TEXT — Luke 9: 51–62 — Though rejected by people disciples follow Jesus the Way
Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem
51 When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
No welcome in Samaritan village
52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; 53 but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
Reaction of James and John
54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?”
Jesus’ reaction to their proposal
55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.
Cost of Discipleship — first condition
57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 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.”
Cost of Discipleship — second condition
59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 But he said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Cost of Discipleship — third condition
61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
EXPLANATION
51 When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
“When the days drew near for him to be received up” — This refers to Jesus’ ascension into glory. See II Kgs. 2: 1, 9–11 where the same expression is used of Elijah’s assumption into heaven.
“he set his face to go to Jerusalem” — This begins a new section of Luke’s Gospel (Lk. 9: 51 — 19: 28). It is structured around Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (Lk. 9: 51–57; 10: 1, 38; 13: 22, 31, 33; 14: 25; 17: 11; 18: 31, 35; 19; 1, 11, 28) where he will be crucified and rise again. During this section he will bring out the full meaning of Jesus as Saviour and what it means to be a disciple.
“he set his face” — This is a Semitic expression such as ‘he cemented his face’, or ‘he hardened his face’, which describes determination when encountering opposition (Ez. 6: 2; 13: 17; 14: 8; 15: 7; 20: 46; Is. 50: 7). Jesus understood that he was to face hostility and eventual crucifixion and he accepted this with resolution.
“Jerusalem” — This city was the centre of Jewish religion, history and culture. The Temple was situated there and this was the only place where worship by sacrifice was offered to God. It was the focal point in Jesus’ life. As an eight–day old child he was presented to God in the Temple. As he came of age as a Jew he went to the Temple while his foster–father and mother looked for him. St. Luke describes his public ministry as a journey to Jerusalem. He died there and rose again and, according to Luke, it was from there that he ascended into heaven.
52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; 53 but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
“And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him” — Samaria was situated between Galilee in the north and Judea in the south. The inhabitants were descended from the marriages of Jews and Gentiles. They mingled the Jewish religion with false practices and built their own Temple on Mt. Gerizim. This provoked the Jews and they cut off the Samaritans. Hostility was very deep and strong between both groups. The Samaritans were not opposed to Galileans unless these were travelling to Jerusalem for religious celebrations.
The apostles were sent out to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God. Those now sent are “messengers” to prepare places where the group might stay. This group was large: containing the Twelve, disciples who numbered more than seventy (Lk. 10: 1–24), and women who would be witnesses of his death and resurrected life.
“but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem” — Knowing that Jesus and his followers were going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the Samaritans were not willing to assist them in any way.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?”
“And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?’” — Twice Elijah called down fire from heaven to destroy his enemies (II Kgs. 1: 10, 12). For James and John this was both an effective and easy solution that offered revenge on being rejected by the Samaritans.
55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.
“But he turned and rebuked them.” — Jesus corrected them immediately. His teaching, which they ought to have known, was that his followers are to love their enemies and do good to those who hated them (Lk. 6: 27–29, 35).
“And they went on to another village” — It is not know whether this was a Samaritan village or one in Galilee, the Gentile territory.
57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 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.”
“As they were going along the road” — This section of Luke’s Gospel treats of discipleship as a following of Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem, crucifixion and subsequent glorification. This should be kept in mind as we reflect on these next few verses which list some conditions of discipleship.
“a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’” — Jesus has just been rejected by the Samaritans. This man was not invited directly to follow Jesus. He spontaneously and generously made the declaration that he would follow Jesus anywhere and totally. Had he “set his face” with determination to follow or was his offer sympathetic or perhaps casual? Jesus will now lay down the first condition of discipleship…
“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.’” — Jesus quotes the first of three proverbs, giving the first condition of discipleship — God provides places for foxes and birds but nothing permanent for Jesus or his followers. This demands unqualified trust in God’s providence.
While the remark of Jesus began with a proverb, it is possible that Jesus may have used it for a deeper meaning. Herod was known as “the fox”. The Roman army had the Roman Eagle as its mascot. Those who followed Herod or belonged to the Roman army had security and places to live. Jesus says that those who follow him have no security and no place on this earth to call their own.
“the Son of man” — Jesus in his human condition is the model. He is utterly destitute with nothing, not even a place to sleep.
59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 But he said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
“To another he said, ‘Follow me.’” — Jesus initiates the call to follow him.
“But he [the man] said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’” — The man is willing but he has a reservation. Deep within the culture of Judaism was the duty towards the burial of parents (Gn. 49: 28 — 50: 3; Ex. 13: 19; Tb. 4: 3, 6: 15). This duty was interpreted as part of the commandment to honour father and mother.
