Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it sounds like a polite courtesy, the Greek word used for "bid farewell" can imply not just saying goodbye, but also settling affairs and giving final instructions. Jesus saw that this man’s heart was still too tied to his home, suggesting his "farewell" was less about loving connection and more about reluctance to fully commit.
Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a series of encounters where Jesus calls people to follow him, this man offers to do so but asks for a delay to say goodbye to his household. This request, similar to Elisha's plea to Elijah, is met with Jesus' sharp rebuke about the irreversibility of discipleship, contrasting it with the seemingly minor task of settling earthly affairs before committing to the kingdom.
This man wanted to follow Jesus, but not yet. He asked for permission for one last thing: to say farewell to his household. What’s so wrong with a final goodbye?
Jesus’ response to this request isn't about being rude or unfeeling. The original Greek word for 'bid farewell' (apotassomai) can carry a sense of dismissal, even giving final instructions. This suggests the man wasn't just looking for a quick hug; he wanted to settle his affairs, to tie up loose ends at home.
Think about it: settling affairs implies a significant delay. It’s about making sure everything is in order before committing. Jesus saw that this hesitation, this need to fully disengage from his past life, was a sign his heart wasn't fully ready for the radical demands of discipleship. It indicated a lingering attachment that would pull him back.
Jesus’ call was immediate and all-encompassing. While Elisha was allowed to say goodbye, Jesus’ call to His disciples demanded a complete break, signifying a new era and a more total commitment.
Jesus uses a vivid image to explain why this man’s request is problematic. It involves farming, but the message is sharp and clear: looking back is a dealbreaker.
Jesus says, 'No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.' This isn't just about farming; it’s a powerful metaphor for discipleship. When you're plowing a field, you need to focus straight ahead to create straight rows. If you keep looking back, your furrow will be crooked, uneven, and useless.
This man’s desire to 'say farewell' is like looking back. It signals a divided heart – one foot in his old life, one foot wanting to follow Jesus. Jesus is saying that such indecision makes someone unfit for the kingdom. The kingdom demands undivided loyalty and a forward focus. You can't effectively serve God while constantly glancing over your shoulder at what you've left behind or what others think.
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This isn't about abandoning responsibilities harshly, but about prioritizing God's call above all else. When the call is clear, hesitation and looking back disqualify one from effective service.
Understand the original words
Kyrios · Greek Noun
A title of respect, authority, and divine recognition. In the New Testament, it acknowledges Jesus' sovereignty, messianic identity, and deity.
akoloutheō · Greek Verb
To walk behind someone, implying discipleship, imitation, and commitment. It signifies a life of radical obedience and abandonment of one's own agenda to join the mission and path of Jesus.
basileia tou Theou · Greek Noun
A person, particularly one who is governed by or subject to a king. Biblically, it refers to the sovereign rule, authority, and reign of God, both in the present spiritual sense and the future eschatological sense.
euthetos · Greek Adjective
Literally means 'well-placed' or 'useful.' In a spiritual context, it refers to one who is suitably qualified, prepared, or spiritually aligned to participate in the life and mission of God's reign.
Jesus contrasts the eager but unconsidered offers of discipleship with the immediate, unwavering commitment required for His kingdom, drawing on the precedent of Elijah calling Elisha to highlight the necessity of a complete break from the past.
c. 875 BC
Elijah calls Elisha
The prophet Elijah calls Elisha, who is plowing a field, to follow him. Elisha asks permission to return home to bid his parents farewell before leaving with Elijah.
c. 875 BC
Elisha follows Elijah
Elisha returns home, slaughters his oxen, and cooks them with his plowing equipment, then goes to follow Elijah. This demonstrates a decisive break from his former life.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, calling disciples and teaching about the Kingdom of God. His ministry attracts crowds, including those who express interest in following Him.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus calls disciples
Jesus calls several individuals to follow Him. Some respond with immediate enthusiasm, while others express reservations or conditions, revealing varying levels of commitment.
Elisha, when called by Elijah, also asked to first say farewell to his family, and was initially permitted to do so, drawing a parallel to this disciple's request.
Matthew 8:21-22This passage presents a similar scenario where a potential disciple prioritizes familial duty over immediate obedience, with Jesus responding with a stark contrast between serving Him and the 'dead' of the world.
Luke 14:26Jesus emphasizes a radical level of commitment, stating that true discipleship requires prioritizing Him above even close family relationships, which underlies the urgency of His response here.
1 Kings 19:19Elisha's response to Elijah's call, which was to first go bid farewell to his family, serves as a direct Old Testament precedent that this disciple likely had in mind, though Jesus's answer is more stringent.
Galatians 5:7This verse speaks to the idea of being hindered in one's pursuit of Christ, which resonates with Jesus's warning that looking back or lingering on earthly ties can derail a disciple's progress in God's kingdom.
vincentLuke 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."
To bid farewell (ἀποτάξασθαι)In this sense the word is used only in later Greek. In classical Greek it signifies to set apart or assign, as a soldier to his post or an official to his office, and later to detach soldiers. Hence to dismiss one with orders. This latter sense may, as Kypke suggests, be included in the meaning of the word in this passage; the man des…
wesleyLuke 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."
9:61 Suffer me first to bid them farewell that are in my house - As Elisha did after Elijah had called him from the plough, 1Kings 19:19; to which our Lord's answer seems to allude.
While it sounds like a polite courtesy, the Greek word used for "bid farewell" can imply not just saying goodbye, but also settling affairs and giving final instructions. Jesus saw that this man’s heart was still too tied to his home, suggesting his "farewell" was less about loving connection and more about reluctance to fully commit.
Following a series of encounters where Jesus calls people to follow him, this man offers to do so but asks for a delay to say goodbye to his household. This request, similar to Elisha's plea to Elijah, is met with Jesus' sharp rebuke about the irreversibility of discipleship, contrasting it with the seemingly minor task of settling earthly affairs before committing to the kingdom.
Following a series of encounters where Jesus calls people to follow him, this man offers to do so but asks for a delay to say goodbye to his household. This request, similar to Elisha's plea to Elijah, is met with Jesus' sharp rebuke about the irreversibility of discipleship, contrasting it with the seemingly minor task of settling earthly affairs before committing to the kingdom.
"Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”" — While it sounds like a polite courtesy, the Greek word used for "bid farewell" can imply not just saying goodbye, but also settling affairs and giving final instructions. Jesus saw that this man’s he…
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Last reviewed October 2026