Jesus presents a vision of discipleship in the Gospel of Luke that is simultaneously costly and rewarding. For example, it is here that Jesus asks the rich young ruler to forsake his possessions and tells followers to “hate” their families. Luke’s Gospel is also unique in its depiction of discipleship as a physical and spiritual walk with Jesus toward—and beyond—the cross. In this interview, New Testament scholar S. Kent Brown discusses the hard sayings of Jesus in Luke, concluding that discipleship requires total surrender, finds ultimate meaning in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and empowers individuals to strengthen rather than forsake family relationships.
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The Foundations of Discipleship in Luke’s Gospel
What is discipleship, and why did it matter so much to Jesus?
Discipleship, of course, finds similar meanings in the terms “loyalty” and “followership.” Regarding strong loyalty to Him, Jesus requires our lives—our most precious possession.
If we bend our energies to preserve our lives as they are, Jesus says that we “shall lose [them].” But “whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Luke 9:24).
To illustrate how deeply serious Jesus is about us spending our lives for Him and His work, He taught that we must “take up [our] cross daily, and follow [him]” (Luke 9:23).
The Savior pushed this point later when He declared that the person who does “not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27).
Like a condemned prisoner, we lift up our discipleship onto our shoulders and begin a journey.
His pointer to the cross—an instrument of execution—speaks volumes. Like a condemned prisoner, we lift up our discipleship onto our shoulders and begin a journey to a fixed place.
But in contrast to a condemned person, our path leads in a direction we ourselves determine, with our own fixed resolve, to a place where we find the Savior and his ever-enduring love (see Romans 8:38–39).
Why does Luke emphasize that true disciples both hear and do the word of God?
A number of passages bring together actions embedded in hearing and doing (see Luke 8:15; 10:16; 11:28; etc.). The earliest account in Luke’s gospel arose at the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain wherein He talked about “a man which built an house,” laying “the foundation on a rock” (Luke 6:48).
The point was not lost on the gathered throng, who were evidently assembled only five miles west of the place where the Jordan River runs into the Sea of Galilee. They would have known of the enormous runoff that drains down from the heights above its east side during the rainy season.
About the house, it is essentially a person’s household or family (Greek oikia; Hebrew bayit). In this sense, Jesus declared that a parent is obliged to create a home that rests on a sure foundation, which foundation is Himself (see Luke 18:29; Alma 8:20, 22; Moses 7:53).
The difference, of course, lies in the doing or not doing.
In contrast, for the person who “heareth and doeth not” (Luke 6:49), Jesus’ words imply that the person has come to Him, as He noted in Luke 6:47. The difference, of course, lies in the doing or not doing.
Unlike His teaching in Matthew 7:26–27, Jesus did not call the unresponsive person “foolish” but let the parable carry its own penetrating force to His hearers.
Elsewhere, the warning was to those “who receive the oracles of God” and then treat them:
as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, . . . and stumble when the storms descend, . . . and beat upon their house.
D&C 90:5; also 2 Nephi 28:28
The Cost of Discipleship (Luke 14:25-33)
In Luke’s Gospel, how radical are the demands to renounce possessions and even family ties?
After His encounter with the rich young ruler that resulted in this man’s sorrowful withdrawal (see Luke 18:18–25), Jesus responded to the question, “Who then can be saved?” by answering:
29 There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
Luke 18:26, 29–30
Discipleship, therefore, requires us to reorder what means most to us. Jesus pointed directly to our most enduring relationships—those within a family—and asked that we subsume them to our relationship with Him.
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Do you see Luke’s depiction of Jesus’s teachings calling for the deprioritization of families as a literal standard or an ideal meant to clarify commitment and provoke change?
One of Jesus’ radiant points in his teaching was that families are eternally enhanced by discipleship. For those who follow him, “which hear the word of God, and do it,” they become as “[his] mother and [his] brethren” (Luke 8:21).
In this view, Jesus Himself is the binder and strengthener of family ties. Such ties, now enriched by common commitment to Him, stretch across “this present time” and into “the world to come,” resulting in “life everlasting” (Luke 18:30).
