Let The Dead
Bury Their Own Dead
21 December 2021
These striking words of Jesus appear in the Gospels of Matthew (8:22) and Luke (9:60). At first reading, they can sound harsh—even cruel. Jesus seems to be dismissing a very human and compassionate request: a man wishes to bury his father before following Him.
To anyone who has lost a loved one, these words feel jarring. After all, burying the dead is considered a sacred duty. In Catholic tradition, it is one of the Corporal Works of Mercy, and in the Old Testament we see Tobit praised for burying the dead left on the streets (Tobit 1). Why, then, does Jesus appear to speak so differently?
To understand this passage, we must look more closely at its context and meaning.
Understanding the Words of Jesus
Let us begin with the passage from the Gospel according to Matthew:
Matthew 8:18–22
“Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
Another of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’”
This passage raises several questions:
- Why does Jesus discourage one person from following Him, yet challenge another so sharply?
- Why is a man whose father has supposedly just died standing in a crowd listening to Jesus?
These questions invite us to look beneath the surface.
Two Different Requests, Two Different Responses
The First Man: Following Literally
The first man offers to follow Jesus wherever He goes. Jesus does not ask this of him. Instead, He explains the nature of His own life:
“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Jesus is not calling everyone to abandon their homes, professions, or responsibilities. Rather, He makes it clear that following Him does not require physical closeness or a life of total renunciation.
Even today, while some are called to religious life, most are called to follow Jesus within their daily responsibilities. Following Jesus means living according to His teachings, not escaping ordinary life.
The Second Man: Delaying Discipleship
The second man says he cannot follow Jesus until he has buried his father. This makes us wonder whether his father has actually died.
If his father were truly dead, he would likely be fulfilling his burial duties rather than standing in a crowd listening to Jesus. What he seems to mean is that he cannot live the life Jesus teaches as long as his father is alive or as long as he remains bound by family and social expectations.
Jesus’ response—“Let the dead bury their own dead”—is not a rejection of burial rites. Rather, He is referring to spiritual death.
Those who are spiritually dead can tend to social obligations, but those who are spiritually alive are called to something greater. Jesus reminds us that social expectations —or the fear of being ostracized— should never keep us from walking the path of life.
Jesus speaks of this elsewhere:
“Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already.”
(John 3:18)
Luke’s Gospel Adds Further Insight
Luke presents the same teaching with an additional encounter:
Luke 9:57–62
One says, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Another says, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
A third says, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
Jesus concludes with these words:
“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Here, Jesus is not condemning family responsibility. Rather, He warns against hesitation, fear, and constantly expecting negative consequences.
Just as a farmer cannot plow a straight furrow while looking back, a disciple cannot follow Christ while being consumed by doubt.
What We Are Meant to Learn
This passage should not be read negatively. Jesus is not telling us what not to do, but how to follow Him rightly.
He is not telling us:
- Not to bury the dead
- Not to care for family
- Not to fulfill responsibilities
Rather, He teaches us that:
- Following Him does not require renouncing our profession or way of life
- Discipleship should not be postponed out of fear
- Faith must be integrated into everyday life
Jesus calls us to incorporate Him into our lives—not to escape from them.
Conclusion
“Let the dead bury their own dead” is not a rejection of compassion or duty. It is a call to recognize what truly gives life.
Jesus invites us to follow Him here and now—within our work, families, and responsibilities—without fear, hesitation, or constantly looking back.
References
- Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. © 1989 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
- Photo credit: Photo by João Vítor Heinrichs from Pexels
