Luke 9:60Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, allow those who lack faith to attend to their own, while you, as my disciple, devote yourself to proclaiming the gospel of God. In stating this, the Lord does not preclude the duty of caring for one’s parents, yet He stresses the importance of prioritizing spiritual duty over earthly obligations to unbelieving family, encouraging a disregard for mere human ties when they conflict with virtue. The sinner is spiritually dead; even they engage in burying their own dead, which refers to the harboring of sinful thoughts without acknowledgment. Thus, the Lord exhorts those aspiring to follow Him not to conceal their sinful thoughts but rather to bring them to light through confession.

The law of Moses, after commanding us first to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength,” places honor toward parents in the second position, stating, “Honor your father and your mother.” Let us ponder this significant issue and consider why we view the honor and love due to parents not as something to be dismissed, but rather as something we should diligently attend to. Some might argue it is because we owe our existence to them. However, the Almighty God brought us into being when we were nonexistent. He is the Creator of all, the fundamental source and essence of everything. Existence itself is His generous gift. While our mother and father were the instruments of our coming into being, it follows that the primary Creator is rightly to be loved more than the secondary agents. And surely, the One who bestows the most precious gifts expects greater honor in return. Therefore, our efforts to please our parents must give way to our devotion to God, and earthly obligations should yield to divine imperatives. This is the lesson the Savior imparts when He states, “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.” He does not condemn loving parents, but rather loving them more than Him. The Savior permits children to love their parents, yet not above Him. Thus, when anything pertains to God's glory, let no hindrance deter you; let your zeal be resolute and unyielding. Let the affection for father, mother, and children be set aside, and the triumph will belong to the love of Christ. Consider the thrice-blessed Abraham: he was tested in this way, justified and called the friend of God, receiving the highest accolades. What can possibly rival the honor of being a friend of God? What can this world offer that compares to such extraordinary grace? He had an only begotten and dearly loved son, who was given to him in old age after much delay. Upon this son rested all his hopes for descendants, for it was promised to him, “In Isaac shall your seed be called.” Yet, Scripture records, “God tested Abraham, saying: ‘Take your beloved son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I shall show you.’” Did God test Abraham without foreseeing the outcome? How could this be since He knows all things before they occur? So why the test? It serves as an example of the patriarch's love for God, his readiness to obey, and his unwavering commitment to fulfill God's will. Observe how God deemed it necessary to put him in a position of unpreparedness to enhance the patriarch's merit, as he preferred nothing to the will of the Lord. “Take,” He commands, not just Isaac, but “your son, your beloved; him whom you love.” This made the weight of natural affection even more burdensome for him. Oh, how a tumult of sorrowful thoughts must have arisen in the heart of the old man! The force of innate affection compelled him to feel compassion for his son. He longed to fulfill the role of a father, having previously lamented his barrenness before God when he was promised land, asking, “Lord, what will You give me, since I go childless?” His love for the young man urged him to spare his life, while his love for God called him to instant obedience; he felt like a tree swayed by the wind, or a ship tossed upon the waves. Yet he held on to one powerful thought. He believed that even if the young man were sacrificed as a whole burnt offering pleasing to God, He could raise him up from the dead. This experience taught him profound lessons. First, he learned that unwavering obedience opens the door to every blessing, serving as a pathway to righteousness and friendship with God. Second, he understood that God has the power to resurrect from death. Moreover, he recognized a deeper truth concerning the mystery of Christ: that for the salvation and life of the world, God the Father would sacrifice His own Son, the one who is divinely beloved—Christ. Blessed Paul affirms this when he remarks, “He did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.” Through this trial, Abraham grasped the magnitude of not withholding his only, cherished son. He proved worthy by placing nothing above that which pleased God. In like manner, Christ calls us to cherish and prioritize what enhances His glory over carnal bonds. Additionally, it is fitting that our love for Him should surpass even the affection we have for those who have given us life. For He has granted us God as our Father, instructing us, “Do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven; and you are all brethren.” And the wise John states, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him; but to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God.” Should those who have the Almighty as their Father—who reigns over the heavens, above all creation, guarded by mighty cherubim and exalted over thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers—fall into such folly as to not honor Him above all earthly ties? Could it be that we would bear guilt for neglecting the honor owed to parents, children, and siblings, yet remain free from reproach if we fail to honor the Father of all? Listen to His words: “A son honors his father, and a servant his master; if I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am the master, where is My fear?” says the Lord Almighty. Thus, it was essential for Christ to prepare His chosen apostles for their divine mission, imparting the spiritual resolve needed to fulfill it, saying: “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God yourself.” Such are the ministers of the Divine message. Let us hold steadfastly to this wise teaching in all things as we strive towards Christ, to whom and with whom be glory and power to God the Father, with the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, Amen.

