Matthew 8:22

“And that we are delivered from death, is well said to be already fulfilled, so that we may understand the death of unbelievers, of whom he saith, “Leave the dead to bury their dead.”…He will then clear our eyes of tears, when He shall save our feet from falling.” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“He next appends the following statement: “And a certain scribe came and said unto Him, Master, I will follow Thee whithersoever thou goest;” and so on, down to the words, “Let the dead bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 19–22.

“But why mention more proofs respecting the difference between the death of the soul and the death of the body, when the Lord in one sentence of the Gospel has made either death easily distinguishable by any one from the other, where He says, “Let the dead bury their dead”?” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22

“For consider that there are who are dead in another than the ordinary sense, of whom the Lord spake to a certain man who delayed to follow the Lord, because he wished to bury his father; “Let the dead,” said He, “bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“And yet if any among them were to die a bodily death, they would run, get ready the grave, wrap him up, carry him out, bury him, the dead, the dead; of whom it is said, “Let the dead bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“For what? because they seem to be alive, was He then mistaken who said, “Let the dead bury their dead”?” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“…together from divers wanderings, to whom his Lord has said, when anxious about the burial of his father, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead?”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“For souls, too, have a death of their own in wickedness and sins, whereby they are the dead of whom the same lips say, “Suffer the dead to bury their dead,”—that is, let those who are dead in soul bury them that are dead in body.” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“…the good to whom it is said, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God,” and the wicked of whom it is said, “Let the dead bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“Among such dead was he, in the body, of whom the Lord says, “Let the dead bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“In any case, they had died for the worse, of whom it said, “Let the dead bury their dead;” and, “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light;” and from this passage before us, “When the dead shall hear, and they that hear shall live.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“To one who was delaying to follow Him, and saying, “Let me first go and bury my father,” the Lord said, “Let the dead bury their dead; but come thou and follow me.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 21, 22.

“Wherefore also when some other had come unto Him, and was asking leave to bury his own father,not even this did He permit him to do; to signify that before all we ought to esteem the following of Himself.” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 21, 22.

“The disciple desired to bury his father,and Christ allowed not so much as this.” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 21–22.

“He knew of another death too, concerning which He saith, “Let the dead bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“And if they do not believe, “let the dead bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“Even when a disciple would have buried his father, the Lord forbade him, and said: “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 20–22.

“I do not sever the daughter from the mother, I do not use the words of the gospel: “let the dead bury their dead.”” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“…not to be bemoaned, for they have never been in the Church and have died once for all (it is of these that the Saviour says: “let the dead bury their dead”); weep rather for those who by reason of their crimes and sins go away from the Church, and who suffering condemnation for their faults shall no more return to…” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“For the reason why He recalls that young man who was hastening to his father’s obsequies, is that He may show that we are called priests by Him; (priests) whom the Law used to forbid to be present at the sepulture of parents: “Over every dead soul,”…” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 21, 22; Luke ix. 59, 60.

“The third death is that of which it is said: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. viii. 22.

“And to the disciple who had made mention of his dead father, He replied, “Let the dead bury their dead;” for he had said that his father was dead, while the Father of believers is living.” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

Or as the prisons of kings are placed at a distance without, so also hell is somewhere far off without the world, and hence it is called the outer darkness.

“But not to-morrow in truth, but already, are these dead to God; burying their dead, that is, sinking themselves down to death.” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22.

“Quod si usurpent vocem Domini, qui dicit Philippo: “Sine mortuos sepelire mortuos suos, tu autem sequere me:” at illud considerent, quod similem cam is formationem fert quoque Philippus, non habens cadaver pollutum.” — editor's note: Matt. viii. 22; Luke ix. 60.

Because Christ not only healed the body, but purified the soul also, He desired to shew forth true wisdom, not only by curing diseases, but by doing nothing with ostentation; and therefore it is said, “Now when Jesus…

Or; He did this as one desiring to shun the thronging of the multitude. But they hung upon Him in admiration, crowding to see Him. For who would depart from one who did such miracles? Who would not wish to look upon…

The name “disciples” is not to be supposed to be confined to the twelve Apostles; for we read of many disciples besides the twelve.

