Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51-62
New Revised Standard Version ©1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.

{51}    When the days drew near for him to be taken up,
                                                                                            he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
{52}             And he sent messengers ahead of him.
                            On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans
                                    to make ready for him;
{53}                                     but they did not receive him, because
                                                                                            his face was set toward Jerusalem.
{54}             When his disciples James and John saw it, they said,
                            "Lord, do you want us to command fire
                                    to come down from heaven and consume them?"
{55}                                     But he turned and rebuked them.
{56}             Then they went on to another village.

{57}     As they were going along the road, someone 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."
{59}                     To another he said,
                                        "Follow me."
                             But he said,
                                        "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
{60}                     But Jesus said to him,
                                        "Let the dead bury their own dead;
                                                but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
{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 a hand to the plow
                                                and looks back
                                                        is fit for the kingdom of God."

Parallels to Matthew or Mark (9:51-56, and 9:61-62 are unique to Luke)
Matthew 8:19-22 {19} A scribe then approached and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." {20} 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." {21} Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." {22} But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."	Luke 9:57-60 {57} As they were going along the road, someone 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." {59} To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." {60} But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Parallel with the Call of Elisha in 1 Kings In following Elijah, Elisha made a radical break with his past - slaughtering and cooking the bulls, using the plow do do so, feeding the people with it, then heading out. Is Jesus connecting with this story to make a similar point? Is a radical break needed to follow the kingdom road?
1 Kings 19:19-21 {19} So (Elijah) set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. {20} 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?" {21} 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.	Luke 9:61-62 {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 a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
*To set one's face* - Implications for Jesus and his disciples from earlier in the narrative Luke 9:21-27
{21} He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone (Peter’s declaration, that Jesus was "the Messiah of God"), {22} saying, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." {23} Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. {24} For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. {25} What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? {26} Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. {27} But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."