In this text we read:

Some commentators take it to mean that the man's father was still alive, and that he was waiting for him to die as an excuse for not getting on with the work.

IMO, this seems to be the best interpretation, because any other interpretation would seem to make the Lord's command devoid of natural affection - and contrary to the fact that He took care of His own mother when on the cross.

What do others think?

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

I've read that when the man said this, he was waiting for his father to die so that he could receive the monetary inheritance.

John MacArthur writes in his study guide on Matthew: "let me first go and bury my father - a common figure of speech meaning 'let me wait until I have received my inheritance'"

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Taylor Otwell
Member -- Oak Cliff Baptist Church
Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA

Did we ever hear any cry out on their deathbed that they have been too holy, that they have prayed too much, or walked with God too much? – Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture

Gill:


Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father: for it seems, according to Luke, that Christ had bid him "follow" him: he had given him a call to be his disciple, and to go and preach the Gospel, which he did not refuse; but desires leave "first" to attend his father's funeral, who was now dead; as his requests, and Christ's answer, both suppose: though some conjecture, that he was only very aged, or was dangerously ill; and therefore it could not be thought he would live long: hence he was desirous of doing this last good office, before he entered on his public work; but these are conjectures, without any foundation: it is plain, his father was dead, and what he requested was, to go home, which perhaps might not be a great way off, and perform the funeral rites, and then return. This may seem very reasonable, since burying the dead was reckoned by the Jews, not only an act of kindness and respect to the deceased, but an act of piety and religion; and in which, men are followers of God, and imitate him, who himself buried the body of Moses {e}. And though this man was called to preach the Gospel, yet he might think he would be easily excused for the present, on this account; since, according to the Jewish canons, such whose dead lay before them, who were as yet unburied, were excused reading the Shema, they were free from performing the duty of prayer, and were not obliged to wear their phylacteries {f}.

{d} Clement. Alex. Strom. l. 3. p. 436. {e} T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 30. 2. & Sota, fol. 14. 1. {f} Misn. Beracot, c. 3. sect. 1.


Matthew 8:22

Ver. 22. 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 became. And however strange and odd such a phrase may sound in the ears of some, of one dead man's burying another, it was easily understood by a Jew; with whom it is common to say, tmk bwvx ajwxh, "that a sinner is counted as {g} dead, and that ungodly persons, even while they are alive", Mytm Nyywrq, are "called dead" {h}. And in this sense is the word used, in the former part of this phrase; and Christ's meaning is, let such who are dead in trespasses and sins, and to all that is spiritually good, bury those who are dead in a natural or corporal sense. It is likely the deceased was an unregenerate man; however, it is plainly suggested, that many of the relations were; and there were enough of them to take care of this service: and therefore, there was no need why he should neglect the ministry of the Gospel to attend that; but, ought to leave it to persons who were fitter for it.

{g} Tzeror Hammor, fol. 6. 2. {h} T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 18. 2. Jarchi in Gen. 11. 32. Baal Hatturim, in Deut. xvii. 6. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 58. 3. Midrash Kohelet. fol. 78. 2. Caphtor, fol. 79. 1, 2. & 84. 1.

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N. Robert; Trinity Reformed Church RCA, Holland MI

Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right."

That seems like a sensible explanation; surely to have not buried his dead father would have been a breach of the fifth commandment?

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

This is a good reminder that the Bible is a human book as well as a divine one. Matthew doesn't explain the meaning of either the man's words or Jesus's response, since he assumed that his first-century readers would immediately understand what the passage meant, as they were living within the passage's original cultural context (at least, those living in Palestine were).

Meanwhile, we spend our time scratching our heads over passages like this.

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Richard T. Zuelch, M.Div
Ruling Elder, OPC (not currently serving)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, CA (OPC)
www.reiterations.wordpress.com
www.foft.wordpress.com

Faith and repentance are born together and aid the health of each other. - Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), on July 23, 1865