It is clear that this day on which they went over the lake was another day, and not that which followed the one on which Peter’s mother-in-law was healed, on which day Mark and Luke relate that He went out into the…

Observe that He does not dismiss the multitudes, that He may not offend them. He did say to them, Depart ye, but bade His disciples go away from thence, thus the crowds might hope to be able to follow.

What happened between the command of the Lord given, and their crossing over, the Evangelist purposes to relate in what follows: “And one of the Scribes came to him and said, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever…

This Scribe of the Law who knew but the perishing letter, would not have been turned away had his address been, ‘Lord, I will follow Thee.’ But because he esteemed the Saviour only as one of many masters, and was a…

Observe also how great his pride; approaching and speaking as though he disdained to be considered as one of the multitude; desiring to shew that he was above the rest.

Otherwise; This Scribe being one of the doctors of the Law, asks if he shall follow Him, as though it were not contained in the Law that this is He whom it were gain to follow. Therefore He discovers the feeling of…

So Christ answers him not so much to what he had said, but to the obvious purpose of his mind. “Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to…

. . Why do you seek to follow Me for the sake of the riches and gain of this world, when My poverty is such that I have neither lodging nor home of My own?

This was not to send him away, but rather to convict him of evil intentions; at the same time permitting him if he would to follow Christ with the expectation of poverty.

Otherwise; “The Son of man hath not where to lay his head;” that is, in your faith. “The foxes have hole,” in your heart, because you are deceitful. “The birds of the air have nests,” in your heart, because you are…

Otherwise; The fox is a crafty animal, lying hid in ditches and dens, and when it comes abroad never going in a straight path, but in crooked windings; birds raise themselves in the air. By the foxes then are meant…

He was moved to follow Christ because of the miracles; this vain desire of glory is signified by the birds; but he assumed the submissiveness of a disciple, which deceit is signified by the foxes.

Heretics confiding in their art are signified by the foxes, the evil spirits by the birds of the air, who have their holes and their nests, that is, their abodes in the heart of the Jewish people. “Another of his…

In what one thing is this disciple like the Scribe? The one called Him Master, the other confesses Him as his Lord. The one from filial piety asks permission to go and bury his father; the other offers to follow, not…

The disciple does not ask whether he shall follow Him; for he already believed that he ought to follow, but prays to be suffered first to bury his father.

The Lord when He prepares men for the Gospel will not have any excuse of this fleshly and temporal attachment to interfere, therefore it follows; “Jesus said unto him, Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.”

This saying does not condemn natural affection to our parents, but shews that nothing ought to be more binding on us than the business of heaven; that to this we ought to apply ourselves with all our endeavours, and…

As much as to say; Thy father is dead; but there are also other dead who shall bury their dead, because they are in unbelief.

This moreover shews that this dead man was not his; for, I suppose, he that was dead was of the unbelieving. If you wonder at the young man, that in a matter so necessary he should have asked Jesus, and not have gone…

Also, because we are taught in the beginning of the Lord’s prayer, first to say, “Our Father, which art in heaven;” and since this disciple represents the believing people; he is here reminded that he has one only…

But if the dead shall bury the dead, we ought not to be careful for the dead but for the living, lest while we are anxious for the dead, we ourselves should be counted dead.

The dead also bury the dead, when sinners protect sinners. They who exalt sinners with their praises, hide the dead under a pile of words.

From this we may also take occasion to observe, that lesser goods are to be sometimes forfeited for the sake of securing greater.

Matthew relates that this was done when He gave them commandment that they should go over the lake, Luke, that it happened as they walked by the way; which is no contradiction, for they must have walked by the way…

Matthew 8:22 and Luke 9:60 share the same wording (12 words).

Cited together in The City of God V.18.

Cited together in Harmony of the Gospels II.24.

Cited together in Harmony of the Gospels II.24.

Cited together in Pseudo-Chrysostom on Luke 16:22–26 (2) (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in The City of God XX.6.

Cited together in The City of God XX.6.

Cited together in The City of God XX.6.

Cited together in The City of God XX.6.

Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 84.

Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 84.

Cited together in The City of God V.18.

Cited together in The City of God XX.15.

Cited together in The City of God V.18.

Cited together in The City of God XX.6.

Cited together in The City of God XX.6.

Cited together in The City of God XX.15.

Cited together in The City of God XX.6.

Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 84.