Lectionary: Proper 8(C)
Text: Luke 9:51-62
Sermon
Following this Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus where
he was transfigured atop a mountain and where Moses and Elijah appeared next to
Jesus. They heard a voice from a cloud speak to them saying, “This is my Son,
my Chosen, listen to him.” (Luke 9:35b)
These events provide key narrative contexts through which
today’s gospel reading can be interpreted. “Whose words and actions do we
follow?” and “What does following Jesus mean?” are the implied questions
beneath what we heard.
From a literary perspective, the reading today contains strong
echoes and allusions to several stories concerning the last days of Elijah and
the call of Elisha.[1]
2 Kings 2:1 begins, “Now when the LORD was about to take
Elijah up to heaven…” echoing what Luke wrote, “When the days drew near for him
to be taken up…”
In 2 Kings 1, Elijah calls down fire from heaven to destroy
two groups of Samaritan messengers.
In the call of Elisha found in 1 Kings 19, Elisha is called
while plowing a field. Elisha says to Elijah, “Let me kiss my father and my
mother, then I will follow you.” Elijah gives permission for Elisha to do so.
Elijah and Elisha are two prophets who preside over a period
in Israel’s history where God works visibly and mightily to provide for and
intervene on Israel’s behalf.
Jesus’ miraculous feeding of a crowd, warnings about costs of
following him, his transfiguration, and his announcement of his imminent “being
taken up” signaled to the disciples that something big was about to happen. However,
the path and destination of Jesus would be quite different from what the
disciples hoped for and expected.
Luke 9:51 to 19:28 is the largest unit in the Lucan gospel.
It is referred to as the travel document or narrative since it
details Jesus’ movement from Galilee to where he enters Jerusalem on what we
call the Triumphal Entry. This section is Luke’s collection of events and
teachings of Jesus to future disciples about what it means to follow Jesus and
carry on the work of his gospel.
Let’s dig into today’s text more closely and see what else
we might uncover.
First point to note is that when Jesus is rejected by a
Samaritan village, he just moves on. James and John wanted to respond with
violence and vengeance, as Elijah had done in their history, but Jesus does not
permit it. Luke attributes the rejection due to Jesus having set his face
toward Jerusalem. What this means is that the Samaritans appear to have
rejected Jesus because of his convictions and what he expected to happen once
he got to Jerusalem.
Some questions for us regarding this are, how willing are we
to walk away from rejection without responding in kind or worse? Are we willing
to let go of violence and vengeance altogether as a response, even when it
challenges and threatens our core convictions? Are we willing to respect the
freedom and agency of others and not attempt to force our beliefs and ways onto
those who aren’t willing?
The next part of the reading contains three interactions.
The first and third are about an individual coming to Jesus asking to follow
him. The middle one is Jesus calling a person to follow him.
Let’s review the first interaction:
57 As they were going
along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58
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.” (Luke 9:57-58)
This can be interpreted as Jesus describing some of the
privations that might be experienced because of following him. It might be Jesus
asking if this individual has counted the costs. It might be a naïve
individual, upon seeing the popularity of Jesus, wants to join the bandwagon.
But there could be more. Jesus’ reply uses the term “foxes”
and “birds of the air.” The “fox” was a symbol for Ammonites, and Jesus called
Herod Antipas “that fox.” The “birds of the air” was a phrase used to refer to
gentile nations.[2]
In a veiled fashion, Jesus may have been querying this would-be follower if he
really wanted to follow someone who was against the political and power
structures of the world. Perhaps this individual was politically connected, or
perhaps thought Jesus could be the means to it. Jesus dismantles any kind of
political and power ambitions of this person.
For us, the same question is posed. Do we see Jesus and
Christianity as a means for acquiring political power and wealth. Because if
so, we are misguided. If someone is promising that kind of influence, we should
be questioning whether the Christianity they espouse is the one of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, or something else.
The second interaction reads as follows:
59 To another he said, “Follow me.”
But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 And
Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and
proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)
This has caused consternation among interpreters. On the one
hand, interpreters have taken this to be entirely metaphorical, speaking about
spiritual life and death. On the other hand, interpreters refer to a cultural
practice of multiple burying events and interpret this text as referring to a
second burial after the body has fully decomposed.
However, Levine, Brettler, and Bailey state that the
phrasing used here strongly implies that no one has died yet.[3],[4]
They explain that “Let me go and bury” is a Middle Eastern idiom used to mean
“let me go and serve my father while he is alive.” Honoring one’s parents is
part of the Ten Commandments, given by Moses. It is an important pillar in maintaining
family and community. What Jesus is telling this individual is that following
him supersedes cultural values, it supersedes even what Moses wrote down as
words received from God.
But reading between the lines, it sounds like this
individual is making excuses. He seems to want the praise and acknowledgment of
following Jesus, but on his own terms. He wants to follow Jesus only when it is
convenient.
The third interaction has some similarities to the previous.
This reads:
61 Another said, “I will
follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62
And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is
fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62)
Whereas Elijah allowed Elisha to go back to his father and
mother and leave plowing, in this text Jesus does not. Just as Jesus is greater
than Moses, Jesus is greater than Elijah. The precedent set by Elijah in his
call to Elisha as disciple is superseded by Jesus making new and greater
demands of his disciples.
We might wonder why Jesus doesn’t even allow a quick
farewell. The problem is how a Greek word is translated and what we think that
means. The word ἀποτάξασθαι is translated “say
farewell” here but it is better translated “take leave of” (which is how this
word is translated everywhere else in the New Testament) and which can also
mean “renounce.” Kenneth Bailey writes that what this means in practice is that
the person is asking to return to his home and community and ask for permission
to leave and follow Jesus, knowing full well that the community will not.[5]
Like the second individual, the third individual expresses
performative discipleship. He wants the accolades and admiration of those who
are watching and listening, but he knows that at the end of the day, he does
not have to give up anything.
Taken together, our reading indicates several aspects of
following Jesus. It opposes power, might, wealth, violence and vengeance upon
which the world’s political, social, economic, and religious systems are built.
The way of Jesus’ gospel of peace, love, and inclusion supersedes all previous
religious and spiritual traditions. Following Jesus may mean having to renounce
community and family ties, if they are opposed to his ways. Following Jesus is
not a road to comfort, power, and wealth. It can lead to rejection,
persecution, and death.
In the three dialogues Jesus had with would-be disciples,
their response is not recorded. Luke asks his readers to place themselves — us
—in their places. How will we respond?
References
Bailey, K. E. (1976, 1980). Poet & Peasant
and Through Peasant Eyes (Combined Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans.
Levine, A.-J., & Brettler, M. Z. (2011, 2017). The
Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd ed. Oxford, NY: Oxford University
Press.
[1]
1 Kings 19:15-21; 2 Kings 1:2-16, 2:1-12.
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
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