow You today and every day. Amen.
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Sources and References:
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- The Navarre Bible: Luke, Faculty of the University of Navarre (2008).
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, ed. José Enrique Aguilar Chiu et al. (2018), Luke.
- Raymond E. Brown et al., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (1990), “Luke.”
- St. Ambrose (339-397), Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, Book 7.
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