What did Jesus mean, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead..."? (Gospel, hell)
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What do you think Jesus meant when he said to the man he commanded to follow Him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead." ?
57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
59To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9)
What do you think Jesus meant when he said to the man he commanded to follow Him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead." ?
57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
59To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9)
I believe it is talking about the Spiritually dead because the context is proclaiming the Kingdom of God. The Scriptures say we should attempt to spread the good news, and if it is not being received than move on. The Lord explains the cost of following him - not having a place to lay his head.
This is a very tough verse because of verse 62. Evidently this is referring to "returning to the world" symbolized as Egypt throughout the Scriptures. It is very tough verse to digest and a very clear warning not to get sucked back into the corruption of the world.
Many could tie this passage to Hebrews 6 - another grave warning for falling away and indeed I do believe it does connect. I do not believe the warning is talking about Justification as that is freely given to those that believe independent of our ability. I do believe it is talking about inheritance.
All this being said, Abraham evidently stayed around to bury his father for a while as opposed to directly going where he was commanded. I forget the reference, but Abraham eventually went. Not excusing it by any means, but it does give some consolation for those that believe that they can never be restored unto repentance.
The Lord is a Lord of second chances - eg Paul, Samson and many others. Praise God for that because we definitely need his mercy.
All this being said, the warning is clearly there and we need to take it seriously.
Later at Luke 9:62, Another said: “I will follow you, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those in my household.” Jesus said to him: “No man that has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind is well fitted for the kingdom of God.”
This is how utterly important Jesus was trying to emphasize to his followers, the work he was doing that they needed to be dedicated to with similar intensity, even to leave the dead to bury themselves in a sense, and to disregard even one's own fleshly family, to carry out the work charged ti him by Almighty God.
This is the criticism and in some cases, disownment, that many devoted Christians face from family and friends who are unable to appreciate the intense devotion to carrying out missions required by their faith in God.
The man Jesus is speaking, if I remember this text right, to a man whose father has just died or is about to, and his concern is probably about getting his share, as would most people. Jesus uses an interesting play on words. What he is saying, is let the spiritually dead put their main concern on the physical concerns, making as much money as possible, securing their future, advancing in society, being popular, having a good time and a good life. God's people main concern should be on first priority, that is bringing the word of God, the kingdom of God to the world so that some who hear and believe can be saved. After all, eternal salvation is far more important than anything else people run after in this life.
What do you think Jesus meant when he said to the man he commanded to follow Him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead." ?
59To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Translation: Let the sinners bury the dead, our priority is to spread the Gospel to the living.
Seen a Pastor few years ago treat his wife like a door mat were his ministries was concerned as Jesus came first in his life and wife second , , ..So he left his lead Pastor position and got elected to be a Pastor for missionaries in Africa..... Well he came up short when His wife left him and filed for a divorce , then the mission to Africa failed and he only got a couple short trips to Africa , and a broken home life , No ministries .... Sometime it pays to hold your spouse up when ministries to the Lord Jesus , as Jesus is a family preferred man....
"let the dead bury their own" is easily interpreted to many different levels. The deeper it goes, the more threatening it is to our physical existence. What is a person? Is it a decision based on a subconscious thought system to put on a body and experience death? Are bodies only hardened pieces of resistance? If it dies is it real? If all minds are One then are we collectively one single misguided thought? If true love is timeless and eternal, then did we forfeit love at birth and now search in bodies for what can't be found? If nothing real can be threatened, then is a material existence a decision to dream otherwise? Are we responsible for and uphold with each thought our physical experience of specialness while Eternity patiently sits at our bedside waiting for us to awaked from our dreams of time and space? Hast thou seen the beginning of the dream so you know the thought system that set it in motion. Can you learn to hear a different voice and choose another thought system to undo the first? Is physical existence just a misguided temporary cul-de-sac? When you attend a funeral are you proclaiming death is real and beyond your ability to see and be otherwise?
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