Matthew 8:19-20
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This scribe's enthusiastic declaration, "I will follow you wherever you go," might sound like ultimate commitment, but Jesus's response reveals the hidden flaw: he's offering blind loyalty without truly understanding the cost. The scribe, accustomed to a comfortable life, is eager to join a movement he likely sees as triumphant, unaware of the poverty and hardship Jesus actually experienced.
And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus and his disciples continue their journey, a scribe approaches, eager to declare his commitment to follow Jesus wherever he goes. This declaration comes right after Jesus has just healed a centurion's servant and a great multitude, setting a scene of immense power and burgeoning fame. The scribe's bold offer is met not with immediate acceptance, but with Jesus' revealing description of his own itinerant and often homeless life, a stark contrast to what the scribe likely imagined.
This scribe rushed forward with a bold declaration: "I will follow you wherever you go." But was his offer as genuine as it sounded?
This scribe’s offer to follow Jesus, while sounding eager, revealed a fundamental misunderstanding of discipleship. He was a man of learning and likely comfort, accustomed to a respected and stable life.
Unrealistic Expectations
Jesus saw through the scribe's superficial zeal. True discipleship isn't about grand promises made in comfort, but about a willingness to endure hardship and surrender all for the sake of the Kingdom.
The scribe called Jesus 'Teacher,' a title of respect, but Jesus' response reveals He is much more than just an instructor.
The scribe addressed Jesus as 'Teacher' (or 'Master'), a common title for religious leaders. However, Jesus’ reply shifts the focus dramatically.
The Son of Man's Hardship
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Understand the original words
grammateus · Greek Noun
An expert in the Mosaic Law, responsible for teaching, interpreting, and applying the Scriptures to the daily lives of the people of Israel.
didaskale · Greek Noun
A title for a master, instructor, or someone recognized as an authority in interpreting religious truth. Used for Jesus, it acknowledges his role as the revealer of God's will.
huios tou anthrōpou · Greek Noun Phrase
A messianic title used by Jesus for himself, derived from Daniel 7:13-14. It highlights his humanity while simultaneously affirming his divine authority, celestial origin, and role as the eschatological judge and ruler.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry in Galilee
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching and performing miracles. His fame spreads, attracting large crowds and a variety of followers.
Early 1st century AD
Scribes Question Jesus
Scribes, experts in Jewish law, engage with Jesus, sometimes to test him, other times seeking understanding.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus Calls Disciples
Jesus invites ordinary people, including fishermen, to leave their lives and follow him, becoming his core group of disciples.
This passage presents a similar encounter where Jesus is ready to go somewhere, and someone offers to follow, highlighting the immediate and often unconsidered nature of such promises.
John 6:66After this event, many of Jesus' disciples turned back and no longer followed him, showing that initial enthusiasm, like the scribe's, often fades when faced with the reality of discipleship.
Matthew 16:24Jesus' later teaching on denying oneself and taking up the cross directly addresses the kind of serious commitment that the scribe's impulsive offer lacked.
1 Kings 19:20In a parallel situation, Elijah called Elisha to follow him, and Elisha's request to say goodbye to his family shows a similar tension between immediate divine calling and existing human ties.
clarkeMatthew 8:19: "And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest."
A certain scribe - Though ἑις γραμματευς, One scribe, may be considered as a Hebraism, yet it is probable that the literal construction of it was intended, to show that few of this class came to the Lord Jesus for instruction or salvation. Master - Rather, teacher, διδασκαλε from διδασκω, I teach, which itself seems to be derived from δεικω, I show, and means the person who shows…
calvinMatthew 8:19-22: "And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest."
- And a scribe approaching said to him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shalt go. 20. And Jesus saith to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests: but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 21. And another of his disciples said to him, Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father. 22. And Jesus said to him, Follow me, and allow the dead to…
This scribe's enthusiastic declaration, "I will follow you wherever you go," might sound like ultimate commitment, but Jesus's response reveals the hidden flaw: he's offering blind loyalty without truly understanding the cost. The scribe, accustomed to a comfortable life, is eager to join a movement he likely sees as triumphant, unaware of the poverty and hardship Jesus actually experienced.
As Jesus and his disciples continue their journey, a scribe approaches, eager to declare his commitment to follow Jesus wherever he goes. This declaration comes right after Jesus has just healed a centurion's servant and a great multitude, setting a scene of immense power and burgeoning fame. The scribe's bold offer is met not with immediate acceptance, but with Jesus' revealing description of his own itinerant and often homeless life, a stark contrast to what the scribe likely imagined.
As Jesus and his disciples continue their journey, a scribe approaches, eager to declare his commitment to follow Jesus wherever he goes. This declaration comes right after Jesus has just healed a centurion's servant and a great multitude, setting a scene of immense power and burgeoning fame. The scribe's bold offer is met not with immediate acceptance, but with Jesus' revealing description of his own itinerant and often homeless life, a stark contrast to what the scribe likely imagined.
"And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.”" — This scribe's enthusiastic declaration, "I will follow you wherever you go," might sound like ultimate commitment, but Jesus's response reveals the hidden flaw: he's offering blind loyalty without tr…
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Last reviewed October 2026
