Matius 8:22

8:22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” ¹ 

Matius 14:5

14:5 Although ²  Herod ³  wanted to kill John, ⁴  he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet.

Matius 15:37

15:37 They ⁵  all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

Matius 21:35

21:35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, ⁶  killed another, and stoned another.

Matius 24:10

24:10 Then many will be led into sin, ⁷  and they will betray one another and hate one another.

[8:22]  ¹ sn There are several options for the meaning of Jesus’ reply Leave the dead to bury their own dead: (1) Recent research suggests that burial customs in the vicinity of Jerusalem from about 20 b.c. to a.d. 70 involved a reinterment of the bones a year after the initial burial, once the flesh had rotted away. At that point the son would have placed his father’s bones in a special box known as an ossuary to be set into the wall of the tomb. Thus Jesus could well be rebuking the man for wanting to wait around for as much as a year before making a commitment to follow him. In 1st century Jewish culture, to have followed Jesus rather than burying one’s father would have seriously dishonored one’s father (cf. Tobit 4:3-4). (2) The remark is an idiom (possibly a proverbial saying) that means, “The matter in question is not the real issue,” in which case Jesus was making a wordplay on the wording of the man’s (literal) request (see L&N 33.137). (3) This remark could be a figurative reference to various kinds of people, meaning, “Let the spiritually dead bury the dead.” (4) It could also be literal and designed to shock the hearer by the surprise of the contrast. Whichever option is preferred, it is clear that the most important priority is to follow Jesus.

[14:5]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[14:5]  ³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:5]  ⁴ tn Grk “him” (also in the following phrase, Grk “accepted him”); in both cases the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:37]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[21:35]  ⁶ sn The image of the tenants mistreating the owner’s slaves pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.

[24:10]  ⁷ tn Or “many will fall away.” This could also refer to apostasy.