Matthew 8:22

<a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/8-22.htm" >22</a>But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

When God calls, leave the business of the world to them who are dead to God.

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He asked leave to attend his father to his grave, and then he would be at Christ's service. This seemed reasonable, yet it was not right. He had not true zeal for the work. Burying the dead, especially a dead father, is a good work, but it is not thy work at this time.

If Christ requires our service, affection even for the nearest and dearest relatives, and for things otherwise our duty, must give way.

Let the dead bury their dead. It is a proverbial expression; "Let one dead man bury another: rather let them lie unburied, than that the service of Christ should be neglected. Let the dead spiritually bury the dead corporally; let worldly offices be left to worldly people; do not thou encumber thyself with them. Burying the dead, and especially a dead father, is a good work, but it is not thy work at this time: it may be done as well by others, that are not called and qualified, as thou art, to be employed for Christ; thou hast something else to do, and must not defer that."

Many are hindered from and in the way of serious godliness, by an over-concern for their families and relations; these lawful things undo us all, and our duty to God is neglected, and postponed, under colour of discharging our debts to the world; here therefore we have need to double our guard.

The Nazarites, under the law, were not to mourn for their own parents, because they were holy to the Lord (Num. 6:6-8); nor was the high priest to defile himself for the dead, no, not for his own father, Lev. 21:11, 12.