The statement “Let the dead bury the dead” is found in Luke 9:60. Jesus says this in response to a man who wants to follow Him but asks to go back and bury his father first. At first glance, Jesus’ reply seems harsh and uncaring. However, when we examine the context and meaning behind His words, we see that Jesus is making an important point about what it means to follow Him.
The Context of Luke 9:60
In Luke 9, we find Jesus preparing to send out the twelve disciples to preach, teach, and heal throughout the region (Luke 9:1-6). After they return, Jesus feeds the five thousand with just five loaves and two fish (Luke 9:10-17). Peter then confesses that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus begins to explain that He will suffer, die, and rise again (Luke 9:18-27).
It is at this point that Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Jesus is making it clear that following Him requires complete commitment and sacrifice. Discipleship is not easy; it involves self-denial and suffering.
Then in verses 57-62, three men approach Jesus expressing desire to follow Him. Jesus gives each of them a challenging response:
- To the first man, Jesus emphasizes the cost of following Him, saying “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). Jesus calls His disciples to a life without certainty of food and shelter.
- To the second man, Jesus says “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). This man wants to follow but has an excuse to delay.
- To the third man, Jesus says, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). This man seems willing but wants to say goodbye to his family first.
In each response, Jesus emphasizes that following Him must take priority over anything else. Even good and reasonable things like burying one’s father cannot be placed above obedience to Christ’s call. Jesus is probing the men’s hearts to see if they are willing to put Him above all else.
The Meaning of “Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead”
When Jesus says, “Let the dead bury their own dead,” He is using shocking language to make a point. Clearly, He is not saying that one should ignore family obligations or not care for aging parents. So what does He mean? Here are a few key insights:
- Spiritual Life Takes Priority – Jesus is saying that the spiritually dead (those who do not follow Him) will take care of routine family duties. But those who follow Christ must devote themselves fully to advancing God’s Kingdom.
- Urgent Calling – Burying one’s father was an important family duty. But Jesus is calling this man into urgent Kingdom work that takes precedence. There are higher priorities than even legitimate responsibilities.
- Total Commitment – Jesus demands wholehearted commitment. Following Christ means giving Him absolute priority over all other allegiances. Jesus will not accept half-hearted disciples.
- Kingdom Responsibilities – Jesus calls us to fulfill our responsibilities to advance God’s Kingdom above all else. That mission must not be delayed.
Jesus is not downplaying honoring parents or fulfilling family duties. But He is emphatically stating that following Him must take first place in our lives. Nothing can displace that priority. Even good and noble duties cannot replace obedience to our calling as disciples.
Additional Teaching in Scripture
The idea that our allegiance to Christ takes priority over all other commitments is reinforced throughout Scripture:
- “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).
- “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).
- “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
- “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35, 38-39).
Jesus was not promoting disregard for family or societal customs. But He was emphatically stating that loyalty to Him eclipses all other competing allegiances. When our earthly responsibilities conflict with kingdom responsibilities, we must choose the latter. Our discipleship demands undivided devotion.
Application for Today
We may not face the exact dilemma presented in Luke 9, but the principle still applies. Here are some ways this passage challenges us to wholehearted commitment:
- We must prioritize the Kingdom in all decisions – career, family, relationships, lifestyle, finances, etc. Allegiance to Christ and His mission must take precedence.
- We cannot allow fear of earthly consequences to compromise obedience to Christ’s commands.
- God’s calling on our lives may disrupt comfort or security. But ease cannot replace willingness to sacrifice.
- Our plans and timelines must submit to the urgency of Christ’s agenda for spreading the Gospel.
- We must re-evaluate any competing loyalties that could displace our devotion to following Jesus.
There are many good things that demand our time and resources. But we must filter all commitments through the lens of Christ’s radical call on our lives. anything that prevents wholehearted obedience must be laid down. Following Jesus requires absolute allegiance to Him above all else.
When faced with the choice between obeying Christ or fulfilling other duties, we must follow the example of the apostles who said, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20). Our highest duty is to obey our Lord, no matter the cost. This is the essence of Jesus’ command, “Let the dead bury their own dead.”