Jesus’ command to leave the dead to bury their own dead
has a spiritual meaning: to let the spiritually dead bury those who have died bodily. The spiritually dead do not heed Jesus’ words and so have no part in God’s kingdom. Jesus is not being insensitive or nonchalant towards the dead, but is encouraging his followers to embrace a hopeful, triumphant attitude towards death. The opposite of the dead burying each other is the living giving each other life. Over against the great gravedigger, death, stands Jesus, who leads people to life. Whoever follows him is led away from the grave as the son of Adam heralds a new earth without cemeteries. Jesus himself will undergo death (as he has nowhere to lay his head
), but his followers no longer have to worry about death as they follow him unto life.
As with the earlier conversation with the scribe (Matthew 8:19–20), the issue in Matthew 8:22 is not following him into the kingdom of heaven, but rather literally following him on his travels and supporting him in his ministry of the gospel (Luke 9:60). His radical answer implies that following him is more important than any other human (or religious) duty. His command to follow me
(see Luke 9:59) requires us to choose to either reject Jesus’ call as demanding too much or submit to his divine authority.
Jesus’ answer only makes sense if understood spiritually: let those who are spiritually dead go bury those who have died bodily. Those who are spiritually dead do not heed the words of Jesus and therefore have no part in the Kingdom of God. Jesus does not here exhibit insensitivity or nonchalance towards the dead, but rather encourages his followers to embrace a hopeful and triumphant attitude towards death.1 Jesus’ answer is quite radical, implying that the importance of following him far outweighs any other human (or religious) duty. When he calls:, follow me
(see Luke 9:59)2 , this is not an easy command for disciples to follow as it requires us to make a choice: either we reject Jesus’ call as improperly demanding too much, or we submit to his divine authority.3
Jesus’ answer conveys that the preaching of the gospel ought to be our ultimate priority. Just as in the preceding conversation with the scribe (Matthew 8:19–20), the issue here in Matthew 8:22 is not following him into the kingdom of heaven, but rather literally following Jesus on his travels and supporting him in his ministry of the gospel (Luke 9:60). By means of this reply to the disciple, the Lord Jesus highlights the paramount importance of his person and work.4
The opposite of the dead burying each other is the living giving each other life. Over against the great gravedigger, death, stands Jesus, who leads people to life. Whoever follows him is led away from the grave as the son of Adam arrives on a new earth without cemeteries. Jesus himself will undergo death (as he has nowhere to lay his head
), but his followers no longer have to worry about death as they follow him unto life.5
22 Mais Jésus lui répondit: Suis-moi, et laisse les morts ensevelir leurs morts.