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Bible Question: In Luke 9:62, does this verse refer to believers who are not fit for service in the kingdom of God? Does looking back represent not fully following Christ and decreasing your role/responsibility (service) in the Kingdom of God?
Bible Answer: Luke 9:62 records words that were spoken by Jesus, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” These are serious words. They are spoken at the end of several discussions Jesus had with three of His disciples. Apparently each disciple first told Jesus that they would follow Him (Luke 9:57-61). Jesus told the first one that He did not have the physical comforts of life. He told the second to forget about the urgent things of this world and his reply to the third one was about looking back at the things of this world.
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And as they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (NASB) Luke 9:57-62 |
He is talking about a farmer using a plow on a field. The man put his hand to the plow to start plowing. The goal of the farmer is to make straight rows in the earth. He does this by looking at a distant object. Jesus creates a picture of a farmer who rather than looking straight ahead at a distant object is constantly looking back at things. The Greek words for "looking behind" have the picture of constantly, continually looking back at things. The result is crooked and curved rows in the earth - a mess!
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