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Matthew 8:22
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But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
But Iesus said vnto him, Follow me, & let the dead, bury their dead.
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the people who are dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me [believing in Me as Master and Teacher], and allow the [spiritually] dead to bury their own dead."
But Iesus said vnto him, Followe me, and let the dead burie their dead.
But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."
But Jesus *said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."
But Jesus told him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Jesus answered, "Come with me, and let the dead bury their dead."
But Yeshua replied, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let those who are dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, Come after me, and let the dead bury their own dead.
"Follow me," Jesus answered, "and let the dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead!"
But Jesus said to him, Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.
But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
But Jesus said to him, Come after me; and let the dead take care of their dead.
But Yeshua said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
But Jeshu said to him Come after me, and leave the dead ones burying their dead.
But Jesus said to him: Follow thou me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.
But Iesus sayde vnto hym: Folowe me, and let the dead bury theyr dead.
But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leave the deadto bury their dead.
"Follow me," said Jesus, "and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
But Jhesus seide to hym, Sue thou me, and lete deed men birie her deede men.
But Jesus says to him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead.
But Jesus said to him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus told him, "Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead."
But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
But, Jesus, saith unto him, - Be following me, and leave, the dead, to bury, their own dead.
But Jesus said to him: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.
But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
But Iesus sayd vnto him: folowe me and let the deed burie their deed.
and Jesus said to him, `Follow me, and suffer the dead to bury their own dead.'
But Iesus sayde vnto him: folowe thou me, and let the deed burie their deed.
but Jesus said to him, follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.
Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life."
Jesus shook his head and said, "If you are really willin' to follow me then do it right now. You can't help anyone who's already dead."
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
follow: Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 9:9, John 1:43
and: Luke 15:32, Ephesians 2:1, Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 5:14, Colossians 2:13, 1 Timothy 5:6
Reciprocal: Genesis 50:5 - let me go Leviticus 10:7 - ye shall Leviticus 21:11 - his father Numbers 6:6 - he shall come 1 Kings 19:20 - I pray Ezekiel 44:25 - General Matthew 4:19 - Follow Matthew 19:21 - come Matthew 19:29 - or brethren Mark 1:20 - they left Luke 5:27 - Follow me Luke 9:59 - suffer
Cross-References
Then he sent out a dove, to see if the water was gone from the ground.
But the dove found no place to set her foot, so she returned to him in the boat. For the water was still over the earth. So Noah put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the boat with him.
The dove returned to him in the evening. In her mouth was an olive leaf that had just been picked. So Noah knew that the water had gone from the earth.
Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove. But she did not return to him again.
"Go out of the boat, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you.
Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and everything that moves on the earth. So they may give birth and become many upon the earth."
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord. He took of every clean animal and every clean bird, and gave burnt gifts in worship on the altar.
For the land has been without food these two years. And there are five more years without plowing or gathering.
"Work six days, but rest on the seventh day. Rest even during plowing time and gathering time.
They do not say in their heart, "Let us fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain in its time, both the fall rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us the weeks for gathering food."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
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, ××××× ×ש×× ××ת, "that a sinner is counted as g dead, and that ungodly persons, even while they are alive", קר×××× ×ת××, 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.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Let the dead bury their dead - The word âdeadâ 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 âdeadâ often to express indifference toward a thing; or, rather, to show that that thing has no âinfluenceâ 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 âas though they were not.â 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 won by its loveliness. This is the class of people to which the Saviour refers here. Let people, says he, who are uninterested in my work, and who are âdead in sinâ Ephesians 2:1, take care of the dead. Your duty is now to follow me.
There may have been several reasons for this apparently harsh direction. One may have been to âtestâ the character and attachment of the man. If he had proper love for Christ, he would be willing to leave his friends, even in the most tender and trying circumstances. This is required, Matthew 10:27; Luke 14:26. A second reason may have been, that if he returned âat that time,â his friends might ridicule or oppose him, or present plausible arguments, âin the afflictions of the family,â why he should not return to Christ. The thing to which he was called was moreover of more importance than any earthly consideration; and, for that time, Christ chose to require of the man a very extraordinary sacrifice, to show his sincere attachment to him. Or it may have been that the Saviour saw that the effect of visiting his home at that time might have been to drive away all his serious impressions, and that he would return to him no more.
His impressions may not have been deep enough, and his purpose to follow the Saviour may not have been strong enough to bear the trial to which he would be subjected. Strange as it may seem, there are few scenes better suited to drive away serious impressions than those connected with a funeral. We should have supposed it would be otherwise: but facts show it to be so, and demonstrate that if this was one of the reasons which influenced the Saviour, he had a thorough knowledge of human nature. The arrangements for the funeral, the preparation of mourning apparel, and the depth of sorrow in such cases, divert the mind from its sins and its personal need of a Saviour; and hence few persons are awakened or converted as the result of death in a family. The case here was a âstrongâ one - it was as strong as can well be conceived; and the Saviour meant to teach by this that nothing is to be allowed to divert the mind from religion nothing to be an excuse for not following him. Not even the death of a father, and the sorrows of an afflicted family, are to be suffered to lead a man to defer religion, or to put off the purpose to be a Christian. That is a fixed duty - a duty not to be deferred or neglected, whether in sickness or health, at home or abroad whether surrounded by living and happy kindred, or whether a father, a mother, a child, or a sister lies in our house dead.
It is the âregularâ duty of children to obey their parents, and to show them kindness in affliction, and to evince proper care and respect for them when dead. Nor did our Saviour show himself insensible to these duties. He taught here, however, as he always taught, that a regard to friends, and ease, and comfort, should be âsubordinate to the gospel;â and that we should always be ready to sacrifice these when duty to God requires it.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
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.
