Matius 8:22-26

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

Stilling of a Storm

8:23 As he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²  8:24 And a great storm developed on the sea so that the waves began to swamp the boat. But he was asleep. 8:25 So they came ³  and woke him up saying, “Lord, save us! We are about to die!” 8:26 But ⁴  he said to them, “Why are you cowardly, you people of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked ⁵  the winds and the sea, ⁶  and it was dead calm.

[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.

[8:23]  ² sn A boat that held all the disciples would be of significant size.

[8:25]  ³ tn The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:26]  ⁴ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[8:26]  ⁵ tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).

[8:26]  ⁶ sn Who has authority over the seas and winds is discussed in the OT: Ps 104:3; 135:7; 107:23-30. When Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea he was making a statement about who he was.