Luke 9:62 (WEB)
But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”
Fathers and councils · 48
Irenaeus of Lyons
“…but suffer me first to bid them farewell that are in my house,” “No man, putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven” (for this man they declare to be of the intermediate class, even as they do that other who, though he professed to have wrought a large amount of…” — editor's note: Luke ix. 61, 62.
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Cyprian of Carthage
““For no man who looks back as he putteth his hand to the plough is fit for the kingdom of God.”” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“The Lord, admonishing us of this in His Gospel, and teaching that we should not return again to the devil and to the world, which we have renounced, and whence we have escaped, says: “No man looking back, and putting his hand to the plough, is fit for the kingdom of God.”” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“Likewise in the same place: “No one looking back, and putting his hands to the plough, is fit for the kingdom of God.”” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
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Catena Aurea on John
- Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
“(Luke 9:62.).” — the author cites it
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Augustine of Hippo
Chapter LXII.—Of the Harmony Subsisting Between Matthew and Mark in the Accounts Which They Offer of the Time When He Was Asked Whether It Was Lawful to Put Away One’s Wife, and Especially in Regard to the Specific…
Read the whole comment“And the Lord said, “No man putting his hand on the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“Why is it then that now, by the abandonment as it were of their apostleship, they become what they were, and seek again what they had forsaken, as if forgetful of the words they had once listened to, “No man, putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven”?” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
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John Chrysostom
“For this same cause He said elsewhere also, “No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of Heaven.”” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62, ἐν τ βασιλε. [The citation is peculiar: (1) ἐν is not found in any of our mss. of the New Testament, the received text is ε τν βασιλεαν, while the…
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Jerome
“He is bearing his cross, neither taking thought for the morrow nor looking back at what he has left.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“He who has grasped the plough must not look behind him or return home from the field, or having Christ’s garment, descend from the roof to fetch other raiment.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“And when a disciple wished to return home, that he might take leave of his kinsfolk, the Master’s voice refused consent.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 61, 62.
Read the whole comment“Is not the disciple forbidden to say farewell to his home or to bury his dead father?” — editor's note: Luke ix. 59–62.
Read the whole comment“Your hands have grasped the handle of the plough, the hem of the Saviour’s garment, and His locks wet with the dew of night; do not let them go.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“When once you have put your hand to the plough you must not look back; when once you stand on the housetop you must think no more of your clothes within; to escape your Egyptian mistress you must abandon the cloak that belongs to this world.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“For through the mercy of God you have already put your hand to the plough; you have already gone up upon the housetop like the apostle Peter.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“Since therefore you rejoice in the freedom of Christ, since your life is better than your profession, since you are all but on the housetop of which the Saviour speaks; you ought not to come down to take your clothes, you ought not to look behind you, you ought not having put your hand to the plough, then to let it go.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
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Athanasius of Alexandria
“And let no one turn to the things behind, like Lot’s wife, all the more so that the Lord hath said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and turning back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven.”” — editor's note: Phil. iii. 13; Gen. xix. 26; Luke ix. 62
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Tertullian
““None, putting his hand on the plough, and looking back, is fit” for work.” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62, where the words are, “is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Read the whole comment“Yet I must necessarily prescribe you a law, not to stretch out your hand after the old things, not to look backwards: for “the old things are passed away,” according to Isaiah; and “a renewing hath been renewed,” according to Jeremiah; and “forgetful of former things, we are…” — editor's note: Comp. Luke ix. 62.
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Leo the Great
“Let not the things, which have been made new, return to their ancient instability; and let not him who has “put his hand to the plough” forsake his work, but rather attend to that which he sows than look back to that which he has left behind.” — editor's note: S. Luke ix. 62.
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Gregory the Great
“For it is written, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke ix. 62).” — the author cites it
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John Cassian
“Beware that you remember nothing of your kinsfolk or of your former affections, and that you are not called back to the cares and anxieties of this world, and (as our Lord says) putting your hand to the plough and looking back be found unfit for the kingdom of heaven.” — editor's note: S. Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“And “no man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”” — editor's note: S. Luke ix. 62.
Read the whole comment“…why, having put your hand to the plough, do you look back, so that you will be declared by the voice of the same Lord not to be fit for the kingdom of heaven?” — editor's note: Cf. S. Luke ix. 62.
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Clement of Alexandria
““For no man who looks back, and puts his hand to the plough, is fit for the kingdom of God.”” — editor's note: Luke ix. 62.