“But he [Jesus] said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’” — Jesus quotes a second proverb, “leave the dead to bury their own dead”. The would–be follower is to give priority to the mission of Jesus, to “proclaim the kingdom of God”. What Jesus is demanding is unqualified and immediate obedience to his invitation.
The parable may be explained as follows. One who answers Jesus’ call is given life. One who does not follow Jesus does not have life and so is dead. Such is the urgency of proclaiming the kingdom of God, a disciple has to give his priority to this over every other obligation. It is more important to proclaim life to those who are able to accept than to bury people who are dead and cannot accept the kingdom of God and eternal life.
61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the ploough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
“Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord;” — This third person makes a spontaneous offer to follow Jesus. He addresses Jesus as “Lord”. He recognises the divine in Jesus and his own duty to follow and obey him.
“but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’” — This man is most willing to “follow” but he has a priority, “those at home”. St. Augustine was willing to follow Jesus but he had a priority: “Lord, grant me chastity, but not yet”. Both the man and St. Augustine were willing to follow when they were ready, not when Jesus was willing to accept them.
“Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” — Jesus refers to Elisha’s call by Elijah to become a prophet (I Kgs. 19: 19–21): “So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle [the robe of prophetic office] over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.” Elisha made a complete break with his family and his past.
The proverb means that if one looks back while ploughing the furrow will not be straight. One who is sowing or harvesting must give total concentration to the task. One who is not prepared for that is not “fit for the kingdom of God” in the sense that without this concentration he is not fit to proclaim the kingdom of God.
APPLICATION
Jesus
As usual we commence the “Application” with the question, ‘What are we told about Jesus in this passage?’ We are told four things:
(i) This Reading marks a turning point in Luke’s Gospel. Until this point Jesus exercised his public ministry exclusively in Galilee. He had laid down the preliminary preparations by selecting the Twelve who would be the foundation stones of the Church. Now he has to face the second stage of his public life by setting out on his journey to Jerusalem where he will die and rise again. We are told that “he set his face” towards the city and Calvary. This means that he resolutely took the decision, knowing the opposition that he would encounter: ‘the time is ripe; I must conclude the purpose of my being sent into the world by my Father.’ He had made a very conscious choice and he was determined to fulfil his Father’s will. There would be no tuning back. He was totally committed to his Father.
(ii) The second point that we are told is that Jesus was rejected by the Samaritans. This was not the first time he had such an experience. At Nazareth his own townspeople expelled him. Then the scribes and Pharisees opposed him. He had already foretold that this would reach its climax in Jerusalem where the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious Council and its leaders, would reject him. Rejection by others, especially by those who would be expected to support him, was par for the course which Jesus and his followers had undertaken by God’s will.
(iii) The reaction of Apostles James and John to Jesus being rejected by the Samaritans was the destruction of these people. For them, violence was the easy solution to solve a problem. In Elijah they found a precedent when he brought down fire from heaven to destroy a village. They felt that Jesus should have honour and respect shown to him. Jesus did not think that way. He desired no privileged position for himself or his followers. “He turned and rebuked them” for their way of thinking. His way was that of gentleness, forgiveness, compassion and peace. He was opposed to violence and all that leads to violence such as hatred, jealously, racism, religious conflict, political animosity and so forth. His principles are, “love one another as I have loved you”; “love your neighbour (which includes enemies) as yourself”.
(iv) The passage ends with Luke giving us three conditions for following Jesus. This implies that Jesus practised these conditions in his own life. We see that he gave himself totally, retaining nothing for his ministry but the providence of his Father. Even the relationships and loyalties that were most precious to him could not deviate him from his commitment. His resolution was radical with no alternatives.
Discipleship
While numerically there are many disciples who are modern martyrs percentage wise these are few. All disciples are called to follow Jesus by paying the price of living according to his standards. Three of these conditions are listed in this passage. Luke will mention many others in the course of his Gospel.
The first is expressed after a man approached Jesus and freely offered to follow him wherever he went. This showed that the man was prepared to be totally dedicated to Jesus and his mission. Jesus responded to elaborate on what dedication really means. Jesus’ reply indicated that his mission was a difficult journey to Jerusalem and crucifixion and that he would be without possessions, wealth, power or even a place to sleep or have any physical comfort. Foxes in the fields and birds in the air were better off with their nests and lairs. The journey was difficult for the leader. The disciple must expect the same. There was no abiding presence in this world for the disciple who joined the kingdom of God and became a citizen of heaven.
