AS THE TIME approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56and they went to another village.
57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”
62Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Original Meaning
THE KEY CENTRAL section of Luke’s Gospel (9:51–19:44) shows how Jesus experiences rejection and prepares his disciples for his departure. Two topics dominate the unit. (1) Luke carefully traces the opposition to Jesus that grows and the deep hostility that emerges from the Jewish leadership. Much in chapters 9–14 painfully recounts this schism. (2) An extensive teaching on discipleship dominates this section, especially in chapters 14–19. Jesus stresses the total commitment that effective discipleship demands, the generous use of resources, dependence on God, and love for sinners. Where miracles dominated the previous section, parables and teaching are the key narrative elements in this section. At its end, Jesus enters Jerusalem weeping, because Israel has missed the visitation of her Messiah. Yet God’s plan and kingdom march on to bless those who do turn to Jesus.
This initial unit of this section (9:51–10:24) highlights failure followed by success. The disciples fail to respond appropriately to their rejection (9:51–56), while prospective followers have much to learn about commitment (9:57–62). But the mission of 10:1–24 is a complete success, exposing the disciples to the joys and privileges of ministry. Their ministry is not a time of judgment but of invitation. An invitation refused leaves one accountable to God, but the offer of hope and forgiveness dominates the disciple’s message. It is a special period in which kings and prophets longed to participate. Ministry is a great honor, but knowing God is the greatest privilege of all.
This section opens with the remark that Jesus sets his face to go to Jerusalem. The idiom “to set one’s face” is an Old Testament expression for “to resolve” (Gen. 31:21; Jer. 21:10; 44:12).1 He embarks on this journey as the days draw near for him to be received up. The journey is not a straight line trip, however, for in 10:38–42 Jesus is in Bethany near Jerusalem, in the south (cf. John 12:1), while later in Luke 17:11, he is traveling between Samaria and Galilee, in the north. Luke describes a journey of destiny, which has as its destination Israel’s capital. So Jerusalem is a city of fate and destiny, where God’s plan and the rejection of the prophet are realized (13:31–35). Luke highlights these themes through the journey motif in a way the other Gospels do not.
The journey starts with Jesus’ expanding his ministry into Samaritan territory. To Jews, this ethnic group was traitors, a collection of half-breeds. The name came from the capital of the separatist northern kingdom of Israel, Samaria, in a rule founded by Omri (1 Kings 16:21–24). The Samaritans intermarried with the pagan nations and were thus seen as unfaithful to the nation of Israel.2 The fact that Jesus reaches out to them indicates his desire to broaden his ministry.
As was the pattern in the earlier mission of the Twelve (Luke 9:1–6), Jesus sends messengers ahead to prepare the way for him. But what both they and he meet is rejection. Luke clearly states the reason is because Jesus is “heading for Jerusalem.” In other words, as far as Luke is concerned, rejection of Jesus will extend beyond Jerusalem.
The disciples are not pleased with the lack of response in Samaria and ask Jesus if fiery judgment should be called down from heaven, as Elijah did in 2 Kings 1. Surely to reject the coming of God deserves instant eradication and vengeance. But Jesus rebukes them. Why? Luke does not record the words Jesus uses. The company just moves on, and no execution of judgment comes. Obviously, now is not the time for judgment. Rather, it is a time to offer grace and to warn about accountability. The emphasis here is similar to Luke 4:16–19, where the citation of Isaiah 61:1–2 leaves out the reference to vengeance. Jesus’ silence is not alone, for heaven is also silent to the disciples’ desire for judgment.
Discipleship is not a casual affair to Jesus, as 9:57–62 certify. In a series of three encounters, Jesus shows the high priority he places on discipleship.3 It is no accident that this text follows a passage that centered on rejection. Part of what makes discipleship so demanding is the fact that some type of rejection is a given for the believer. Discipleship takes focused commitment. Luke makes it clear that the task of kingdom preaching is the point of urgency, since two of the three calls mention the kingdom of God (on the kingdom, see 10:1–24; 11:14–23; 17:20–21).
The central term in this section is “follow” (vv. 57, 59, 61). Like the threefold call of Elisha, the text makes this central point repeatedly, but with one key difference: What involved a threefold call to a single figure in the Old Testament is a single call to three different figures in the New Testament (2 Kings 2:1–6).4 The three cases here involve two where the disciple initiates the encounter (the first and the third) and one where Jesus does. But the point in each case is the same: In life, discipleship must come first.
The first exchange begins with a confident statement by a man that he will follow Jesus wherever he goes. This remark requires reflection, so Jesus warns the man precisely what that will require. The man probably has in view the example of students following a rabbi, where they learned from the teacher. Following a rabbi meant nothing other than walking behind him, and it also suggested the student’s submission to the teacher. But to follow Jesus means a different form of discipleship. It is more like following a prophet.5 The prophet was an itinerant teacher, not part of an established community. He had an uncertain existence and lived on the donations of those who responded to the ministry.