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
Although the Almighty Lord is bountiful, He does not grant to every one absolutely and indiscriminately heavenly and divine gifts, but to those only who are worthy to receive them, who free themselves and their souls…
Read the whole comment - Athanasius of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
He dared also to match himself with the incomprehensible power of the Saviour, saying, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest; for to follow the Saviour simply to hear His teaching is possible to human nature,…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
In another respect also our Lord deservedly gives him a refusal, for He taught that to follow the Lord, a man must take up his cross, and renounce the affection of this present life. And our Lord finding this lacking…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Luke
For having seen our Lord drawing much people to Him, he thought that he received reward from them, and that if he followed our Lord, he might obtain money.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
Therefore it is said to him, Why do you seek to follow Me for the riches and gain of this world, when so great is My poverty that I have not even a place of rest, and take shelter under another man’s roof.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
See how our Lord sets forth by his works the poverty which he taught. For him was no table spread, no lights, no house, nor any such thing.
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
Now under a mystical signification He applies the name of foxes and birds of the air to the wicked and crafty powers of evil spirits. As if He said, Since foxes and birds of the air have their abode in thee, how…
Read the whole comment - Athanasius of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
Or herein our Lord teaches the greatness of His gift, as if He said, All created things may be confined by place, but the Word of God has incomprehensible power. Say not then, I will follow thee whithersoever thou…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Or, He compares foxes to heretics, because they are indeed a wily animal, and, ever intent upon fraud, commit their robberies by stealth. They let nothing be safe, nothing be at rest, nothing secure, for they hunt…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
He did not refuse the discipleship, but his wish was, having fulfilled the filial duty of burying his father, to follow Christ more freely.
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
But the Lord calls those upon whom He has compassion. Hence it follows, And Jesus said, Let the dead bury their dead. Since we have received as a religious duty the burial of the human body, how is it thus that the…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
But what more necessary than the burial of his father, what more easy, seeing that there would not be much time given to it? We are then hereby taught that it becomes us not to spend even the slightest portion of our…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
The performance of a father’s burial is not then prohibited, but the observance of religious duty is preferred to the ties of relationship. The one is left to those in like condition, the other is commanded to those…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
By thus saying, their dead, he shews that this man’s father was not his dead, for I suppose that the deceased was of the number of the unbelieving.
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Or because the throat of the ungodly is an open sepulchre, their memory is ordered to be forgotten whose services die together with their bodies. Nor is the son recalled from his duty to his father, but the faithful…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
Or else, his father was borne down with years, and he thought he was doing an honourable act in proposing to pay the kind offices which were due to him, according to Exodus, Honour thy father and thy mother. (Exod.…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Luke
Our Lord spoke this to the man to whom He had said, Follow me. But another disciple put himself forward, to whom no one had spoken any thing, saying, I will follow thee, O Lord; but let me first go and bid them…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
Now this promise is worthy of our admiration and full of all praise, but to bid farewell to those who are at home, to get leave from them, shews that he was still somehow divided from the Lord, in that he had not yet…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Luke
As if he said to him, The East calls thee, and thou turnest to the West.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
: To put one’s hand to the plough, is also, (as it were by a certain sharp instrument,) by the wood and iron of our Lord’s passion, to wear away the hardness of our heart, and to open it to bring forth the fruits of…
Read the whole comment - A Greek expositorCatena Aurea on Luke
For the frequent looking upon the things which we have forsaken, through the force of habit draws us back to our past way of life. For practice has great power to retain to itself. Is not habit generated of use, and…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
But if the disciple about to follow our Lord is reproved for wishing even to bid farewell at home, what will be done to such as for no advantage-sake frequently visit the houses of those whom they have left in the world?
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Cross-references · 41
Cited together in The Institutes VII.15.
Cited together in The Institutes VII.15.
Cited together in Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus Chapter 8 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus Chapter 8.
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 21:1–11 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.16.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.16.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.16.
Cited together in The Institutes IV.36.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in Cyril of Alexandria on Luke 9:57–62 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.16.
Cited together in Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus Chapter 8.
Cited together in Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus Chapter 8.
Cited together in Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus Chapter 8.
Cited together in Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus Chapter 8.
Cited together in The Institutes VII.15.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.16.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 71 and 1 other place.
Cited together in The Institutes IV.36.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.16.