What is more, families united in this way escape becoming “a house divided” whose end is eternal “desolation” (11:17), effectively living as captives of “the unclean spirit” that can “return unto [its] house” any time it wants (11:24).
Discipleship in Luke’s Stories: Zacchaeus, the Rich Ruler, and Mary & Martha
What role do stories like Zacchaeus play in Luke’s theology of following Christ? (Luke 19)
A subtle yet visible emphasis rests on the family when the Savior evidently stayed in Zacchaeus’s home from Friday afternoon through the Sabbath before He began the uphill walk to Jerusalem on Sunday morning.
Family is important
To spend so much time with this man and his household clearly signals the value that Jesus placed on marriage, spouse, children, and home, a point unsubtly underlined by calling Zacchaeus, “a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9).
Jesus intentionally focused attention on Zacchaeus rather than passing the tree where he was perched without a glance, an act that discloses a plan to interact meaningfully with this chief publican: “I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5).
Thus, Jesus’ last act in His public ministry away from Jerusalem was to spend time with a family.
Wealth can be a vehicle for doing good
In addition, within the story of Zacchaeus—preserved only by Luke—lies proof that rich people can receive salvation, for “he was rich” (Luke 19:2).
The fact that he gave “half of [his] goods . . . to the poor” and made amends “fourfold” illustrates that this man had forsaken “the things . . . of this world” and thus could “enter in” the kingdom (Luke 19:8; JST Luke 18:27).
Plainly, his wealth had become a vehicle for doing good and did not impede his spiritual progression. Further, when an opportunity to see Jesus presented itself, Zacchaeus made an effort to climb a tree, demonstrating his genuine interest in “who [Jesus] was” (Luke 19:3).
How do you personally envision the ending to the story of the Rich Young Ruler?
The key rests in God’s hand. As a first act, the person of wealth is not to “trust in riches” (JST Luke 18:27). Just as Jesus’ reply to an earlier question illustrates—“are there few that be saved?”—all are to energetically “strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:23–24).
As in the first part of our verse (18:27), so in the second portion the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) adds an important, strongly positive dimension to the saving of wealthy persons: “he who forsaketh the things which are of this world, it is possible with God, that he should enter in” (JST Luke 18:27).
The Prophet’s wording softens the sternness of other sayings on the topic (see Luke 6:24; 8:14; 12:15, 21, 34; 16:22–23; 18:24).
A similar softening occurs in the JST adjustments to Matthew’s and Mark’s accounts.
You see this most notably in Mark’s: the reading changes from “With men it is impossible” (Mark 8:27) to “With men that trust in riches, it is impossible; but not impossible with men who trust in God and leave all for my sake” (JST Mark 10:26; emphasis added; see Matt. 19:26; JST Matt. 19:26; 2 Nephi 2:18; 9:30, 42; D&C 84:112).
Do Mary and Martha model different but valid forms of discipleship—or is one prioritized?
Because Jesus regularly spoke in heavenly terms—even in conversation—it seems wise to think that he meant his remark “Mary hath chosen that good part” in the ultimate sense rather than in the transitory, this-worldly sense.
On this view, the point of the story stands on a contrast: that choosing association with Jesus is ultimately more important than becoming caught up in the daily cares and chores of this world.
While this understanding may seem trite, the story is a significant illustration of this point, even quoting Jesus’ guiding words about this matter.
Moreover, Martha is evidently seeing Jesus for the first time in a new light, different from her past associations with Him, just as those in the Nazareth synagogue saw Him anew (see Luke 4:22).
Prayer, Table Fellowship, and the Daily Practice of Discipleship
How should prayer shape the daily life of modern disciples, according to Luke’s witness?
From Luke 18, Jesus’ language of entry stands in verses 18:17 and 18:25: “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” and “it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
Following the Savior’s lead, we enter the kingdom by pursuing pathways of:
- Prayer (Luke 18:1–6)
- Humility (18:9–14)
- Becoming as a child (Luke 18:15–17)
- Willingness to give up all earthly possessions (Luke 18:18–30)
- Coming to understand Jesus’ true mission (Luke 18:31–34)
- Seeing as we should see (Luke 18:35–43)
The Savior’s summarizing statements about the kingdom of God justify this view: “every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (18:14; see also 18:17, 25).