To follow Jesus, therefore, is to follow a prophet who calls one to faithfulness to God. The priority is to turn one’s attention to the presence and arrival of God’s kingdom. It requires viewing this journey with total dedication, especially since the Son of Man will not have a home. Unlike foxes and birds, which have holes and nests, the Son of Man has no home. He is an alien sojourning for a time in a foreign land. Rejection will be a given, and finding a home may be difficult. Jesus is preparing his prospective follower for those times that lie ahead.
In the second case, a prospective follower wishes to bury his father before joining the group. The request seems reasonable, since burying a family member was a priority in Judaism (1 Kings 19:19–21).6 In fact, Jesus’ request would strike a Jewish ear as almost outrageous. But what was tolerated in the old era needs to be left behind in the more urgent new era. Strikingly, Jesus says to the man, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” The seemingly harsh reply is rhetorical, but it makes the point that discipleship and one’s commitment to the kingdom take priority even over family considerations. This saying is similar to other texts from Jesus that speak of hating mother and father—which means that if a choice is to be made, God must have first place. Taking care of funeral rites for a family member is a lower priority. Instead, this man must go and proclaim the gospel. More important than caring for the dead is preaching the offer of life. Disciples must move forward to share that need, not memorialize what is past.
A similar request surfaces in the third encounter. Here a man wants to tell his family farewell (cf. Elisha in 1 Kings 19:19–20). Again Jesus issues what on the surface seems a harsh warning: Those who look back are not fit for the kingdom. Jesus’ remarks have Old Testament precedent. Lot’s wife preferred Sodom and looked back. The Israelites longed for Egypt and complained because God brought them deliverance and a journey through the desert. Those who cling to life on earth as it is are not ready for the reformation that salvation brings. Jesus saves not just to grant us a place in heaven but to transform us here and now into new people, separated from the world (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20; 6:14; Titus 2:11–14). The disciple cannot hang onto the old life and be prepared for the rigors of discipleship. Jesus wants to make this truth clear from the start. Salvation is not a road paved with ease, for true spirituality takes discipline.
The picture of looking back while plowing is apt, since in Palestine the terrain is rugged. To look back while plowing was asking to make mistakes in preparing the field. The task required a focused eye on what lay ahead. So discipleship demands attention to the rough road before us. To look back risks being knocked off course.
Bridging Contexts
CLEARLY THERE IS rejection of the gospel today as there was in Jesus’ day. Such rejection is hard to take. But Jesus’ refusal to execute judgment is a consistent pattern for ministry. As mentioned in the first section, now is not the time for judgment. Jesus is here highlighting that the current era of his ministry is the period of opportunity and invitation. Jesus does speak openly of judgment, but it will occur in the era to come, when the Son of Man returns to show his authority (9:26; 12:8–10; 17:26–37; 21:25). Note also 2 Peter 3:9, which explains the Lord’s delaying judgment as an expression of his love and patience. The opportunity to respond to the offer of the gospel remains open until judgment comes.
This perspective indicates how the church should handle rejection. Since God will exercise justice at some future time, vindication is not called for now. As long as the era of grace continues, the church should continue to minister and offer her message of hope. To be a servant of the gospel is not to highlight judgment or long for execution, but to seek to save lives as long as God allows.
Luke 9:57–62 highlights the fundamental commitment that goes into being a disciple (cf. 9:23–27). The priority of discipleship is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow: developing one’s relationship to God. In order to avoid the errors that our instinct supplies to us, we must treat developing discipleship as a priority, understanding that the world will not comprehend when we go in a different direction from certain cultural expectations.
More subtle may be the way in which our own believing communities ask us to accommodate ourselves to the expectations of the world or even the Christian world around us. We may be asked not to make that prophetic challenge that asks our people to live differently, because it might not be affirming to our self-esteem or might create a reaction. Sometimes biblical examination asks us to take a long, hard look in the mirror and to make changes. Jesus’ directness and the shocking quality of his remarks here show just how seriously he takes the call to discipleship. The path to following Jesus is not a part-time job; it is a perpetual assignment. Since discipleship involves responding to people as well as to God, there is no moment when we are not “on call.” Those who wish to pursue spirituality as a hobby will not discover its blessing. Jesus makes that truth clear by showing that even the highest commitments to family come in second place. We may be asked to go minister in places where our families may not be near. We may be asked to take risks for the sake of the gospel that no “sane” person might take. We may have to stand up for integrity in situations that might cost us dearly.
