Impetuous and Hesitating Discipleship
Matthew 8:19-22
And a certain scribe came, and said to him, Master, I will follow you wherever you go.…


I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST'S TREATMENT OF THE IMPETUOUS SCRIBE. He declares his determination to follow Christ, lead where He may. Christ checks rather than encourages the man. We may regard the determination of the scribe as — the resolution of an unreflecting emotionalist, and an ambitious worldling. Our Lord's words have important applications in our own day.

II. THE SUGGESTIVENESS OF CHRIST'S TREATMENT OF THE SHRINKING AND HESITATING DISCIPLE. Christ might have seen in this request a sensitive shrinking from the sacrifice and sufferings involved in following Him. The man had heard the words in verse 20, or Christ might have foreseen that to grant it, would be attended with fatal results to his yet unripened discipleship. Immediate decision was the essential conditions of his salvation.

(J. Taylor.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

WEB: A scribe came, and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."




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