Let the dead bury their dead .......

[FJK]

Luke 9:60  "And Jesus said to him: Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."

Exactly what did Jesus mean in context of the people that were present and in the times they lived, and is it still relevant for Christians today?  

If it is (still relevant) for us as Christians today, how do we go about putting it into real world practice on a daily  basis?

[Neighbor]

All it means for us is; put Jesus first, do all that is done to the glory of God, and know doing that comes at a price.

[Mr. M]

6 minutes ago, FJK said:

Luke 9:60  "And Jesus said to him: Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."

Exactly what did Jesus mean in context of the people that were present and in the times they lived, and is it still relevant for Christians today?  

If it is (still relevant) for us as Christians today, how do we go about putting it into real world practice on a daily  basis?

From the instructions for a Nazirite Vow

Numbers 6:6 All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. 

The sons of Aaron serving in the priesthood were restricted from contact with the dead, limited to their immediate family. In this case, the Lord is being more restrictive, therefore, I would consider the Nazirite Vow.

Luke 9:

59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

[Mr. M]

2 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

The sons of Aaron serving in the priesthood were restricted from contact with the dead, limited to their immediate family. In this case, the Lord is being more restrictive, therefore, I would consider the Nazirite Vow.

Leviticus 21:1 And the Lord said to Moses, Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘None shall defile himself for the dead among his people, 2 except for his relatives who are nearest to him: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother; 3 also his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband, for her he may defile himself. 4 Otherwise he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 

[Selah7]

I’ve often wondered about this verse, and after reading several commentaries, I found an interesting one in Bible Gateway that says:  

“This remark could be a figurative reference to various kinds of people, meaning, “Let the spiritually dead bury the dead.”

I’ll ask Jesus one fine day when I get to Heaven.  I think the most important thing is that we preach the kingdom of God.

s e l a h

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Selah7

[DeighAnn]

1 hour ago, FJK said:

Luke 9:60  "And Jesus said to him: Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."

Exactly what did Jesus mean in context of the people that were present and in the times they lived, and is it still relevant for Christians today?  

If it is (still relevant) for us as Christians today, how do we go about putting it into real world practice on a daily  basis?

Don't waste your time with those not of God, let them deal with those like minded. 

Certainly, is also a way to show that whether alive and walking around or dead and being buried

DEAD AND DEATH ARE not just of the body, but also are of the spirit.  

But many of those who die while 'dead', will be raised up when Christ returns, if you believe what is written and not what people say is 'meant by what is written'.   

52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

    

[Dave-regenerated]

To me it just means the spiritually dead.  Similar to when Jesus said to hate your family if they are more important to you than Jesus is.

[R. Hartono]

1 hour ago, Dave-regenerated said:

To me it just means the spiritually dead.  Similar to when Jesus said to hate your family if they are more important to you than Jesus is.

You cant expect family to believe in Jesus just because you are christian, not that easy. It takes time. Jesus meant to hate their sinful attitude, not to hate their hearts personally.

[Dave-regenerated]

1 hour ago, R. Hartono said:

You cant expect family to believe in Jesus just because you are christian, not that easy. It takes time. Jesus meant to hate their sinful attitude, not to hate their hearts personally.

I said nothing about converting family members.  I was just trying to describe what I think the meaning of Jesus' words was in relation to other contexts and examples from scripture as to the interpretation of the passages in hand here.  

 

Obviously hyperbole is used by Jesus many times and sarcasm is used in the Bible too, and people can't always get the gist of it.

Edited March 25, 2023 by Dave-regenerated

[Retrobyter]

Shabbat shalom, all.

I was just saying in another thread, that only the New Living Translation and the Amplified Bible use the words "spiritually dead" together. All other versions I've seen just said, "dead." The Greek word translated as "spiritual," the adjective "pneumatikos" (4152, πνευματικός, ή, όν), is not there in any of the Gospels. Of the 26 places it IS found, it's found in Romans 3 times (1:11, 7:14, and 15:27), in 1 Corinthians 15 times (2:13 twice, 2:15, 3:1, 9:11, 1o:3, 10:4 twice, 12:1, 14:1, 14:37, 15:44 twice, and 46 twice), in Galatians once (6:1), in Ephesians 3 times (1:3, 5:19, and 6:12), in Colossians twice (1:9 and 3:16), and in 1 Peter once (2:5). The Greek word translated "spiritually" is the Greek adverb "pneumatikoos" (4153 πνευματικῶς). It is found only twice: 1 Corinthians 2:14 and Revelation 11:8.

In 1 Corinthians 15:44, the word πνευματικόν "pneumatikon" (the neuter gender) means "blasting [like the wind]," and it is compared to the Greek word ψυχικόν "psuchikon," which means "breathing." Both are adjectives that modify the noun, σῶμα "sooma," or "body." "It is sown a "breathing body"; it is raised a "blasting [like the wind] body!" 

The word πνεῦμα "pneuma," which means "wind" and can be likened to a person's ability to breathe as a "wind going in" (inhaling) and a "wind going out" (exhaling), is only of consequence while a person is alive. After a person dies, he gives up the breath, and will breathe no more until the Resurrection! This was said of the Messiah Himself at His death:

Luke 23:44-46 (KJV)

44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said,

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit (Greek: τὸ πνεῦμά μου, to pneuma mou = 'the wind/breath of-me')":

and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (Greek: ἐξέπνευσεν, exepneusen = "he-expired").

This last word contains the root "pneu" referring to "pneuma." (Indeed, our very word "expired" comes from Latin and means "to breathe out.")