Luke 9:62Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how our Lord sets forth by his works the poverty which he taught. For him was no table spread, no lights, no house, nor any such thing.

For having seen our Lord drawing much people to Him, he thought that he received reward from them, and that if he followed our Lord, he might obtain money.

Although the Almighty Lord is bountiful, He does not grant to every one absolutely and indiscriminately heavenly and divine gifts, but to those only who are worthy to receive them, who free themselves and their souls from the stains of wickedness. And this we are taught by the force of the angelic words, And it came to pass, that, us they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee. First indeed there is much tardiness implied in the manner of his coming. It is next shewn that he is filled with too great presumption. For he sought not to follow Christ simply as several others of the people, but rather caught at the honour of the Apostleship. Whereas Paul says, No one taketh the honour to himself but he that is called of God. (Heb. 5:4.)

Our Lord spoke this to the man to whom He had said, Follow me. But another disciple put himself forward, to whom no one had spoken any thing, saying, I will follow thee, O Lord; but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at home, lest perchance they look for me as they are wont.

He dared also to match himself with the incomprehensible power of the Saviour, saying, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest; for to follow the Saviour simply to hear His teaching is possible to human nature, as it directs itself towards men, but it is not possible to go with Him wherever He is; for He is incomprehensible, and is not confined by place.

Or, He compares foxes to heretics, because they are indeed a wily animal, and, ever intent upon fraud, commit their robberies by stealth. They let nothing be safe, nothing be at rest, nothing secure, for they hunt their prey into the very abodes of men. The fox again, an animal full of craft, makes no hole for itself, yet likes to lie always concealed in a hole. So the heretics, who know not how to construct a house for themselves, circumscribe and deceive others. This animal is never tamed, nor is it of use to man. Hence the Apostle, A heretic after the first and second admonition reject. (Tit.

The individual who starts to plow yet glances back compromises his commitment to the task through distraction. The Saviour aptly described the act of following Him as akin to plowing, stating: ‘No one who undertakes to follow Me and looks backward, that is, turns his mind to worldly things, is fit for the kingdom of God.' It is essential for those who choose to follow Christ to set everything aside immediately and pursue Him with unwavering dedication, lest they become hindered by their ties to the past. For what is more treasured and sought after than God?

As we initiate our journey toward righteousness and participate in the march of faith, let us diligently apply our efforts to reach forward and ensure that none of us looks back, much like Lot's wife. We should pay close attention to the Lord’s warning: ‘Let no one lay his hand on the chisel and turn back in vain, who is in the kingdom of heaven.' To turn back signifies nothing less than to lament and reconsider worldly matters.

For the frequent looking upon the things which we have forsaken, through the force of habit draws us back to our past way of life. For practice has great power to retain to itself. Is not habit generated of use, and nature of habit? But to get rid of or change nature is difficult; for although when compelled it for a while turns aside, it very rapidly returns to itself.

Our Lord, the most gentle Jesus, understood that a person's mind cannot ascend to the cross if they do not relinquish everything. He instructed His followers to abandon all that which their minds are accustomed to and to descend from the cross. When someone approached Him, saying, ‘I will follow You, Lord,’ but asked to first attend to matters in his home (Luke 9:61), our dear Jesus, foreseeing that such distractions would sway his heart back to earthly concerns and various events would justly hold him there, prohibited him from going, declaring: ‘No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’ (Luke 9:62).

When you ascended to the mountain of divine life, washing both your garments and senses, you prepared your heart to receive the heavenly teachings. Naturally, you aimed to leave behind the earthly distractions, so that you might reach the fortress of virtues, hear God's voice, and see the ancient law inscribed upon your heart, becoming a sacred manuscript. Yet, reports from all around reveal that despite your earnest commitment to the work of redemption, you are beginning to turn back (Luke 9:62).

To take hold of the plough signifies the readiness to cultivate the fertile ground of one's heart, allowing it to yield fruit through a spirit of contrition. However, the one who turns back after beginning to plough is like a person who, after initiating a righteous endeavor, chooses to revert to the sin they previously abandoned.