But in a different vein, His words also justify seeing the connecting, unifying highway as that of discipleship. All the various pieces in Luke 18 guide us to a viewpoint on how we pursue our status as disciples.
As noted above, the very first step in this pursuit for both ancient and modern persons consists of prayer: “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).
What does Jesus teach about the role of persistence in prayer?
Jesus illustrated the point about persistence in prayer by recounting a parable in which a widow pursued justice by continually pressing the judge handling the case (Luke 18:1–8).
After her nonstop importuning, he finally said to himself (perhaps even after receiving bribes from the other party in the case):
Because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Luke 18:5
The application for readers is obvious: a doggedly persistent approach in one’s prayers will yield positive results, whereas casual, merely repetitive prayers will not (see Matt. 6:7).
How do meals relate to fellowship in the Gospel of Luke?
One important example goes a long way in illustrating how Jesus’ response to a situation that arose at a Sabbath meal discloses his sense of discipleship.
He had been invited to the dinner as a special guest who turned lecturer on the occasion (see Luke 14:1–14). Initially, the Savior showed that He had noticed how people jostled one another for positions of honor and esteem, as His stern lecture about this topic illustrates (see 14:8–14).
But here, He busied Himself with the ultimate, celestial dimensions of a person’s position, doing so plainly within the confines of what it means to be a disciple—not one who is angling for a better position.
At base, for Jesus’ disciples, personal position was to mean nothing. Instead, the meaning and value of discipleship—of their relationship with Him—grew most robustly out of the disciples’ interaction with others, particularly with others who enjoyed no worldly importance in this life.
To drive home this point, on one occasion, Jesus held up a child, a representative of the helpless and unimportant (see Luke 9:47–48). If a person who seeks to be a disciple will receive such persons as Jesus did, and in His welcoming name, then that person will receive Jesus.
When a disciple comes to this elevating moment, that person becomes a conduit for others.
There is more.
Discipleship in this case did not merely clothe the follower in the garment of the Master, so to speak. Discipleship will bring the devotee stunningly to “him that sent” the Savior, to the One who commissioned Him, to God Himself.
Moreover, when a disciple comes to this elevating moment, that person becomes a conduit for others who seek the same: “He that heareth you heareth me” (Luke 10:16).
Discipleship on the Way: Luke’s Travel Narrative
How does Luke’s theme of discipleship ‘on the way’ prepare readers for the mission in Acts?
Discipleship rises particularly through the last verses of chapter nine to claim a growing, essential part in Jesus’ teaching:
- In the middle of the disciples’ tussle over “which of them should be greatest,” Jesus held up a child and then stressed, “he that is the least among you all, the same shall be great” (Luke 9:46–48).
- When James and John witnessed a village’s rejection of their Master and proposed commanding “fire to come down from heaven,” He taught that the disciple’s way is “to save,” just as he will save (Luke 9:52–56).
- To those who sought to tidy up family matters before joining his burgeoning band of disciples, He required that they immediately and decisively give up all to follow him, not “looking back” after putting their “hand to the plow” (Luke 9:59–62). But the disciple’s effort and sacrifice would be worth it, at last coming to enjoy the company of “him that sent [Jesus]” (Luke 9:48).
Amidst all these events, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem, the city of God (see Luke 9:51; Matt. 5:35 repeats “city of the great King”). He was ready to face His destiny: “a baptism to be baptized with” (Luke 12:50).
The momentous days leading up to and including the Atonement now lay before Him and His disciples.
Those days would prove key for the disciples when choosing a new member of the Twelve to replace the fallen Judas.
As Peter instructed a Jerusalem gathering:
of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, . . . unto that same day that he [Jesus] was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness of us of his resurrection.
Acts 1:21–22
Within days, the full Twelve would be in the temple for the Pentecost holiday. They would be participants in the stunning spiritual beginning of the outreach to people who resided outside the Holy Land.
How do Luke’s parables of watchfulness guide disciples living in the ‘meantime’?
Many see Jesus’ sayings in this section of Luke’s report (Luke 12:35–59) as reshaped by a later Christian response to the delay in the Second Coming, assuming that believers expected Jesus to return in the near future.
