"DISCIPLESHIP" - A Biblical Analysis on the Text; Luke 9:57-62

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS. 1

1.1 Justification and Unity of the Text 1

1.2 Translation of the Selected Text 2

1.3 Other Possible Translations. 2

1.4 Context of the Text 3

2. COMMENTARY ON THE TEXT. 3

2.1 Vague and Unclear aspects of the Text 3

2.2 Important Words from the Text 6

3. THEOLIGICAL MESSAGE.. 6

BIBLIOGRAPHY.. 7

1. INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATIONS

1.1 Justification and Unity of the Text

The text of the exegesis is taken from Luke 9, 57-62. We can find some reasons regarding the unity of the text. The passage focuses on the deeper meaning of discipleship. The call to discipleship is a call to follow Jesus in the way of the cross. It is not just being a disciple of the master, but it is a challenge to have one’s whole life and existence to be determined by and patterned after the crucified Messiah. In other words it is the call to share the fate of Jesus.[1]

A vital theme of the passage is Journey and Cross which is at the same time the nature and the aim of discipleship. The passage begins from the background of a journey and the chapter nine narrates the journey of Jesus aiming towards Jerusalem where he has to be crucified. The journey has two natures; 1. For Jesus, it is the journey to attain rejection and cross. 2. For the disciples, it is a journey from an ordinary life to the real discipleship. The natures of cross includes; Poverty, Mercifulness, Denial of self, Becoming spiritually child and Humility. While sending the twelve apostles for the mission Jesus tells them to observe poverty (Luke 9, 3). On their return, by feeding five thousands he shows them the need of mercifulness (Luke 9, 12-17). While speaking about his death and sufferings, Jesus tells them about the denial of the self (Luke 9, 23-24). During the dispute of who is greatest among them he shows them the lesson of becoming spiritually child (Luke 9, 48). When the disciples annoyed about the inhospitality of the Samaritan village, Jesus rebukes the disciples James and John and teaches them the lesson of humility (Luke 9, 54-56). One of the important unities of the passage is that it progress to the formation of true discipleship, in order to establish them to proclaim the kingdom of God, because we see that the chapter ten begins with the mission of the seventy.

1.2 Translation of the Selected Text

⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." ⁵⁸And 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." ⁵⁹To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." ⁶⁰And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." ⁶¹Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." ⁶²Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

1.3 Other Possible Translations

                              I have taken three versions of the Bible for comparison, The New Revised Standard Version, International Standard Version and American Standard Version. As mentioned in commentaries there could not find varying differences in the translations of the text in comparison with early manuscripts.[2]

1.4 Context of the Text

Preparation to discipleship and its radical nature is highlighted throughout the text. The context of the passage is the conversation of Jesus with three persons, who indented to follow Jesus Christ. We can see the same contextual content in Mathew 8, 18-22, but Luke doesn’t show much dependence with the features of gospel of Mathew. The first two instances are common to Luke and Mathew; but the third is given by Luke alone.[3] According to Plummer, it is uncertain whether all these incidents have taken place at the one and same time. For him, they may be grouped together because of their similarity.[4]Luke presents this part during the journey of Jesus towards Jerusalem to take the Cross.[5] He connects the three instances with the final departure from Galilee and the final mission of the seventy. The background of the text supports this; chapter nine starts with Jesus sending his twelve disciples for the mission (Luke. 9, 1-6) and proceeds to the return of Apostles after the mission and the feeding of five thousand (Luke 9, 10-17). The Peter’s declaration of Jesus as ‘Son of Man’ (Luke 9, 18-20), The foretelling of Jesus about His death and resurrection (Luke 9, 21-27), the transfiguration of Jesus Christ (Luke 9, 28-36) The teaching of Jesus during dispute of disciples about who is the greatest among them (Luke 9, 46-48). The incident of refuse of the Samaritan village (Luke 9, 51-56) etc. mean, to form the disciples to prepare for the upcoming mission and as a culmination, in the beginning of chapter ten we see the sending of seventy disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God (Luke 10, 1-12).

