English Language Discussion Forums

sangui · #1 16-Dec-2006, 02:50

what does " Let the dead bury the dead" mean?
I came across this in reading, confused about its meaning.
Please do me a favor.

**Tdol** · #2 16-Dec-2006, 05:22

It's used in the Bible (see quotes) and means that you make 'a clear and total break with the spiritually dead—that is, with the spiritually “dead” world you’re leaving behind. ' Let the dead bury the dead : Christian Psychology

Matthew 8:18-20: "When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, 'Teacher, I will follow you hwerever you go.'
"Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'

"Another disciple said to him, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'

"But Jesus told him, 'Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead.'"

Luke 9:59-62
And he said unto another, Follow me.
But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Harry Smith · #3 16-Dec-2006, 06:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tdol

It's used in the Bible (see quotes) and means that you make 'a clear and total break with the spiritually dead—that is, with the spiritually “dead” world you’re leaving behind. ' Let the dead bury the dead : Christian Psychology

Matthew 8:18-20: "When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, 'Teacher, I will follow you hwerever you go.'
"Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'

"Another disciple said to him, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'

"But Jesus told him, 'Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead.'"

Luke 9:59-62
And he said unto another, Follow me.
But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

It was a very nice answer. I'm greatly impressed.

sangui · #4 16-Dec-2006, 10:05

This is really a good community with responsive, responsible and respectable editors!

Thank you a lot, Sir.

Spring

**Tdol** · #5 16-Dec-2006, 11:07

You're welcome.

newwestman · #6 18-Jul-2009, 10:02

I'll give you my best in non biblical terms...

Your mind is not of this world. You brains & body are, and illusory, they belong to the ego; condemned to death. Truth is eternal. ("Truth does not vacillate, it is always true") Anything of this world that has the ability to change, wither, decay, be destroyed, or any other synonym that you can think of, is simply an illusion. Jesus knew that. Therefore, those who believe in this world where death appears to be possible (because you believe your body to be real), your body here is condemned to death and will bury all other bodies here that are condemned to death.

Bodies and brains are not eternal, so consider why we would love them to be and think they are so important.

**Anglika** · #7 18-Jul-2009, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by newwestman

I'll give you my best in non biblical terms...

Your mind is not of this world. You brains & body are, and illusory, they belong to the ego; condemned to death. Truth is eternal. ("Truth does not vacillate, it is always true") Anything of this world that has the ability to change, wither, decay, be destroyed, or any other synonym that you can think of, is simply an illusion. Jesus knew that. Therefore, those who believe in this world where death appears to be possible (because you believe your body to be real), your body here is condemned to death and will bury all other bodies here that are condemned to death.

Bodies and brains are not eternal, so consider why we would love them to be and think they are so important.

Welcome to the forums - it would be better to make sure you answer recent threads. This one is dated 2006, and we are in 2009.

Rekab30 · #8 31-Jul-2009, 05:32

There is a famous line from To Kill A Mockingbird, the 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Harper Lee about racial injustice in the American South, during the Depression. This line alludes to the fact that there is a higher law than that of man. Sherrif Tate uses these words as he explains to the protagonist, Atticus Finch, that he will not press charges for the death of a white man who helps convict an innocent black man of rape.

allowedtothink · #9 12-Sep-2009, 15:18

According to the rules we are not supposed to make comments about politics or religion. However considering that this quote comes straight from the Gospel according to Matthew I have to mention religion.

I think the quote is open to interpretation. However, within the context I believe it is to reinforce the supremacy of Jesus. Jesus is more important than the disciple's father. (Not something I believe in personally). I would not read anything more into it than that. Enough said.

PastorT · #10 16-Nov-2009, 20:42

To answer this question, "Let the dead bury their dead", we must apply a Jewish mindset to this question. It is an idiomatic expression, where by Jesus was referring to the man that he is a liar.

In the Jewish customs and traditions, a dead person has to be buried within 24 hours, and to mourn for their dead for 7 days.

The man was making an excuse to Jesus, because he was not ready to be a follower of the Messiah.