Others have taken the sayings to be from later Christians because Jesus’ audience—including His disciples—would not have understood His references to a Second Coming.
But these viewpoints presume that Jesus did not talk about His Second Coming and the need for proper preparation, no matter the circumstances, at any time during His ministry.
The possibility that Jesus taught the same principles on different occasions cannot be set aside lightly.
In response, one observes that a similar set of sayings appears in Matthew 24:42–51 and in Mark 13:32–37, including Jesus’ story of the irresponsible servant in Luke 12:42–46.
To be sure, the settings in the Gospels differ, and the language of the sayings is not the same—elements that have led scholars to see Christian motives at work because of the delay in Jesus’ return. But the possibility that Jesus taught the same principles on different occasions cannot be set aside lightly.
Moreover, no matter what the future brings, interest in preparation for the future has always been a verifiable part of Jesus’ teaching from the beginning (see Luke 6:46–49; 9:23–26; 10:13–15; 11:29–32; 12:4–5; 13:1–9, 24–28; 17:20–37; Mark 1:14–15).
Discipleship and Women in Luke’s Gospel
How did the role of female followers in Jesus’ ministry differ from the social norms of other religious teachers of that era?
With the expression “ministered unto him of their substance” (Luke 8:3), readers find themselves in the company of Galilean women who traveled as members of Jesus’ entourage. Later rabbis accepted only male followers, setting a very different scene than Jesus.
These women demonstrated discipleship in a new way. These women, apparently well off, supported Jesus.
Acts of Care for Jesus and Other Disciples
Also, it seems evident that the Twelve, in their ministering efforts, provide for their physical needs.
In fact, many early manuscripts feature the plural pronoun “unto them,” likely the original reading, instead of the singular “unto him.” The verb translated “ministered” (Greek diakoneō) points to serving at the table, but also taking charge of meals as women customarily did (see Luke 10:40; Acts 6:2).
These women helped to maintain Jesus and the Twelve from their own purses.
Beyond these meanings, it hints that these women performed acts of care for Jesus and the other disciples, assisting and elevating the entire body of followers, much like the modern Relief Society. The tense of the verb—the imperfect—indicates that their service was repeated and ongoing.
From this verse (Luke 8:3), we carry away a sense that these women helped to maintain Jesus and the Twelve from their own purses—from their own resources.
Financial Resources of Women in Luke
Plainly implied is their access to ample means, indicating that they enjoyed a right to financial resources and, importantly, carried with them the support of their husbands and families.
Most, if not all, must have already raised their children and were able to spend time away from home.
In sum, their sacrifices, their loyalty represented a high form of discipleship.
What is the significance of Jesus referring to a woman as a ‘daughter of Abraham’?
Jesus’ elevating of a woman in this parable highlights His obvious aim to raise the status of women when He called the woman in the prior scene “a daughter of Abraham” (13:16).
Importantly, Luke’s Gospel often repeats stories that feature a man and then a woman, a subtle yet clear illumination of the place of devoted women in God’s divine hegemony.
By featuring a woman as an illustration in a parable on the character of His kingdom, Jesus underscored the importance of female disciples (see Luke 13:20–21). Though Jesus did not mention discipleship in His statement, the concept stands quietly nearby because He was deliberately welcoming women among His followers.
The term “a woman” forms a deliberate pairing of the word for “man” in 13:19, pointing to a kingdom that welcomes them both as full members.
His kingdom will consist of men and women on equal footing.
In shaping his points, Jesus framed tasks a man would first undertake (planting) with those a woman would then perform (adding leaven to dough before baking). These are typical household chores, underlining a link to the home.
By such an appeal, He reached out to all in His audience, men and women alike, uncovering a subtle but bedrock message to the effect that He concerned Himself with each person. We thus conclude that His kingdom will consist of men and women alike, and their homes, all on equal footing.
Moreover, this thrust forms a complete, radical turnabout from His society—or from any ancient Near Eastern society. His was not an organization that reached out mainly to men in a recognition of the status quo, wherein the voices and actions of women somehow ranked lower than those of their male counterparts.
