1. Most frequently. «A^''./" " w i 'i ^1 •- r . <■ ■ , l.k
i9ip; CAm(, except Mt i)^-', -MK '•■ 'iii \>i' i ii'ii-'.
kct. ixoX. in the two tuniicr, proljably a - lli- more
usual fonn). 6. hiuy,:-, JuUow after {[,]•: 17 ' \\ in a
good sense of tliose in .search of one. 7. ■'i,lo
pursue closely, 'the xxtm gives tlie IJ > , li : \' ' .-l<iit search, as in our 'hunt down' (GonM). S. - u-ou,
' come .ve after me,' Mt 4i» (.\V • follow") ; if. .\lk I'v.
That great multitudes followed Jesus durini,' His ministry is repeatedly noted ; cf. j\lt 4-^ 8' 20-" 2I», Mk 5=^ Lk 23" (see ('Rown. Multitude); piiblicans and sinners also (y^KoXovBovv , KB, Vulg. Mk 2'', cf. Lk 15>). 'Eollow me' (aKoXoiSei. fjLoi] was His call to discipleship, Mt ',)" ;| Lk 9=", Jn l''^ ; deCpo aKoKoidu /ioi (Lk 18-- !l) and SevTf dtrltro) ixov (Mt 4'" II) al.so occur. The command would he at once understood in this sense, for ' it was not only the practice of the Rabbis, but regarded as one of the most sacred duties for a Master to gather around him a circle of disciples' (Edersheim, Life and Times, i. 474). Hence ' following ' was a mark of belonging to the band of disciples (Mk 9-» ||). Atflrst ft iniojit s(><>m to iini.ly .mly '((.iiif with me on thi^ jimnu-v' (cf. .hi !■■'■ "1. iml ■jkhIiimHv
they Ic-inicl Ih.-it 'ii mcaiil .■il.niMh.i nl ol |,i-,.-
vious occuiintioiis (Ml -1-" ii^'i .-unl .lulic^ (.Ml s--), and possildy the iIc.h-cnI tii-~ ( l.lc I4="), as well as a participation in dimcr., .iii.l even deatli (Mt 10='- ^'■, Jn 16=). Such :,ii iiilciiMlicd meaning of fol- lowing is seen in tlu- case of Peter (Jn l^"'-, Mt 4'», Jn 2119). The call of Jesus diifered from tliat of other teachers in that He did not simply invite, but commanded obedience as One who 'liad the right, and as if they liteially belonged to Himself ; the most peremptory claims to rule over the attec- tions and wills of men are found in Mt. and Lk. rather than in Jn., and can be exiilained only by His being the sujjreme Lord of life (Lidtlon). Eurthrv, the .lis,-i,il,.s f,,ll,,xv.-a lliin nol nicvlv
.I..CH-
(-M
■~, .Ml
vidly
the manner of following on the last journey to Jerusalem.
The literal meaning tends to merge partly or wholly into tlie metaphorical sense of conforming ti> the example of Jesus in living, and also, if neeii be, in dying ; cf. Mt IG^ || 16-*. Jn 8'= 12-"- IS"'. 1 1> 2-1 ('follow his steps'), Rev 14''. The two meanings seem combined in Jn 21'"-™. V.-" im- plies that Jesus moved away, inviting Peter to follow along the rough shore perhaps for private conversation ; and John though iminvited also fol- lowed. But there is probably a reference also to Jn 13^" ; and the action of Peter was symbolical of that obedient following in the rugged path of Christian duty, in the work of the Apostolic ministry (Chrys.), in the way of martyrdom (Mcycij, which Mould lead to particiiiation in His M;i-(i IS L^lciy [-j'i- (iodet's note). Tliis command .lilicivil hoiii the >i)iiilar command given before the Kc-uncilii.ii, says Westcott, because 'it now re- c|uired further the percei)tion of His course ; the spiritual discernment by which His movements can still be discovered ; and yet, further, the readi- ness to accept martyrdom as the end.'
Lk 9S"- = Mt S'"'- is important. All three aspirants for admission into the inner circle seem to have been already disciples, cf. Mt 8=', the use of ' Master ' and ' Lord,' and the work contem- plated (Lk 9""- '•-). Probably the appointment of the Seventy was in view (Lk 10'), or less likely, of the Twelve (so Trench, comparing Mt 10', which, li(iw('\ cr, docs nut apply to the chooning, but to I lie ,./,<./ iiiit of the Apostles). These were t I I :i SCI ilic ids ypafinaTei'is, Mt.), wlio came saying, Ahi-ici, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.' He meant, perhaps, 'to the end of the journey, wherever it might be, not aware of the continual wandering life led l)y Jesus' (Wendt, Teaching uf Jesus, ii. 69) ; but he \\as warned of the utter hoinele.ssness of the Son of Man, and was shown the necessity of counting the co.st (cf. Lk 14:-^'-). (2) Another was called to follow, and professed readiness to obey but alleged a hindrance : ' Lord, sufter me first to go and bury my father.' The words 'go and bury' (aire\ff6i>Ti Ba^ai), and 'leave the dead,' RV (ij^es rout veKpovi), naturally imply, and are usually taken to mean, that his fatlier was then lying dead (so early Eathers, Alford, Trench, Godet, Eder- sheim, etc.). It was a son's most sacred duty to perform the last offices, but this was one of the cases where the Call must take precedence of all else. His going might involve a delay of seven days (the period of pollution, Nu 19'''-), during which good impressions might be dulled ; and Jesus would have left the district whither, taking Lk.'s order. He was not to return. This man, too, was being called to active work for Goil ; cf. regu- lations in Lv 21", Nu 6'. But some later coni- iiiciitators, as Theophylact, .suppose that the father w ,is si III alive though weak and frail, and that the son wished to remain with him until his death. Thus the seeming harshness of Christ' s reply would be mitigated ; and it is pointed out that as the burial usually took place on the day of death, it was unlikely that tbe man would leave his hoiiie (luring the"iiitei\al between these two events. Wendt (e/i. <'it. \>. Till ipmles .a striking