Contemporary Significance
THE CHURCH MUST deal with the world’s rejection. The world often sees our commitment to Jesus as a blind, arrogant exclusivism, when in reality it represents an invitation to share in the rich blessings of God. How should the church respond to such hostility? Many people in the world react strongly against the church’s concern for the moral character of our culture and see it as a dogmatic attempt to control other people. That reading could not be more wrong. In warning against immoral behavior, the church is warning against that which is ultimately self-destructive not only to the individual who engages in it, but also to the society at large.
But how do we respond to such rejection? The disciples respond to the Samaritans with natural instinct: “Let’s wipe those foolish people off of the face of the earth.” But the way of Jesus is not the way of power exercised capriciously. What he calls for is continued outreach and ministry. To hold back is not an indication there will be no judgment. As 10:13–15 and 11:37–52 show, he is capable of issuing serious warnings about the consequences of rejecting him. Nevertheless, the goal of the church is continued ministry as the message of the gospel continues to be shared and as the church reaches out to others in word and deed.
When I think of this text and Jesus’ rebuke, I consider how angry many Christians appear at the world as they address it. It is not unusual today to see an angry Christian face on television, expressing some form of condemnation on our society at large. Truth, justice, and the divine way are lifted up as a banner, and those who walk differently are left to hear only the words of judgment. Some have even resorted to brute force or violence to try and stop sin. Is that our only option?
When Jesus enters Jerusalem anticipating her rejection (19:41–44), he is not angry. Instead, he weeps for her. That does not mean that some things did not anger him (cf. his cleansing of the temple). But his anger was directed at a religious hypocrisy that blocked access to God. Those whom society regarded as the most excluded often received a surprising handling by Jesus, like the woman caught in adultery (John 7:53–8:11). When Jesus was on the cross with the pain of nails in his hands and feet as evidence of national rejection, he was not angry with his enemies; he interceded for them. When Stephen was being stoned by the Jews for standing up for Jesus, he too was not angry with them; he prayed for their forgiveness. There will come a time when judgment is called for, when God’s righteous anger will be shown to hard hearts; but in the current era, the call of the church is to love and continue to intercede for those who reject the gospel. That does not mean that confrontation is excluded, but there is a way to confront that also holds out the invitation that forgiveness is obtainable with a change of heart. As with Saul, the keeper of the cloaks at Stephen’s execution, a little forgiveness may sow a seed that the Lord can reap.
What kind of servant does Jesus desire, according to 9:57–62? What type of service does he expect? Several analogies surface. In the military, as the soldier trains for service, he or she is often required to leave home for a long time. Whether in boot camp or on call somewhere in the world, there is no time to stop and bury the dead or have contact with the family. Like a commitment to serve one’s nation, discipleship is a call to serve God. Personal agendas end up suspended in the face of national realities. Jesus says the call of discipleship is like that.
Less significant but just as illustrative is a training camp in sports. During that time the players are pulled away from family and friends as they forge a unit together. Two strenuous workouts a day show just how dedicated the athletes must be to getting into shape. Nothing may get in the way of that preparation for a new season. Discipleship is the same as this, but with one difference. Here the camp is the church, and training camp never ceases. Disciples must always stay in shape. If camp goes well, friends and family share in the preparation.
Another analogy might be marriage. Until I am married, I am subject to my parents. But the establishment of a new home leads to a new set of relationships that have priority. To do justice to my new family requires an all-consuming availability. Discipleship is like that. My relationship to God becomes the defining priority against which all else is seen.
There may well be one significant difference between discipleship in Jesus’ era and discipleship today after two thousand years of church history. In Jesus’ time, those who came to him often had to leave family because of their decision. Jewish rejection was so strong that to decide for Jesus meant deciding against one’s family. Today many grow up in Christian homes where a decision to follow Jesus is honored. To be a disciple means to share in training with loved ones. Fitness requires that all of us give ourselves fully to the task. To face it with others who walk the same road is an encouragement. This is why some of the most effective discipleship happens in small groups. It is no accident that Jesus formed the Twelve and other groups of disciples who shared the task with him. Discipleship may be a calling out of the world, but it was never intended to be an exercise in solitary assignment.
But as disciples in the world, we had better be prepared. God may call us to a place where comfort is uncertain, for the Son of Man has no lay to place his head. Because of the uncertainty, one cannot let the daily worries of this life overcome the demands of being a disciple, since the dead are to bury the dead. Discipleship has an urgency to it that should have first place. And once we go, we should not look back. God does not issue his call for a season, but for a lifetime. Service for the kingdom begins at the moment we receive Jesus and continues until the Father calls us home. What does this look like? In detail, it is different for each person. Some are called to serve where they grew up; others are called to journey thousands of miles away. Some live in hardship and lose their life for the faith, like Peter who died for the faith, while others live a long life, like John who apparently died of old age. What is the same for all is the call that discipleship should have priority over everything else.