Luke 9:61

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

Luke 9:61 (KJV)

Context

This verse is the third of three encounters in Luke 9:57-62 where Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship. Jesus has set His face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51), and along the way He speaks plainly about what it means to follow Him. In the preceding verses, one man asks to first bury his father, and Jesus replies, “Let the dead bury their dead” (Luke 9:60). Now another volunteer steps forward with a similar request: he will follow, but he wants first to bid farewell to those at home.

Meaning

The man’s words sound reasonable. Saying goodbye to family is a natural and even kind thing to do. Yet the key issue is the word “first.” He does not intend to come immediately; he wants to attend to household matters before committing himself to Jesus. The request reveals a divided heart. Jesus’ response in the next verse, “No man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62, KJV), shows that hesitation and looking back are incompatible with wholehearted discipleship. A plowman who looks back cannot plow a straight furrow; a disciple who keeps one eye on what he left behind cannot serve the kingdom with undivided loyalty.

Biblical connections

This request resembles Elisha’s when Elijah called him: “Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee” (1 Kings 19:20, KJV). Elijah permitted that farewell, but Jesus does not. The difference is the urgency of the kingdom. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, and the call to follow Him is immediate and absolute. Kindness and family duty are good, but they must not become excuses for delaying obedience to God.

Application

Following Jesus requires making Him the priority over every other relationship and commitment. This does not mean neglecting family or responsibilities; it means our devotion to Christ takes precedence. The man’s request to bid farewell was not wrong in itself, but it showed that his heart was still tied to what he would leave behind. We are called to follow Jesus with our whole hearts, without being hindered by worldly attachments or divided loyalties.

Reflection

Are there things we keep saying “first” to before we fully obey Christ? The call to follow is not a suggestion to be scheduled around our convenience. It is a summons to wholehearted, immediate commitment. Jesus wants us to give Him our whole lives, not just the parts that remain after we have settled everything else.