Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 9:62

"But Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." — Luke 9:62 (ASV)

Although saying good-by is not at all the emotional equivalent of a funeral, it still represents a family duty that must be forsaken for service to Jesus. Some see here an allusion to the call of Elisha while plowing and his request to say good-by to his family (1 Kings 19:19–21). It was important for an ancient plowman to concentrate on the furrow before him, guiding the light plow with his left hand while goading the oxen with the right. Looking away would result in a crooked furrow.

Luke’s account of Jesus’ commissioning of the seventy-two fits the immediate context well. It continues the procedure of sending messengers ahead during Jesus’ journey (9:52). At the same time, the obedient response of the seventy-two provides a contrast to the three men (9:57–62) whose excuses disqualified them from discipleship. The instructions prescribed by Jesus were undoubtedly repeated frequently by Jesus and in the early church .