2. COMMENTARY ON THE TEXT

2.1 Vague and Unclear aspects of the Text

I found a vagueness in the phrase as they were going along the road and ‘someone’ in verse 57, because there arise a question, to where they are proceeding to. Scholars say that they are proceeding to Jerusalem because in all the central chapters of his gospel Luke depicts the theme, journey to Jerusalem. The journeying motive is mentioned in Luke 9, 21-50.[6] In Mathew it is a certain scribe who addresses Jesus but Luke has a neutral position, someone. Another variation we can see is that, in Mathew the scribe addresses Jesus as teacher but no mode of addressing is found in Luke. According to experts the man is proposing to join in the intimate group of Jesus’ followers as they are proceeding to Jerusalem.[7]

What is the meaning while Jesus says Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head? It could be a circulated proverb in that time and it shows how Jesus has used common usages in transmitting his messages. According to Nollad, this reply could reflect an aspect of Jesus’ self consciousness. Here the pathetic condition of human homelessness is expressed by the means of contrast with that of animals, like we see in the literary works of Elliad and Odyssy. While the nature provides shelter for birds and foxes in their travelling, Son of Man has no such provisions. Relating to his passion predictions he says, the Son of Man is ultimately a misfit to this world where the kingdom of God is unwelcomed.[8] According to Plummer, foxes and birds are mentioned not as representatives of the whole animal world but as creatures which lead a vagabond life. It is because of his wandering life, Jesus’ life seems unsettled, and following him includes this unsettled life. The person might have come from a comfortable home, if he wants to follow Him, such a life must be sacrificed.[9] Thus Jesus is not rejecting him from following but guiding him to attain a greater consciousness.

The next unclear phrase is Let the dead bury their own dead, who is the dead? Why Jesus does say so? In relation to gospel of Mathew, it is the response to one of the casual disciples (Mt 8, 21) whom Jesus invited to become a permanent follower, when he says, let him go and bury his father.[10] We can assume that either his father is dead or at the point of death. In Jewish tradition, the burial of dead relative was a prime religious duty. In the case of parents this responsibility rests particularly on the son of the family. We can see the Biblical reference for this in Tobit 6, 15 have no other sons to bury them. Here Jesus’ words do not deny the pious duty to bury the dead. It insists that a more pressing duty is upon the one addressed. i.e. to proclaim the kingdom of God. This is to be related with Ezekiel 24, 15-24, where God deny Ezekiel from normal mourning for the death of his wife. Here, Jesus focuses on one of the law mentioned in Torah where, there is a refusal of permission to bury the father to a priestly need in order to continue the ceremonial purity. (Lev 21, 11) As mentioned in Luke 4, 43 the disciple is like the master, called to proclaim the gospel in other places too. It also anticipates the mission of Luke 10, 1-12.[11] Thus he establishes the deeper meaning of importance of the proclamation of kingdom of God and of the discipleship, where one has to deny all relationships even the self, offering oneself totally to the crucified Messiah. According to Plummer, Let the dead bury the dead has another meaning, it can be understood as Leave the spiritually dead to bury their own dead,  that means the spiritually dead are the one who have never received or have refused the call to a higher life; and they can perform the ordinary duties of the family and of society.[12] Thus the passage establishes living ones are those who proclaim the word of God.