If we acknowledge the holy practice of burial, why then does the Lord dismiss the burial of the father in this instance? It serves as a lesson to prioritize the divine over the earthly. While such diligence is commendable, it presents a significant dilemma: when someone attempts to pursue multiple objectives, their effectiveness may wane, and a multitude of concerns may delay their goals. Hence, the most crucial matters must take precedence. Thus, the apostles, in their commitment to preaching, designated others to tend to the needy (Acts 6:2-6). Moreover, when the Lord commissioned them to share the Gospel, they were instructed not to engage in greetings along the way (Luke 10:4), not due to disdain for kindness, but rather to emphasize that true devotion to God manifests in actions.

But how can the dead relate to the dead? There are two types of death to consider: physical death and the death of sin. Additionally, there is a third death, in which we die to sin and come alive in God, just as Christ was dead to sin; He has died once to sin, but what He lives, He lives to God (Rom. 6:10). Therefore, one death severs the connection between body and soul; it is not to be feared but viewed as a departure rather than punishment. The brave do not shy away from it, the wise seek it, while the unfortunate anticipate it. It is said, "Men shall seek death, and shall not find it" (Rev. 9:6).

There is yet another death, this time relating to the cessation of worldly desires. Here, it is not the nature that perishes but transgressions. This death we encounter in baptism, as we are buried with Christ and die to worldly elements (Rom. 6:10; Col. 3:3; Gal. 4:3), leaving behind our former actions. Balaam, when he prophesied, longed to experience this death so as to live for God; he thus declared, "Let my soul die with the righteous, and let my descendants be as their descendants" (Num. 23:10).

A third death exists—those who do not know Christ, who is our life. To know Christ is to possess eternal life (Jn. 17:3), which is presently given to the righteous in a shadowy form but will one day become clear in full view (1 Cor. 13:12). For the Spirit of life in our midst is Christ the Lord, of whom the prophet proclaimed, "In His shadow we shall dwell among the nations" (Lamentations 4:20). David found nourishment for his hope under the shadow of His wings, and similarly, the Church longs to dwell there (Psalm 56:2; Song of Solomon 2:3).

If the shadow of the Lord Jesus brings such benefits, consider how much greater is the goodness He Himself imparts! What will our existence be like when we are no longer in shadow but in the very presence of the Lord? Our lives are now concealed with Christ in God. But when Christ, our life, is revealed, we too will be revealed alongside Him in glory (Colossians 3:3-4). The life devoid of death is sweet; for our earthly existence is marked by death's inevitability, which is often sought after (Rev. 9:6). The soul faces death primarily due to the affliction of sin, as it is written, "the soul that sins shall die" (Ezek. 18:4). Yet, when the soul, assured of the blessings, frees itself from sin, it shall not perish but shall partake in eternal life.

Let us hasten toward this eternal life, dear brethren! We sorrow in this world because we have distanced ourselves from the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6)—for to remain in the body means to be apart from Him. It is far more advantageous to be absent from the body and present with God (Phil. 1:23), so that we may unite with the Almighty and behold the only begotten Son of God (Jn. 1:14; John 17:21).

The Lord does not forbid the burial of the father; rather, He highlights the supremacy of divine reverence over familial obligations. The latter is entrusted to kin, while the former is mandated for the chosen. The mouth of the wicked resembles an open grave (Psalms 5:10), thus it is decreed that we shall forget those whose merits perish with their physical form. While a son is not barred from honoring his father, the faithful are called to withdraw from communion with the unfaithful.

