Let Me Bury My Father First Matthew 8:21

Matthew shared, “when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.” He continued, “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Matthew continued, “Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head”, and in chapter eight and verse twenty-one of his book, Matthew shared how another disciple of Jesus said, “suffer me first to go and bury my father” where we read:

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

The verse reads, “And another of his disciples said unto him, ...” Matthew began with the words, “and another” or “and one certain other” “of his disciples” which means “of Jesus' pupils and learners” “said” or “uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto him” which means “to Jesus”. After answering the “scribe” who said he would follow Jesus wherever He went, one other of Jesus' “disciples” told Jesus the next part of this verse.

The verse continues, “... suffer me first to go and bury my father.” Matthew added the words, “suffer me first” or “permit, allow and give lease to the disciple beforehand” “to go” which means “to go away and depart” “and bury” or “to celebrate funeral rites or inter” “my father” which means “the disciple's dad, male generator or ancestor”. Matthew shared how this “disciple” of Jesus desired to wait until his father was “dead and buried” before he would commit to “follow” Him.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how this “disciple” wanted to “delay” “following” Jesus. When there was a more “opportune” time this “disciple” would commit his life to Jesus. So many people in the world do not “count the cost” for following Jesus, and others “delay” or attempt to delay fully committing to Him. God desires a relationship with people through His Son Jesus while there is opportunity, and those who seek to postpone their decision only do so to their own peril.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus said to a disciple, “follow me; and let the dead bury their dead”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.