The final unclear verse is that No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. Who do Jesus refers to as the one who puts the hand on plow and looks back? This is the response of Jesus, when the person who asks Jesus, the permission to bid farewell to his parents before following Him. This request parallels to 1Kings 19, 20 where Elijah calls Elisha, to the prophetic office by casting mantle upon the latter. There Elijah grants permission for the request of Elisha to bid farewell to his parents. But here, Jesus denies the permission. Jesus has done so because, the kingdom of God require the most careful and unremitting care. Here the family ties can represent only a looking back. The following reason is to be attached with this. In 2Kings 2, 1-15 later on we see Elijah forces Elisha to remain with him at the time of his assumption to heaven. While comparing with Luke 9,51we can conclude that Jesus indented the disciple to be with him, because the days come nearer to Jesus to be taken up.[13] According to Plummer, verse 62 might be a proverb, it means, a ploughman who doesn’t bend attentively over his work goes crooked. While saying this Jesus indented that, discipleship is so important that it needs commitment and fidelity. Without this it becomes worst. A person aspires to God ought not to be of two minds or not to cling to human interests. He should not be a lukewarm. (Rev 3, 16)[14] Jesus needs disciples who burn like fire.       

2.2 Important Words from the Text

The most important word I found in this passage is, Son of Man. Let us know its meaning and content. The notion of Son of Man can be understood in two ways. At first, as seen in Daniel 7, 13 Son of Man is presented as a heavenly figure. It expresses the intervention of Yahweh that would establish the Messianic rule on earth after destroying the various kingdoms that were enemies of Israel. According to scholars Jesus used this title in order to express his identity. He is the king whom they were waiting for. But he has come not to establish a political authority, but to establish a firm authority over evil in order to save mankind, which attains through His suffering, passion and death.[15].

3. THEOLIGICAL MESSAGE

Luke 9, 57-62 conveys the depth and meaning of true discipleship. We see in gospel of Mark, And he went upon the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. (Mark 3, 13) We are selected to his discipleship not because that we are perfect, but because that he loved us abundantly. The call to be a disciple of Jesus is a radical call; a call to deny oneself and to be in the self of Jesus Christ. It means the unconditional commitment to the redemptive work of God for which Jesus gave his life. Jesus was not a powerful political leader. He had no economic or political power. The only thing he had was a prayerful mind and poverty. He was the one who born in order to die for the salvation of humanity. The disciple is to be like the master. Thus the primary requirement to discipleship is to accept the cross. He must have a mind to move ahead with giving highest priority to Jesus, a mind to move ahead without looking back.

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[1] Cf. J. Nollad, “Following Jesus Without Qualification”, D. Hubbard – G. Barker (ed.), Word Biblical Commentary Luke 9: 21-18, 34, Vol. 35B, Word Book Publishers, USA, 1993, 539.

[2] See “Notes” in J. Nollad, “Following Jesus …, 539.

[3] Cf. A. Plummer, “A Critical and Exegetical Commentary: The Gospel According to Luke” in The International Critical Commentary, T&T Clark, Edinburg, 1981, 264.

[4] Cf. Ibid., 265.

[5] Cf. J. Nollad, “Following Jesus …, 539.

[6] Cf. J. Nollad, “Following Jesus …, 541.

[7] Cf. Ibid., 541.

[8] Cf. Ibid., 541.

[9] Cf. A. Plummer, “A Critical and Exegetical …, 265-266.

[10] Cf. Ibid., 266.

[11] Cf. J. Nollad, “Following Jesus Without …, 542

[12] Cf. A. Plummer, “A Critical and Exegetical …, 265-266.

[13] Cf. J. Nollad, “Following Jesus Without …, 543.

[14] Cf. A. Plummer, “A Critical and Exegetical …, 268-269.

[15] Cf. S. Chalakkal, An Introduction To Christianity, OIRSI Publications, Trichur, India, 2011, 84-85.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1.      Chalakkal. S, An Introduction To Christianity, OIRSI Publications, Trichur, 2011.

2.     Nollad. J, “Following Jesus Without Qualification”, Hubbard. D –Barker. G (ed.), Word Biblical Commentary Luke 9: 21-18, 34, Vol. 35B, Word Book Publishers, USA, 1993, 538-545.

3.   Plummer. A, “A Critical and Exegetical Commentary: The Gospel According to Luke” in The International Critical Commentary, Edinburg, T and T Clark, 1981, 264-269.