This week’s readings are all from Matthew 7-8. Click here to see a full listing of each day’s reading and the full chapter of Matthew 7-8. Full readings of each day’s smaller segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading
14 Now when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying down, sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began to serve them. 16 When it was evening, many demon-possessed people were brought to him. He drove out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. 17 In this way what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled:
“He took our weaknesses and carried our diseases.”
18 Now when Jesus saw a large crowd around him, he gave orders to go to the other side of the lake. 19 Then an expert in the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Today’s verses have never made sense to me. Why would Jesus say he had know where to lay his head? And why could the young disciple not bury his father?
@vltaylor1136 I wonder if it’s sort of a warning to the expert in the law? Jesus may know that what he is asking, he doesn’t truly know the full scope of what it means (reminds me of the rich young man). It is kind of disheartening though, for Jesus not to be open to someone who seems to want to at least try to follow him.
But along with the next verse about the disciple burying his father (which I have heard be explained as though his father wasn’t actually dead or close to death at the time, so he is just sort of making an excuse not to go in that moment), the way of Jesus isn’t simply miracles and wonders.
How tempting would it be to want to follow along with someone who is doing such wondrous things? When I think about that, it does make more sense when Jesus warns those he heals not to tell anyone… Jesus doesn’t want to only “take our weaknesses and carry our diseases” but he wants to deeply and transformationally make us whole, which involves more than just the surface-level struggles and misalignments in my life. He wants to change the way I see everything and begin to unwrap this new Kingdom in the world around me. Sometimes through healing, and through immediate issues, but also on the deepest levels, through the power of His Spirit.
But if I want to plant my vegetables before the summer heat hits (I know, not the same as burying my father 😜), and then I will follow Jesus — I don’t quite get the point.
"Let the dead bury their own dead." Interesting part of the verse that I never paid attention to before. It perplexes me now. I'll have to catch up on the podcasts, maybe you guys referenced that.
@sailing-bum Man, we are a couple of weeks behind on the podcasts. Sorry about that. Busy weeks have made it impossible to get together.