Therefore it is said to him, Why do you seek to follow Me for the riches and gain of this world, when so great is My poverty that I have not even a place of rest, and take shelter under another man’s roof.

And what does He communicate to a man who sought to arrange for those left behind in his household, such as his wife and others? "No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). The essence of these words is this: You have not yet embarked on the cultivation of humanity, but have redirected your efforts towards Heaven, implying that you will not find joy in returning to worldly matters. Understand that by turning your gaze back, you are exchanging the heavenly kingdom for your home and its inhabitants. Thus, we see that the Lord both exemplified the monastic ideal and instructed others in it. The Apostles led similar lives; consequently, the Lord urged them not to possess two tunics, nor a staff, nor sandals, fitting the life of monks.

The reference to the ram indicates that the parable is rooted in agricultural life. The farmer, having placed his hand on the plough, which signifies his commitment to till the soil, must always look forward to steer the plough properly and at the right depth. This allows him to prepare the ground to receive seeds and bear fruit. However, if he turns his gaze backward, he will struggle to guide the plough—either failing to cultivate deep enough for the seeds, repetitively ploughing the same furrow, or skirting areas and leaving parts of the land untilled, resulting in unproductive labor. What is the significance of this parable concerning the kingdom of Balsiu? What does it imply to place one’s hand on the tool? What does it mean to look behind?

'No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God' (Luke 9:62). This means that anyone who hopes for salvation while longing for the past and clinging to what must be relinquished for salvation cannot truly be saved or led toward the Kingdom of God. A decisive break must be made with anything that contradicts the pursuit of salvation. Those seeking to be saved often recognize their predicament yet delay their severance from certain attachments, thinking they can postpone it until tomorrow. The idea of abruptly severing ties with these things feels like an overwhelming sacrifice. They aim for a quiet renunciation, hoping to avoid scrutiny from others, yet they continually fall short.

The individuals chosen for this new fellowship were not to be obstructed or limited in their execution of the mission assigned to them. When one person requested to bury his father and another wished to bid farewell to his family, the Lord did not permit these delays.

In this section, Matthew mentions an important event. Luke discusses the same two instances and adds a third that he uniquely recounts, situated in a notably different context. According to Luke, this occurred during Christ's final journey from Galilee to Judea. It is possible that each Evangelist, while narrating one of the occurrences that genuinely took place during the time referenced, also includes another similar event from a different period. The scribe who approached Jesus was turned away, indicating why Christ did not permit him to follow. This scribe harbored earthly notions and Messianic aspirations, believing that Jesus would soon dramatically announce Himself as the Messiah-King and aimed to secure a prominent position in His kingdom.

In His response, Christ likened the ploughman to an individual journeying towards eternal life. The ploughman, who takes up the task, must focus on what lies ahead, ensuring that the animals pull in unison without deviating from the furrow, and that the plough is set to the correct depth; only under these conditions will the work be effective, and the ploughman’s intentions fulfilled. If, however, he glances back, the animals will stray, and the plough will veer off course; as a result, the ploughman will fail to reach his goal. Similarly, a person who chooses to walk the path that Christ has established must keep their eyes forward, consistently mindful of the destination they pursue.

A parallel reply was offered to the third individual seeking to follow Him. This person requested a pause, not to accompany Christ right away but to bid farewell to family and friends. The response given is now a timeless proverb: "No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." According to the profound words of St. Augustine, those called from the East must turn their focus away from the fading West. Inspired by this noble thought, the esteemed saints and ascetics of the Church dedicated themselves to forsaking all familial and earthly connections in their pursuit of Christ.

To put one’s hand on the plow is a common saying that signifies taking on a challenging endeavor, akin to the difficulty of plowing itself. For a plowman to achieve a fruitful harvest, he must fix his gaze forward, avoiding frequent glances backward; otherwise, his efforts may falter. This principle applies equally to the journey of following Christ. Anyone who embarks on this path but keeps looking back at worldly pleasures may find themselves distracted and not fully devoted to Christ. Such an individual cannot be relied upon for the work of the Kingdom of God, as they may easily stray from their commitment (see Matt. 10:37 and parallels). Consequently, they risk becoming doubly miserable (see 2 Pet. 2:20-22).