The second man who was invited to follow Jesus did not come spontaneously; Jesus initiated the call to follow him. The man’s response was not enthusiastic. He wanted to go home to bury his parents. This was a lofty thought and formed part of the fourth commandment to honour one’s parents. The man was religious with high moral standards, observing the commandments. Obviously his parents were not deceased. Were they dead the man would not have been around but would have hastened home for an immediate burial in a very hot country where decomposition would set in quickly. The man was not prepared to follow Jesus immediately. He wished to return home and when, sometime in the future, his parents would die, then he would follow Jesus.
Jesus told him two things. First, he said, the man had to understand that there can be higher duties than the ones we suppose to be important. The man must look at the world around him. Like God, who sent Jesus into this world, there are huge problems, especially the need of conversion to give up sin and live for God. It is not just Jesus who has to bring about conversion. The man has been invited by Jesus to get involved by preaching the kingdom of God, “but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God“. It is easy to find even religious excuses to decline or delay following Jesus in his way. What Jesus told the man, and us also, was that there cannot be any excuses to delay or postpone or follow him in a faint–hearted ay. Enthusiasm is most important. When Pope John Paul II proclaimed the term “new evangelisation” the first of his three elements in spreading the Good News was zeal or enthusiasm. The Second Vatican Council taught that the Church, by its very nature was missionary and so also is each of the baptised. There can be no half–hearted followers of Jesus and his mission to bring salvation to the whole world. Nothing should be regarded as more important. Eternal life for everyone is God’s primary intention. It should be ours too.
The third person in this Gospel passage spontaneously offered to follow Jesus. Immediately he added a condition: he would follow when he was ready, not when Jesus wanted him. He had family ties and allegiance which he had to respect and sort out by getting permission from his parents to go with Jesus and exercise his mission when it suited all others involved.
Jesus’ attitude was different. He saw the urgency of proclaiming the kingdom of God and its importance. He told the man that he had to keep his eyes centred on his mission and not deviate from its course or from its goal. In other words, the man must “set his face to go to Jerusalem”.
Jesus did not exclude family ties and their importance. Obviously for some, family is the place where the kingdom of God is to be promoted. That is the primary duty of parents. It could be the primary duty of offspring for their parents. What Jesus said to the man was that family does not come before the proclamation of the kingdom. What Jesus is advocating is total commitment to the kingdom which can be, for some, in the family.
Commentary on 13th Sunday of the year C 26.06.2022
TEXT — Luke 9: 51–62 — Though rejected by people disciples follow Jesus the Way
Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem
51 When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
No welcome in Samaritan village
52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; 53 but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
Reaction of James and John
54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?”
Jesus’ reaction to their proposal
55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.
Cost of Discipleship — first condition
57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 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.”
Cost of Discipleship — second condition
59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 But he said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Cost of Discipleship — third condition
61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
EXPLANATION
51 When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
“When the days drew near for him to be received up” — This refers to Jesus’ ascension into glory. See II Kgs. 2: 1, 9–11 where the same expression is used of Elijah’s assumption into heaven.
“he set his face to go to Jerusalem” — This begins a new section of Luke’s Gospel (Lk. 9: 51 — 19: 28). It is structured around Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (Lk. 9: 51–57; 10: 1, 38; 13: 22, 31, 33; 14: 25; 17: 11; 18: 31, 35; 19; 1, 11, 28) where he will be crucified and rise again. During this section he will bring out the full meaning of Jesus as Saviour and what it means to be a disciple.
“he set his face” — This is a Semitic expression such as ‘he cemented his face’, or ‘he hardened his face’, which describes determination when encountering opposition (Ez. 6: 2; 13: 17; 14: 8; 15: 7; 20: 46; Is. 50: 7). Jesus understood that he was to face hostility and eventual crucifixion and he accepted this with resolution.
“Jerusalem” — This city was the centre of Jewish religion, history and culture. The Temple was situated there and this was the only place where worship by sacrifice was offered to God. It was the focal point in Jesus’ life. As an eight–day old child he was presented to God in the Temple. As he came of age as a Jew he went to the Temple while his foster–father and mother looked for him. St. Luke describes his public ministry as a journey to Jerusalem. He died there and rose again and, according to Luke, it was from there that he ascended into heaven.
52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; 53 but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
“And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him” — Samaria was situated between Galilee in the north and Judea in the south. The inhabitants were descended from the marriages of Jews and Gentiles. They mingled the Jewish religion with false practices and built their own Temple on Mt. Gerizim. This provoked the Jews and they cut off the Samaritans. Hostility was very deep and strong between both groups. The Samaritans were not opposed to Galileans unless these were travelling to Jerusalem for religious celebrations.
