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FOLLOWING.—‘Follow’ represents several Gr. words which it is desirable to distinguish as far as possible.
1. Most frequently, ἀêïëïõèåù with dative (but ìåè ʼ ἠìῶí , Luk_9:49; ὀðßóù ìïõ , Mat_10:38), in nearly every instance used of following Christ, except Mat_9:19, Mar_9:38; Mar_14:13; Mar_16:17 (Tr. W H). Joh_10:4; Joh_11:31. 2. ἐôáêïëïõèÝù , to follow close upon (Mar_16:20; 1Pe_2:21). 3. êáôáêïëïõèἐù to follow after (Luk_23:55). 4. ôáñáêïëïõèἐù , to follow so as to be always beside, accompany (metaphor. in Mar_16:17 where Translation WH [Note: H Westcott and Hort’s text.] give ἀêïë .; but ‘there is a meaning of closeness of attendance which makes ôáñáêïëïõèåù more individual and probable,’ Gould). The same word in Luk_1:3 is translation in Authorized Version ‘having had understanding of,’ and Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ‘having traced the course of,’ where Eusebius and Epiphanius curiously took ÔÁ ̈ ÓÉÍ as mase. ‘having followed the eye-witnesses and ministers of the word’ (see Blass, Philology of the Gospels, p. 17). 5. óõíáêïëïõèåù , to follow with, so Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 (Mar_5:37; Mar_14:51, Luk_23:49 with var. lect. ἀêïë . in the two former, probably a correction to the more usual form). 6. äéþêï , follow after (Luk_17:23), often in LXX Septuagint in a good sense of those in search of one. 7. êáôáäéùêù (Mar_1:36), to pursue closely, ‘the êáôá gives the idea of hard persistent search, as in our ‘hunt down’ (Gould). 8. äåῦôå ὀôßóù ìïõ , ‘come ye after me,’ Mat_4:19 (Authorized Version ‘follow’); cf. Mar_1:17.
That great multitudes followed Jesus during His ministry is repeatedly noted; cf. Mat_4:25; Mat_8:1; Mat_20:29; Mat_21:9, Mar_5:24, Luk_23:27 (see Crowd, Multitude); publicans and sinners also ( ἡêïëïýèïõí , à B, Vulgate Mar_2:15, cf. Luk_15:1). ‘Follow me’ ( ἀêïëïýèåé ìïé ) was His call to discipleship, Mat_9:9 || Luk_9:59, Joh_1:43; äåῦñá ἀêïëïýèåé ìïé (Luk_18:22 ||) and äåῦôå ὀðßóù ìïõ (Mat_4:19 ||) also occur. The command would be 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 (Mar_9:38 ||). At first it might seem to imply only ‘come with me on this journey’ (cf. Joh_1:37; Joh_1:43), but gradually they learned that it meant abandonment of previous occupations (Mat_4:20; Mat_9:9) and duties (Mat_8:22), and possibly the dearest ties (Luk_14:26), as well as a participation in dangers and even death (Mat_10:28; Mat_10:38 f., Joh_16:2). Such an intensified meaning of following is seen in the case of Peter (Joh_1:40 f., Mat_4:19, Joh_21:19). The call of Jesus differed from that of other teachers in that He did not simply invite, but commanded obedience as One who had the right, and as if they literally belonged to Himself; the most peremptory claims to rule over the affections and wills of men are found in Mt. and Lk. rather than in Jn., and can be explained only by His being the supreme Lord of life (Liddon). Further, the disciples followed Him not merely to learn more doctrine, but to be prepared for future work (Mat_4:19; and of the Apostles, Mar_3:14). Mar_10:32 is especially noteworthy, describing vividly the manner of following on the last journey to Jerusalem.
