Luke 9:59

Luke 9:59, in plain English

Jesus said to another man, 'Follow Me.' But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.' A reasonable request that met an unreasonable answer.

Why it's here

Burying your father was the most important duty in that culture. No one would criticize this request. But Jesus was about to show that following Him requires a reordering of even our most sacred priorities.

Who's speaking

Jesus calls a man who asks for a delay.

Where it sits in the story

Jesus called a man directly, but the man had what seemed like the most reasonable request in the world: let me bury my father first. What Jesus said next shocked everyone listening.

The scholarly reading

Jesus takes the initiative with heterō ('another'), commanding akolouthei moi ('follow Me'). The man requests permission to first apelthonti thapsai ton patera mou ('go and bury my father'), invoking the most sacred of Jewish filial obligations (cf. Tobit 4:3, 6:15).

Language and setting

Burying one's father was considered the highest duty in Jewish culture, even superseding Torah study and temple service. The request may mean the father has just died or, more likely, that the man wants to wait until his elderly father eventually dies before committing to discipleship.

Voice

Jesus calls a man to follow Him, and the man requests a delay for family obligations.

Significance

Jesus directly called a man to follow Him, but the man asked to first bury his father, invoking the most sacred family duty in Jewish culture. Jesus' response would shock everyone.

57As they were walking along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

58Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

59Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.”

60But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.”

Read all of Luke 9 — Peter confesses, the Transfiguration blazes, and Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem. Everything from here moves toward the cross.