“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."”
Introduction
Luke 9:57-62 presents Jesus steering would-be followers toward a radical and single-hearted commitment. These brief encounters reveal the cost of discipleship: following Jesus requires surrendering loyalties, ambitions, and securities that otherwise draw our hearts away from the kingdom of God. Luke places this material within the pattern of Jesus’ teaching and mission, inviting readers to examine where their true allegiance lies and to trust that Jesus’ call brings life, even when it asks us to relinquish comfortable plans.
Historical-Cultural Context and Authorship
Luke’s gospel was written by Luke the physician, a careful historian and companion of the apostle Paul, and is addressed to Theophilus. The travel narrative of Luke 9 continues the movement of Jesus toward Jerusalem, where the crucifixion and resurrection will reveal the fullness of God’s saving purpose. In first-century Galilee and Judea, following a rabbi or itinerant preacher often meant weighing personal obligations against the immediate call of the Teacher. Jesus’ responses here reflect a counter-cultural demand: discipleship is not a mere addition to life, but a reorientation of the whole self around the reign of God.
Characters and Places
In this pericope, the central figure is Jesus, whose words test the readiness of those who profess to follow him. The narrator’s use of phrases like “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” emphasizes Jesus’ vulnerable, itinerant mission. Other unnamed individuals express a desire to follow but reveal attach ments to family obligations and social expectations—burial customs, farewell traditions, and the security of home. The settings move along the road and into the households of those assessing the cost, highlighting that the call to discipleship intrudes upon everyday life.
Explanation and Meaning of the Text
Jesus challenges three would-be followers with pointed illustrations and uncompromising demands. The first says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus counters with the reality of his homelessness, signaling that following him may require vulnerability and dependence on God rather than on human security. The second asks for time to bury his father, a culturally honored duty, yet Jesus directs him to proclaim the kingdom now, underscoring urgency and priority of the gospel mission over traditional rites when life is in Christ’s present call. The third wishes to say farewell to those at home, but Jesus presses toward wholehearted devotion: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Collectively, the passage reframes discipleship as a radical trust in God’s reign, measured not by neat plans but by responsive obedience in today’s moment.
Devotional
The call of Jesus in these verses invites us to examine what anchors our hearts. Do we cling to comfort, security, or predictable routines, or do we more fully entrust ourselves to the One who leads us into the mission of God? When we hear Jesus’ invitation, let us respond with honesty about our fears and with growing trust in his presence, knowing that his path—even when it leads through vulnerability—opens the way to life that truly fulfills us in God’s love.
The devotional posture is not merely to feel inspired but to respond in daily obedience: humility in small choices, urgency in sharing the gospel, and steadfast faith when the road seems uncertain. As we seek to follow, may the Holy Spirit strengthen our resolve to keep our eyes fixed on the kingdom, to live with compassion for others, and to conduct our lives in a way that testifies to the lordship of Christ in every moment.