The righteous are afforded a unique burial, which is captured in the words: "Having poured this ointment on My body, she has prepared Me for burial" (Matthew 26:12). The one who internalizes Christ with genuine faith, anticipating resurrection with Him, must also renounce any malice that may dwell within.

There also exists a prophetic burial, symbolized by placing on the graves of our ancestors what you, dear reader, comprehend, yet which remains unfathomable to the unbeliever. This pertains to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, administered at the relics of the saints. It is not simply a matter of eating or drinking (Tob. 4:17); rather, it is the reverent participation in the holy Sacrifice that is unveiled. Thus, we are not prohibited from fulfilling our duties, but entrusted with the mystery of divine honor. We shall have no communion with the dead who do not believe! The sacraments are intended for the living, and those who possess life are not truly dead.

The third form is spiritual death, wherein those who do not accept Christ, the true Life and Source of life, find themselves lifeless. Similarly, Christians who profess faith in God and Jesus, the Son of God, yet lead lives devoid of righteousness, also experience this form of death.

The relationship between the soul and the human body parallels that of divine grace and the soul. Just as a body is lifeless when the soul departs, so too is the soul lifeless if it lacks God's grace to invigorate it. A deceased individual, although possessing limbs and senses, remains inactive and unresponsive, as the soul, the essence of all natural action, is absent. Likewise, one who is spiritually deceased—living in sin and indulging in the desires of the flesh—disregards spiritual matters, is unresponsive to the Word of God, has ears yet does not hear, lacks reverence for God, fails to honor Him, ignores His teachings, and exhibits no love for Him or others. In such a heart, only plots of wickedness and empty pursuits take root, leading to indifference toward God’s work; this person lies in sin, akin to a lifeless body in a grave. Consequently, in such an individual, the Word of God is ineffective, bearing no fruit, just as seeds sown in barren soil yield nothing.

In contrast, another individual, not a scribe but more broadly classified as a disciple, received a divine invitation from the Lord (as noted by Luke). This disciple sought permission to first attend to his father's burial, to which Jesus responded, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” Each individual received an answer reflective of their mindset. This disciple resembled the character of the third person referenced by Luke: he was still attached to earthly concerns, not fully committing his spirit to Christ. Allowing him to return home to bury his father would expose him to outside influences that might sway him away from Jesus, risking his ultimate commitment. However, if he chose to act with self-denial for Christ from the outset, he would establish himself as a dedicated follower.

Christ speaks of these individuals when He states, “Leave the dead, who are unresponsive to My message and My mission, and who are dead in their transgressions (Ephesians 2:1, 3); allow them to attend to their own concerns, while you who have listened to the words of eternal life that I proclaim, follow Me and remain My disciple.”

The Lord intended, through this seemingly obscure directive, to either forgo the final rites for a deceased father or to examine this disciple's commitment to Him. Genuine love for Christ often necessitates setting aside familial ties (Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26) or serves as a cautionary measure against potential distractions from His path. The Lord might have perceived that domestic responsibilities and worldly anxieties could lead this disciple away from the divine mission. It is indeed the obligation of children to honor their parents in life and death, a duty that Jesus does not negate. Rather, He emphasizes that when it comes to proclaiming the Kingdom of God, one must be willing to relinquish everything if the situation demands it.

Additionally, the potential follower might have been considering the tradition of a thirty-day mourning period, during which various distractions and uncertainties could arise and must be avoided. Notably, Jewish rabbis held similar expectations. If someone expressed a desire to study the law, they were faced with a choice: to either bury their closest relatives—be it father, brother, or sister—or to immediately devote themselves to the service of the law, tending to the burial of others as a lesser obligation. Thus, Christ's words were clear and understandable to the one who heard them, lacking any cruelty or insensitivity, contrary to what some critics have suggested. Those who seek the source of eternal life, Christ recognized, must leave those who are spiritually dead to tend to their own physical needs.