Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 9:58
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.
58. Jesus said unto him ] “In the man’s flaring enthusiasm He saw the smoke of egotistical self-deceit” (Lange), and therefore He coldly checked a proffered devotion which would not have stood the test.
nests ] Rather, habitations, shelters. Birds do not live in nests. In this verse more than in any other we see the poverty and homelessness of the latter part of the Lord’s ministry (2Co 8:9). Perhaps St Luke placed the incident here as appropriate to the rejection of our Lord’s wish to rest for the night at En Gannim. Was this Scribe prepared to follow Jesus for His own sake alone?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And Jesus said unto him, foxes have holes,…. Both the words of this man to Christ, and Christ’s answer to him, are exactly the same as in Matthew, which makes it look as if it was the same history; though it is not improbable, that Christ might be accosted in the same manner by another person, at another time and place, and return a like answer to each; [See comments on Mt 8:20].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Holes. See on Mt 8:20.
Birds [] . Strictly, flying fowl. The common word for bird in the New Testament. Opniv occurs Mt 23:37; Luk 13:34; but both times in the sense of hen. See on Mt 23:37. Orneon is found in Rev 18:2; Rev 19:17, 21; and pthnon, another form for the word in this passage, occurs 1Co 14:30.
Nests. See on Mt 8:20.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And Jesus said unto him,” (kai eipen auto ho lesous) “And Jesus replied to him,” or responded to him, courteously, but firmly, Mat 8:20.
2) “Foxes have holes,” (hai alopekes pholeous echousin) “The foxes have or possess holes,” for dens of concealment, that they claim for shelter and protection and to rear their young, Mat 8:20.
3) “And birds of the air have nests;” (kai to peteina tou ouranou kataskenoseis) “And the birds of the heaven have nesting places,” that they choose for their nesting in safety and protection for their young, built in places of shelter and of protection from predators, Mat 8:20.
4) “But the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (ho de huios tou anthropou ouk echei pou ten kephalen kline) “Yet the Son of man (heir-redeemer of humanity),” used sometimes by our Lord of Himself, has or holds not (claim on) a place where He may lay His head, Mat 8:20; 2Co 8:9, for rest that night in His Father’s universe, for it was as yet unredeemed. He had not yet purchased it through His death. He had no title deed to one inch of earth’s land, though it belonged to Him by right of creation and He died to recover the title deed from Satan, Luk 2:7; 1Co 4:11. One day He shall come again, for the restitution of all things, claiming it by virtue of the Seven Seal book, Rev 5:1-13; Act 3:22; 1Co 15:24-28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” ’
Jesus’ reply lays down the requirements for His disciples, and is an honest appraisal of what they can expect. Let him recognise what ‘wherever He goes’ means. Foxes and birds are able to settle somewhere for a time, rough and ready though it may be, but the disciple of Jesus cannot settle anywhere. He has no home. If he would follow Jesus he must recognise that he is choosing a way in which there are no material comforts whatsoever.
There is, however, a further point, brought to attention by the term ‘son of man’. The place where ‘son of man’ is contrasted with animals is in Psalms 8, where man is seen as set over the animals. Thus Jesus is pointing out that in contrast this Son of man (Himself) has chosen to place Himself below the animals, for unlike them He has no home. In other words His call is to a life of humility and service without reward, not to one of dominance, and if this man would follow Him he too will need the same attitude..
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Ver. 58. And Jesus said unto them ] Christ had felt his pulse and found his temper, that he looked after outward things only; and therefore he lets him know what to trust unto.
But the Son of man ] Ezekiel with the Septuagint is, , the son of man, but Christ is , , that is, the son of that man, of that first man Adam. He was the next and only other common person.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 9:58 . This remarkable saying is given in identical terms by Mt. and Lk. Vide on Mt.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
the air = the heaven, as in Luk 9:54.
hath not where, &c. See note on Mat 8:20, and compare Rev 14:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 9:58. , hath not) In Luk 9:53; Luk 9:56 an example occurs.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Jesus: Luk 14:26-33, Luk 18:22, Luk 18:23, Jos 24:19-22, Joh 6:60-66
Foxes: Psa 84:3, 2Co 8:9, Jam 2:5
Reciprocal: Psa 119:141 – small Isa 53:2 – he shall grow Mat 8:19 – certain Mar 1:29 – entered Joh 4:6 – sat