The interactions recorded in Luke 9:57-62 seem uncharacteristic of Jesus — at least as we tend to think of him. He calls a man to follow him. The response is positive, but the man says he must first bury his father. Jesus protests, “Let the dead bury the dead. You go and preach the kingdom of God.” Another declares his intention to go with Jesus but requests that he first say goodbye to his family. Again, Jesus remonstrates, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” These are tough, exacting demands. How are we to interpret them?
I think the key is to place side-by-side the call of Jesus and the conditional nature of the men’s response. Jesus says, “Follow me,” and each man says, “I will, but . . .” The issue is not so much the nature of their particular conditions but that they offer a condition at all. Jesus calls — the only appropriate response is to say, “Yes.”
Easier said than done, right? Jesus’ farming metaphor is helpful in describing the challenge. It’s obvious that to plow a straight furrow a farmer has to be looking forward at the landmark that is guiding him. Looking backwards invites all sorts of problems, not the least of which is a field that is far from being capable of bearing the kind of yield that it was intended to bear. We can understand why Jesus would say such a one is not fit for the kingdom. God saves people for a purpose. They are to bring glory to him by showing off his redemptive handiwork. Too often, however, we are looking back as though where we have been is more desirable than where he is taking us. But if we evaluate our own walk of discipleship, I think we would find that our most fruitful and satisfying times have been when we kept our eyes focused ahead rather than looking longingly for what was behind.
Remember, Jesus heeded the call of his Father “for the joy set before him.” He knew that what lay ahead was better than anything he could possess by taking his hand from the plow. It is the same for us. We are to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, and we will receive the commensurate reward: “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8
