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Let the dead bury their dead
This week I received a phone call from a man who watches our TV program and is presently taking the Bible study course. He wanted to know what Jesus meant in Luke 9:60, where the Lord said, “Let the dead bury their dead; but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” Let’s take a closer look at this text.
I will follow You wherever You go
To understand the dead burying the dead, we need to see what started this conversation. In Luke 9:57, Jesus was traveling on a road when someone came up to Him and said that he would follow the Lord wherever He went. Christ responded with these words, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (v. 58). Numerous times in scripture we read about the need to count the cost of spiritual service (Lk. 14:25-35). To follow Jesus would not be a road of comfort and ease.
Putting your hand to the plough
In the Luke 9 text, our Savior pointed out there is no place for a servant of His to look back when he has put his hand to the plough (v. 62). There are a great many distractions in this world that are hindering people from keeping their eyes on the mark (Phil. 3:14). This is why Jesus comes right out and said, "follow Me” (v. 59). It is wonderful when someone says they want to follow the Lord, but too often when people find out what’s involved, then comes the excuses. In this case the person said to Jesus, “Lord, let me first go bury my father.” (v. 59). This brings us to the question that was raised.
Let the dead bury their own dead
This might seem like one of the strangest statements in the Bible, because how can dead people bury dead people? Does this even make any sense? It does when we understand the concept of being dead while alive. In I Timothy 5:6, Paul wrote, “But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.” This is the same idea that was mentioned to the Christians at Ephesus when their spiritual condition was described prior to obeying the gospel. They were dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).
Here is what the Lord was trying to get across. When someone says they want to follow the Lord, they are to decide to come out from the world and be separate (II Cor. 6:17). In our Luke 9 text, the individuals who said they wanted to follow the Lord needed to see the difference between those who are alive and those who are dead. He was not speaking about those who are physically dead burying anyone.
What Jesus was not teaching
The last thing the Son of God would teach is that it’s acceptable to be cold and callous and not care if a parent has died. Even Jesus wept when Lazarus passed away (Jn. 11:35). Christians are told that if they don’t take care of their parents, they are worse than an unbeliever (I Tim. 5:8). Obviously, our Lord knew more about the situation than we are told. Why wasn’t this man already with his deceased father? Could it be that he was telling Jesus he would follow after his father passed away? We don’t know. But we do know, from the context, that men are known to make excuses for not putting the Lord first in their lives.
The lesson about excuses and counting the cost was also taught in Luke 14:16-35. So often man tries to justify in his own mind “reasons” for not doing what he should. The fact is we will never be able to fool God. He knows our thoughts. This is why hypocrisy is wrong on so many levels. Pretending to be something we are not is wrong. Yet, more than that, one’s true colors will show when trying to serve two masters.