The apostles were sent out to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God. Those now sent are “messengers” to prepare places where the group might stay. This group was large: containing the Twelve, disciples who numbered more than seventy (Lk. 10: 1–24), and women who would be witnesses of his death and resurrected life.
“but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem” — Knowing that Jesus and his followers were going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the Samaritans were not willing to assist them in any way.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?”
“And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?’” — Twice Elijah called down fire from heaven to destroy his enemies (II Kgs. 1: 10, 12). For James and John this was both an effective and easy solution that offered revenge on being rejected by the Samaritans.
55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.
“But he turned and rebuked them.” — Jesus corrected them immediately. His teaching, which they ought to have known, was that his followers are to love their enemies and do good to those who hated them (Lk. 6: 27–29, 35).
“And they went on to another village” — It is not know whether this was a Samaritan village or one in Galilee, the Gentile territory.
57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 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.”
“As they were going along the road” — This section of Luke’s Gospel treats of discipleship as a following of Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem, crucifixion and subsequent glorification. This should be kept in mind as we reflect on these next few verses which list some conditions of discipleship.
“a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’” — Jesus has just been rejected by the Samaritans. This man was not invited directly to follow Jesus. He spontaneously and generously made the declaration that he would follow Jesus anywhere and totally. Had he “set his face” with determination to follow or was his offer sympathetic or perhaps casual? Jesus will now lay down the first condition of discipleship…
“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.’” — Jesus quotes the first of three proverbs, giving the first condition of discipleship — God provides places for foxes and birds but nothing permanent for Jesus or his followers. This demands unqualified trust in God’s providence.
While the remark of Jesus began with a proverb, it is possible that Jesus may have used it for a deeper meaning. Herod was known as “the fox”. The Roman army had the Roman Eagle as its mascot. Those who followed Herod or belonged to the Roman army had security and places to live. Jesus says that those who follow him have no security and no place on this earth to call their own.
“the Son of man” — Jesus in his human condition is the model. He is utterly destitute with nothing, not even a place to sleep.
59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 But he said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
“To another he said, ‘Follow me.’” — Jesus initiates the call to follow him.
“But he [the man] said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’” — The man is willing but he has a reservation. Deep within the culture of Judaism was the duty towards the burial of parents (Gn. 49: 28 — 50: 3; Ex. 13: 19; Tb. 4: 3, 6: 15). This duty was interpreted as part of the commandment to honour father and mother.
“But he [Jesus] said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’” — Jesus quotes a second proverb, “leave the dead to bury their own dead”. The would–be follower is to give priority to the mission of Jesus, to “proclaim the kingdom of God”. What Jesus is demanding is unqualified and immediate obedience to his invitation.
The parable may be explained as follows. One who answers Jesus’ call is given life. One who does not follow Jesus does not have life and so is dead. Such is the urgency of proclaiming the kingdom of God, a disciple has to give his priority to this over every other obligation. It is more important to proclaim life to those who are able to accept than to bury people who are dead and cannot accept the kingdom of God and eternal life.
61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the ploough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
“Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord;” — This third person makes a spontaneous offer to follow Jesus. He addresses Jesus as “Lord”. He recognises the divine in Jesus and his own duty to follow and obey him.
“but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’” — This man is most willing to “follow” but he has a priority, “those at home”. St. Augustine was willing to follow Jesus but he had a priority: “Lord, grant me chastity, but not yet”. Both the man and St. Augustine were willing to follow when they were ready, not when Jesus was willing to accept them.
“Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” — Jesus refers to Elisha’s call by Elijah to become a prophet (I Kgs. 19: 19–21): “So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle [the robe of prophetic office] over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.” Elisha made a complete break with his family and his past.
The proverb means that if one looks back while ploughing the furrow will not be straight. One who is sowing or harvesting must give total concentration to the task. One who is not prepared for that is not “fit for the kingdom of God” in the sense that without this concentration he is not fit to proclaim the kingdom of God.
APPLICATION
As usual we commence the “Application” with the question, ‘What are we told about Jesus in this passage?’ We are told four things:
(i) This Reading marks a turning point in Luke’s Gospel. Until this point Jesus exercised his public ministry exclusively in Galilee. He had laid down the preliminary preparations by selecting the Twelve who would be the foundation stones of the Church. Now he has to face the second stage of his public life by setting out on his journey to Jerusalem where he will die and rise again. We are told that “he set his face” towards the city and Calvary. This means that he resolutely took the decision, knowing the opposition that he would encounter: ‘the time is ripe; I must conclude the purpose of my being sent into the world by my Father.’ He had made a very conscious choice and he was determined to fulfil his Father’s will. There would be no tuning back. He was totally committed to his Father.
