Matthew 8:22

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Since this is more fully given in Luke, we must take both together. "And He said unto another of his disciples, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead" - or, as more definitely in Luke, "Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." This disciple did not, like the former, volunteer his services, but is called by the Lord Jesus, not only to follow, but to preach Him. And he is quite willing; only, he is not ready just yet. "Lord, I will; but" - `There is a difficulty in the way just now; but that once removed, I am Thine.' What now is this difficulty? Was his father actually dead-lying a corpse-having only to be buried? Impossible. As it was the practice, as noticed o...

22._Allow the dead to bury their dead. _By these words Christ does not condemn burial: for it would have been shameful and cruel to throw away the bodies of the dead unburied, and we know that the custom of burying originated in a divine command, and was practiced by the saints, in order to strengthen the hope of the last resurrection. He intended only to show, that what ever withdraws us from the right course, or retards us in it, deserves no other name than _death _Those only live, he tells us, who devote all their thoughts, and every part of their life, to obedience to God; while those who do not rise above the world, — who devote themselves to pleasing men, and forget God, — are like _dead men, _who are idly and uselessly employed in taking care of the dead....

18-22 One of the scribes was too hasty in promising; he proffers himself to be a close follower of Christ. He seems to be very resolute. Many resolutions for religion are produced by sudden conviction, and taken up without due consideration; these come to nothing. When this scribe offered to follow Christ, one would think he should have been encouraged; one scribe might do more credit and service than twelve fishermen; but Christ saw his heart, and answered to its thoughts, and therein teaches all how to come to Christ. His resolve seems to have been from a worldly, covetous principle; but Christ had not a place to lay his head on, and if he follows him, he must not expect to fare better than he fared. We have reason to think this scribe went away. Another was too slow. Delay in doing is as bad on the one hand, as hastiness in resolving is on the other. He asked leave to attend his fath...

Verse Matthew 8:22. _LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD._] It was usual for the Jews to consider a man as _dead_ who had departed from the precepts of the law; and, on this ground, every transgressor was reputed a _dead man_. Our Lord's saying, being in common use, had nothing difficult in it to a Jew. Natural death is the separation of the body and soul; spiritual death, the separation of God and the soul: men who live in sin are dead to God. Leave the _spiritually_ dead to bury their _natural_ dead. All the common offices of life may be performed by _any_ person; to preach the glad tidings of the kingdom of God is granted but to a _few_, and to these only by an _especial call_; these should immediately abandon worldly concerns and employments, and give themselves wholly up to the work of the ministry....

LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD - The word “dead” is used in this passage in two different senses. It is apparently a paradox, but is suited to convey the idea very distinctly to the mind. The Jews used the word “dead” often to express indifference toward a thing; or, rather, to show that that thing has no “influence” over us. Thus, to be dead to the world; to be dead to the law Romans 7:4; to be dead to sin Romans 6:11, means that the world, law, and sin have not influence or control over us; that we are free from them, and act “as though they were not.” A body in the grave is unaffected by the pomp and vanity, by the gaiety and revelry, by the ambition and splendor that may be near the tomb. So people of the world are dead to religion. They see not its beauty, hear not its voice, are not

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 8:1 MESSIAH'S WORK AS COMPLEMENTARY TO HIS TEACHING. We return in this section to matter which resembles that of Mark and Luke, and undoubtedly belongs to the Framework (_vide _Introduction). St. Matthew has given a lengthy summary of the teaching of the Christ, and he now supplements it by a summary of his daily work. He is not concerned with the chronological connexion of the incidents here narrated, for this is evidently to him a matter of but secondary importance. He only desires to bring out different aspects of the Lord's life. Thus he notices— 1. Christ's miracles of healing, and the secret of his ability to perform them (verses 1-17). 2. The personal t

BUT JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, FOLLOW THOU ME,.... Christ would not excuse him on this account, but insists on what he had before called him to; to attend upon him, and give himself up to the ministry of the word: which was done, partly to shew, that a greater regard ought to be had to him, than to the nearest relation and friend whatever; and partly, on account of the dignity of the Gospel ministry, which greatly exceeds any such services; as also to signify, of what little account were the traditions of the elders with him; wherefore he says, LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD. Our Lord is not to be understood, as speaking against, or disrespectfully of burying the dead; his words suppose it ought to be done: only it was not proper, that this person should be concerned in it at this time, who was called to an higher employment; and therefore should leave this to be done by persons, whom it better b...

Matthew 8:1. _When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him,_ Great multitudes often count for nothing; it is here or there one who is the notable individual. There may be a great company come up outwardly to worship, but it is the soul that comes into contact with Christ that is the most worthy of observation. There is no «Behold!» when the great multitudes are mentioned by Matthew; but there is a «Behold!» before the record of the leper coming to Christ: «Behold, there came a leper and worshipped him.» Let us all be of the leper's mind, let us worship Christ. Surely we may do so, if only out of gratitude for having escaped from so dire a disease; but, inasmuch as, spiritually, by nature that disease is upon us, we have good reason to come to Jesus as the «leper came, and worshipped him,»-...

6. THE KING MANIFESTED BY SIGNS OF DIVINE POWER. Chapter s 8-9. CHAPTER 8 1. The Healing of the Leper. (Matthew 8:1 .) 2. The Healing of the Centurion's Servant. (Matthew 8:5 .) 3. The Healing of Peter's Wife's Mother.(Matthew 8:14 .) 4. The Healing of All. (Matthew 8:16 .) 5. The Self-seeking Scribe and the Test of True Discipleship.(Matthew 8:18 .) 6. His Power over Nature. (Matthew 8:23 .) 7. His Power over the Demons. ...

ASPIRANTS TO DISCIPLESHIP (Luke 9:57). Mt. here breaks away from Mk.'s order, omitting Mark 1:35, and giving as the sequel to Jesus-' first stay at Capernaum what Mk. (Mark 4:35 to Mark 5:20) makes the sequel to the second stay. Mark 2:1 to Mark 4:34 (following on the first stay) is given by Mt. in chs. 9, 11f. Where Mk. (Mark 4:35) and Lk. (Luke 8:22)