Bible Questions Answered: Christ-Foremost

Bible Questions Answered:
What did Jesus mean, by saying, let the dead bury their dead?
Jason/ Auburn, Washington

Text: Matthew 8:18-22 KJV
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto Him, Master, I will follow thee whither soever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.
21 And another of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto Him, Follow Me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Luke 9:57-62 KJV
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whither soever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.
59 And He said unto another, Follow Me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Bible Answer:

This “certain scribe (Matthew 8:19), was called of the Lord, “go thou and preach the kingdom of God.(Luke 9:60), but the man was lukewarm in his commitment to the Lord.
One moment his commitment was, “Master, I will follow thee whither soever thou goest.”
The next moment, his commitment was, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”

Jesus replied, “Follow Me; and let the dead bury their dead. “
Christ in effect was saying, let the dead be taken care by those who do those kind of things, but may your main concern be the “preaching the kingdom of God.”

When one follows the Lord Jesus, it must be to the exclusion of all others.

Matthew 10:34-39 KJV
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:24,25 KJV
24 Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.

Luke 14:26,27,33 KJV
26 If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.

I Peter 2:21 KJV
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps:

Dear friend, today, be sure to follow in His steps.

Philippians 2:5-8 KJV
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.