Luke 9:62 (ESV), “Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
This touches upon one of Jesus’s clearest and most demanding statements on the nature of discipleship. This verse is the conclusion of a sequence of encounters where Jesus defines the necessary cost of following him.
Luke 9:62 concludes a series of interactions where Jesus warned prospective followers about the dedication required for discipleship.
1. Sacrificing our own will (Luke 9:57-58): The first prospective follower offered, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus responded with a warning of destitution: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
2. The priority of the kingdom (Luke 9:59-60): To the next man, Jesus commanded, “Follow me.” The man asked permission “First to go and bury my father.” Jesus refused, stating, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”
3. A single-minded focus (Luke 9:61-62): The final man promised, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” This request for a final look back or tie to the old life led directly to the statement in question.
The metaphor of putting one’s hand to the plow illustrates that the work of God requires undivided attention and unreserved commitment.
A plow (sometimes spelled plough) is a tool to prepare a field for planting. It is used for work. So, if anyone wants to work in God’s service, they must focus his energies on serving (plowing) for God. If a person divides their attentions between natural and spiritual goals, they will be unsuccessful. Jesus explained, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (earthly rewards)” (Matthew 6:24).
To plow a straight furrow, a farmer must fix their eyes on a point ahead; looking backward would ruin the work. Similarly, those who commit to following Christ cannot look back toward their former life, worldly attachments or family concerns when those things conflict with the demands of the kingdom.
True discipleship is equated with a full, unreserved commitment or consecration. The follower must “deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow” Jesus (Luke 9:23). The word “daily” underscores the constancy required.
The true disciple must put their discipleship and service to God above earthly bonds. Following Christ is not merely a change in direction but a starting point from which they must continually change. True Christianity is indeed, “Come as you are,” but it is not “stay as you are.”
The person who attempts to follow Jesus while maintaining a focus on their past life or personal affairs is deemed “not fit for the kingdom of God.” This implies that the seriousness of the mission demands a completely new way of life, mirroring Jesus’s own dedication, who willingly divested himself of glory to focus solely on fulfilling God’s will and was an itinerant preacher who lived nowhere and had nothing.
Additional Resource:
Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1107: “Why Does Time Matter in God’s Plan?”
Establishing what the timeline of God’s plan looks like
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