His church will fully and genuinely embrace everyone who chooses to follow Him.
Did women participate in the Last Supper with Jesus and the Twelve Apostles?
If we look carefully, we find disciples hiding in plain sight. Such were the Galilean women at the Last Supper. Luke introduced them earlier (see Luke 8:2–3).
His choice to feature them early on does not mean that they ended their association with the Savior soon afterward. They were still committed followers, likely with assignments.
For example, they were still in Jesus’ entourage (see Luke 23:49, 55–56) and they were still offering support from “their substance” as Luke pointed out when he brought them to our notice (8:2–3).
They were probably participants in His budding church.
This last point invites us to see them as unnamed participants in the preparations for the Passover meal. Their experienced and skillful hands were fully evident in the final adornment of the “upper room” and the readying of the supper.
They would not be willing to stand on the sidelines while the men alone handled all the arrangements, including preparing the meal. Some were wealthy, influential women who regularly provided for the Savior and His followers.
As a group, they were probably participants in His budding church, as Luke’s notices plainly hint.
Discipleship, Atonement, and Legacy
Why do you say that discipleship gains its ultimate meaning from the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
The Savior’s fundamental teaching of discipleship, of giving ourselves fully to Him and His ongoing work, forms the wellspring of doing good that carries into eternity—such disciples shall receive “in the world to come life everlasting” (Luke 18:30).
This teaching hovers like an elegant perfume over all the Gospel accounts, demonstrating that this principle forms a major thrust of Jesus’ expectations. And becoming a disciple requires no small commitment.
On one level, it involves bundling our family relationships inside our relationship with the Lord, trusting that He will enrich and make those relationships eternal.
In his first extended treatment of discipleship (Luke 9:23–26), Jesus paired His teaching with His first prophecy about His suffering, death, and resurrection (see Luke 9:22).
Plainly, discipleship derives its ultimate meaning from His Atonement.
As Jesus surrendered His will to the Father, so we must be eagerly ready to surrender our wills to the Savior.
How has your use of Restoration scripture shaped your reading of discipleship in Luke?
Like most readers of the Book of Mormon, I was touched long ago by Nephi’s words to his father
I will go and do the things which he Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
1 Nephi 3:7
Even though a person may feel the need to add a word of explanation after a review of events in early Latter-day Saint history in Missouri (1831–38), the Lord was willing to lift away any burden felt by those who were unable to establish Zion when he later said:
When I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.
Doctrine and Covenants 124:49
How do you hope your children remember your own legacy of discipleship?
That, with commitment, I kept the faith to the end.
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About the Scholar
S. Kent Brown is an emeritus professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University and a researcher of New Testament history and Near Eastern studies. His academic expertise centers on the life of Jesus Christ, the historical context of the Gospels, and the intersection of ancient cultures within the Mediterranean world. Dr. Brown has authored numerous scholarly works, including his extensive commentary on the Gospel of Luke and his contributions to the study of the Savior’s final days, which often examine the high price of discipleship paid by early followers.
Further Reading
Those interested in the theme of discipleship in the Gospel of Luke also read these From the Desk articles:
- What Led to the Christmas Story in Luke?
- Who Were the Pharisees?
- What Was Gethsemane Like in Jesus’s Time?
- What Does the Language Jesus Spoke Reveal About His Teachings?
- Why Did Kent Jackson Translate Genesis for Latter-day Saints?
Cost of Discipleship in the Gospel of Luke
Read what a spectrum of top scholars and publishers say about the cost of being a disciple in the New Testament’s Gospel of Luke, ranging from BYU’s Religious Educator to Cambridge University Press:
- The Testament of Luke: Brigham Young University New Testament Commentary (BYU Studies)
- The Difficult Words of Jesus: A Beginner’s Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings (Abingdon Press)
- The Savior’s Teachings on Discipleship during His Final Trek to Jerusalem (Religious Educator)
- The Gospel of Luke (New Cambridge Bible Commentary) (Cambridge University Press)
- Counting the Known (and Unknown) Costs of Discipleship (BYU Speeches)
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Letters and Papers from Prison,” with Martin E. Marty (Maxwell Institute Podcast)
