jection, pointed out the sacrifice
required of one who would follow whithersoever the Lord went, saying:
"The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son
of man hath not where to lay his head." As Jesus had no fixed place of
abode, but went wherever His duty called Him, so was it necessary that
they who represented Him, men ordained or set apart to His service, be
ready to deny themselves the enjoyment of their homes and the comfort of
family associations, if the duties of their calling so demanded. We do
not read that the aspiring scribe pressed his offer.

Another man indicated his willingness to follow the Lord, but asked
first for time to go and bury his father; to him Jesus said: "Follow me;
and let the dead bury their dead." Some readers have felt that this
injunction was harsh, though such an inference is scarcely justified.
While it would be manifestly unfilial for a son to absent himself from
his father's funeral under ordinary conditions, nevertheless, if that
son had been set apart to service of importance transcending all
personal or family obligations, his ministerial duty would of right take
precedence. Moreover, the requirement expressed by Jesus was no greater
than that made of every priest during his term of active service, nor
was it more afflicting than the obligation of the Nazarite vow,[659]
under which many voluntarily placed themselves. The duties of ministry
in the kingdom pertained to spiritual life; one dedicated thereto might
well allow those who were negligent of spiritual things, and
figuratively speaking, spiritually dead, to bury their dead.

A third instance is presented; a man who wanted to be a disciple of the
Lord asked that, before entering upon his duties, he be permitted to go
home and bid farewell to his family and friends. The reply of Jesus has
become an aphorism in life and literature: "No man, having put his hand
to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."[660]

From Matthew's record we draw the inference that the first two of these
candidates for discipleship offered themselves to our Lord as He stood
on the shore or in the boat ready to begin the evening voyage across the
lake. Luke places the instances in a different connection, and adds to
the offers of the scribe and the man who would first bury his father,
that of the one who wished to go home and then return to Christ. The
three incidents may be profitably considered together,