Friday 7 March 2025
But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (v. 22)
Background
The crowds were gathering around Jesus; he was tired and needed to get away. Before he could get into the boat that would take him across the lake, however, he had to clarify the nature of discipleship to two would-be followers.
One was a scribe. Scribes and Pharisees were not generally regarded as friends of Jesus in the gospels. Jesus knew better than to invite them to be his disciples. So this particular scribe took the initiative, saying: "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." (v. 19)
Jesus explained to him that, unlike animals and birds, he was basically homeless. "No-where to lay his head" is typical of Jesus' occasional use of metaphor; think "camel through the eye of a needle" (Matthew 19:24) for example. He had just visited the home of his disciple Peter; I’m sure they would have put him up for the night. If the need occurred, he was also quite happy to invite himself to someone’s house as he did with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5).
Jesus meets the scribe's "I will follow you wherever you go" with a warning. Jesus was a man of ‘no fixed abode’. It was an invitation to count the cost of discipleship.
Jesus had many disciples. The one who asked for leave first to go and bury his father was not one of the 12 main disciples. The response of Jesus, "Let the dead bury their own dead" sounds less harsh when one realises that the man’s father may not have died. The probability is that the doctors had told the son that his father was terminally ill and had not long to go. It could be weeks or even months before death occurred. "Follow me," said Jesus. We are called to discipleship now, not in some indeterminate time in the future when it's more convenient.
To Ponder:
- Today’s Bible passage is primarily about the cost of discipleship. What are its rewards?
- Have there been times of procrastination in your life which have diminished your discipleship?
Prayer
Gracious Lord, thank you for calling me to be your disciple. Amen.
Bible notes author: Alan Sharp
Alan is a retired teacher. He lives in St Albans where he is a member of both his local Methodist church and of his parish church. He has been a local preacher and a church organist and choirmaster for over 60 years and writes a monthly article on hymns for The Methodist Recorder.