Luke 9:59

59 Jesus said to another, "Follow me." He said, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."

Luke 9:59 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:59

And he said unto another, follow me
According to Matthew, one of his disciples, who had attended him some time, and whom he now called to the ministerial work; (See Gill on Matthew 8:20). The Ethiopic version reads, "another said to him, shall I not follow thee?" but without any foundation: they are certainly the words of Christ, directed to another person, at the same time he met with the former:

but he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father;
(See Gill on Matthew 8:21).

Luke 9:59 In-Context

57 On the road someone asked if he could go along. "I'll go with you, wherever," he said.
58 Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know."
59 Jesus said to another, "Follow me." He said, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."
60 Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!"
61 Then another said, "I'm ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.