(ii) The second point that we are told is that Jesus was rejected by the Samaritans. This was not the first time he had such an experience. At Nazareth his own townspeople expelled him. Then the scribes and Pharisees opposed him. He had already foretold that this would reach its climax in Jerusalem where the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious Council and its leaders, would reject him. Rejection by others, especially by those who would be expected to support him, was par for the course which Jesus and his followers had undertaken by God’s will.
(iii) The reaction of Apostles James and John to Jesus being rejected by the Samaritans was the destruction of these people. For them, violence was the easy solution to solve a problem. In Elijah they found a precedent when he brought down fire from heaven to destroy a village. They felt that Jesus should have honour and respect shown to him. Jesus did not think that way. He desired no privileged position for himself or his followers. “He turned and rebuked them” for their way of thinking. His way was that of gentleness, forgiveness, compassion and peace. He was opposed to violence and all that leads to violence such as hatred, jealously, racism, religious conflict, political animosity and so forth. His principles are, “love one another as I have loved you”; “love your neighbour (which includes enemies) as yourself”.
(iv) The passage ends with Luke giving us three conditions for following Jesus. This implies that Jesus practised these conditions in his own life. We see that he gave himself totally, retaining nothing for his ministry but the providence of his Father. Even the relationships and loyalties that were most precious to him could not deviate him from his commitment. His resolution was radical with no alternatives.
While numerically there are many disciples who are modern martyrs percentage wise these are few. All disciples are called to follow Jesus by paying the price of living according to his standards. Three of these conditions are listed in this passage. Luke will mention many others in the course of his Gospel.
The first is expressed after a man approached Jesus and freely offered to follow him wherever he went. This showed that the man was prepared to be totally dedicated to Jesus and his mission. Jesus responded to elaborate on what dedication really means. Jesus’ reply indicated that his mission was a difficult journey to Jerusalem and crucifixion and that he would be without possessions, wealth, power or even a place to sleep or have any physical comfort. Foxes in the fields and birds in the air were better off with their nests and lairs. The journey was difficult for the leader. The disciple must expect the same. There was no abiding presence in this world for the disciple who joined the kingdom of God and became a citizen of heaven.
The second man who was invited to follow Jesus did not come spontaneously; Jesus initiated the call to follow him. The man’s response was not enthusiastic. He wanted to go home to bury his parents. This was a lofty thought and formed part of the fourth commandment to honour one’s parents. The man was religious with high moral standards, observing the commandments. Obviously his parents were not deceased. Were they dead the man would not have been around but would have hastened home for an immediate burial in a very hot country where decomposition would set in quickly. The man was not prepared to follow Jesus immediately. He wished to return home and when, sometime in the future, his parents would die, then he would follow Jesus.
Jesus told him two things. First, he said, the man had to understand that there can be higher duties than the ones we suppose to be important. The man must look at the world around him. Like God, who sent Jesus into this world, there are huge problems, especially the need of conversion to give up sin and live for God. It is not just Jesus who has to bring about conversion. The man has been invited by Jesus to get involved by preaching the kingdom of God, “but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God“. It is easy to find even religious excuses to decline or delay following Jesus in his way. What Jesus told the man, and us also, was that there cannot be any excuses to delay or postpone or follow him in a faint–hearted ay. Enthusiasm is most important. When Pope John Paul II proclaimed the term “new evangelisation” the first of his three elements in spreading the Good News was zeal or enthusiasm. The Second Vatican Council taught that the Church, by its very nature was missionary and so also is each of the baptised. There can be no half–hearted followers of Jesus and his mission to bring salvation to the whole world. Nothing should be regarded as more important. Eternal life for everyone is God’s primary intention. It should be ours too.
The third person in this Gospel passage spontaneously offered to follow Jesus. Immediately he added a condition: he would follow when he was ready, not when Jesus wanted him. He had family ties and allegiance which he had to respect and sort out by getting permission from his parents to go with Jesus and exercise his mission when it suited all others involved.
Jesus’ attitude was different. He saw the urgency of proclaiming the kingdom of God and its importance. He told the man that he had to keep his eyes centred on his mission and not deviate from its course or from its goal. In other words, the man must “set his face to go to Jerusalem”.
Jesus did not exclude family ties and their importance. Obviously for some, family is the place where the kingdom of God is to be promoted. That is the primary duty of parents. It could be the primary duty of offspring for their parents. What Jesus said to the man was that family does not come before the proclamation of the kingdom. What Jesus is advocating is total commitment to the kingdom which can be, for some, in the family.