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Bible Dictionaries
Following
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or FOLLOWING.—‘Follow’ represents several Gr. words which it is desirable to distinguish as far as possible.
1. Most frequently, ἀκολουθεω with dative (but μεθʼ ἠμῶν, Luke 9:49; ὀπίσω μου, Matthew 10:38), in nearly every instance used of following Christ, except Matthew 9:19, Mark 9:38; Mark 14:13; Mark 16:17 (Tr. W H). John 10:4; John 11:31. 2. ἐτακολουθέω, to follow close upon (Mark 16:20; 1 Peter 2:21). 3. κατακολουθἐω to follow after (Luke 23:55). 4. ταρακολουθἐω, to follow so as to be always beside, accompany (metaphor. in Mark 16:17 where Translation WH [Note: H Westcott and Hort’s text.] give ἀκολ.; but ‘there is a meaning of closeness of attendance which makes ταρακολουθεω more individual and probable,’ Gould). The same word in Luke 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 ΤΑ̈ΣΙΝ as mase. ‘having followed the eye-witnesses and ministers of the word’ (see Blass, Philology of the Gospels, p. 17). 5. συνακολουθεω, to follow with, so Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 (Mark 5:37; Mark 14:51, Luke 23:49 with var. lect. ἀκολ. in the two former, probably a correction to the more usual form). 6. διώκο, follow after (Luke 17:23), often in LXX Septuagint in a good sense of those in search of one. 7. καταδιωκω (Mark 1:36), to pursue closely, ‘the κατα gives the idea of hard persistent search, as in our ‘hunt down’ (Gould). 8. δεῦτε ὀτίσω μου, ‘come ye after me,’ Matthew 4:19 (Authorized Version ‘follow’); cf. Mark 1:17.
That great multitudes followed Jesus during His ministry is repeatedly noted; cf. Matthew 4:25; Matthew 8:1; Matthew 20:29; Matthew 21:9, Mark 5:24, Luke 23:27 (see Crowd, Multitude); publicans and sinners also (ἡκολούθουν, א B, Vulgate Mark 2:15, cf. Luke 15:1). ‘Follow me’ (ἀκολούθει μοι) was His call to discipleship, Matthew 9:9 || Luke 9:59, John 1:43; δεῦρα ἀκολούθει μοι (Luke 18:22 ||) and δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου (Matthew 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 (Mark 9:38 ||). At first it might seem to imply only ‘come with me on this journey’ (cf. John 1:37; John 1:43), but gradually they learned that it meant abandonment of previous occupations (Matthew 4:20; Matthew 9:9) and duties (Matthew 8:22), and possibly the dearest ties (Luke 14:26), as well as a participation in dangers and even death (Matthew 10:28; Matthew 10:38 f., John 16:2). Such an intensified meaning of following is seen in the case of Peter (John 1:40 f., Matthew 4:19, John 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 (Matthew 4:19; and of the Apostles, Mark 3:14). Mark 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. Matthew 10:38 || Matthew 16:24, John 8:12; John 12:20; John 13:36; 1 Peter 2:21 (‘follow his steps’), Revelation 14:4. The two meanings seem combined in John 21:19-20. John 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 John 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.’
Luke 9:57 f. = Matthew 8:19 f. is important. All three aspirants for admission into the inner circle seem to have been already disciples, cf. Matthew 8:21, the use of ‘Master’ and ‘Lord,’ and the work contemplated (Luke 9:60; Luke 9:62). Probably the appointment of the Seventy was in view (Luke 10:1), or less likely, of the Twelve (so Trench, comparing Matthew 10:1, which, however, does not apply to the choosing, but to the sending out of the Apostles). These were (1) a scribe (εἶς γραμματεύς, 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. Luke 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’ (ἀπελθόντι θάψαι), and ‘leave the dead,’ Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 (ἄφες τοὺς νεκρούς), 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, Numbers 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 Leviticus 21:11, Numbers 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 (τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος τῷ Φιλἰππῳ, ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς, κ.τ.λ., 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 (ἀποτάσσεσθαι) in quite a different sense was necessary (Luke 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 John 8:12, Matthew 19:27 f.
Literature.—Cremer, Bib.-Theol. Lex. s.v. ἁκολουθέω; 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.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Following'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/f/following.html. 1906-1918.