The literal meaning tends to merge partly or wholly into the metaphorical sense of conforming to the example of Jesus in living, and also, if need be, in dying; cf. Mat_10:38 || Mat_16:24, Joh_8:12; Joh_12:20; Joh_13:36; 1Pe_2:21 (‘follow his steps’), Rev_14:4. The two meanings seem combined in Joh_21:19-20. Joh_21:20 implies that Jesus moved away, inviting Peter to follow along the rough shore perhaps for private conversation; and John though uninvited also followed. But there is probably a reference also to Joh_13:36; 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 (Meyer), which would lead to participation in His Master’s glory (see Godet’s note). This command differed from the similar command given before the Resurrection, says Westcott, because ‘it now required further the perception of His course; the spiritual discernment by which His movements can still be discovered; and yet, further, the readiness to accept martyrdom as the end.’
Luk_9:57 f. = Mat_8:19 f. is important. All three aspirants for admission into the inner circle seem to have been already disciples, cf. Mat_8:21, the use of ‘Master’ and ‘Lord,’ and the work contemplated (Luk_9:60; Luk_9:62). Probably the appointment of the Seventy was in view (Luk_10:1), or less likely, of the Twelve (so Trench, comparing Mat_10:1, which, however, does not apply to the choosing, but to the sending out of the Apostles). These were (1) a scribe ( åἶò ãñáììáôåýò , Mt.), who came saying, ‘Master, 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 by Jesus’ (Wendt, Teaching of Jesus, ii. 69); but he was warned of the utter homelessness of the Son of Man, and was shown the necessity of counting the cost (cf. Luk_14:25 f.). (2) Another was called to follow, and professed readiness to obey but alleged a hindrance: ‘Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.’ The words ‘go and bury’ ( ἀðåëèüíôé èÜøáé ), and ‘leave the dead,’ Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ( ἄöåò ôïὺò íåêñïýò ), naturally imply, and are usually taken to mean, that his father was then lying dead (so early Fathers, Alford, Trench, Godet, Edersheim, 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, Num_19:11 f.), 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 God; cf. regulations in Lev_21:11, Num_6:7. But some later commentators, as Theophylact, suppose that the father was still 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 the man would leave his home during the interval between these two events. Wendt (op. cit. p. 70) quotes a striking illustration in support. A young Turk was advised by a missionary in Syria to make a tour of Europe, and answered, ‘I must first of all bury my father.’ The missionary expressed surprise at the news of his death, as he had hitherto been in good health; but the young man explained that he only meant that one must before all things devote himself to the duties owed to relatives. Jesus did not recognize such duties as sufficient to justify delay in preaching the gospel. Clem. Alex. [Note: Alexandrian.] adopted a tradition that this man was Philip ( ôïῦ Êõñßïõ ëÝãïíôïò ôῷ Öéëἰððῳ , ἄöåò ôïὺò íåêñïὺò , ê . ô . ë ., Strom. iii. 4. 50, 51, Migne); if true, it may be taken as an admonition occasioned by some slackness or symptom of decadence on the part of the Apostle (Alf.). (3) A third offered to follow, but wished first to say farewell to his relatives: he showed a divided affection; apparently, therefore, his request involved special danger. A saying of farewell ( ἀðïôÜóóåóèáé ) in quite a different sense was necessary (Luk_14:33). Augustine says of these three: ‘obtulit se unus ut eum sequeretur et reprobatus est, alius non audebat et excitatus est, tertius differebat et culpatus est.’ Edersheim sums up the three vital conditions of following as here illustrated: (a) absolute self-denial and homelessness in the world; (b) immediate and entire self-surrender to Christ and His work; (c) a heart and affections simple, undivided, and set on Christ and His work, to which there is no other trial of parting like that which would involve parting from Him, no other or higher joy than that of following Him (Life and Times, ii. 134).
For the result and rewards of following see Joh_8:12, Mat_19:27 f.
Literature.—Cremer, Bib.-Theol. Lex. s.v. ἁêïëïõèÝù ; art. ‘Follow’ in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible ; Trench, Studies in the Gospels (No. 6); Wendt, The Teaching of Jesus, ii. p. 70; Liddon, The Divinity of our Lord, Lect. iv.; Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah; Commentaries of Godet, Westcott, etc.; Bruce, Kingdom of God, p. 222 f.; Expositor, iv. iv. [1891] 286 ff.
W. H. Dundas.