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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 8:18 - 8:22
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_8:18-22
18Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. 19Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." 20Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." 21Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." 22But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."
Mat_8:19 "scribe" This was an expert in the oral law (the Talmud) and written traditions (the Scriptures) of the Jews. They took the place of the local Levite of the OT in interpreting Scripture. They were consulted about how to apply the Law of Moses to everyday matters. See Special Topic: Scribes at Mat_12:38. In Jesus' day most of them were Pharisees (see Special Topic at Mat_22:15).
▣ "Teacher" This is the vocative form (didaskale) of the term "teacher" (didaskalos). It translates the Hebrew term for "teacher" (lit. "great one," cf. Joh_1:38; Joh_20:16) and refers to one who knew the Law of Moses (i.e., an honorific title). It is used in the NT of
1. Jewish teachers - Luk_2:46
2. John the Baptist - Luk_3:12
3. Jesus - Mat_8:19; Mat_9:11; Mat_17:24; Mat_26:25; Mat_26:49; Mar_9:5; Mar_9:17; Mar_9:38; Mar_11:21; Luk_10:25; Joh_1:49
4. Nicodemus - Joh_3:10
5. Paul - 1Ti_2:7; 2Ti_1:11
6. Christian teachers - Act_13:1; 1Co_12:28; Eph_4:11; Jas_3:1
Jesus restricts the usage of this term/title to Himself (cf. Mat_23:7-12; Mar_14:14; Joh_3:2; Joh_11:27-28; Joh_13:13-14). There is only "one" Father; there is only " one" teacher! He and only He is the true "Great One" !
Mat_8:20 "Jesus said to him" Two persons are involved in this context. One was willing to go anywhere; Jesus told him to stop and count the cost (cf. Mat_8:20). The other one was reluctant to follow; Jesus told him, follow at any cost because of the priority of the call of God on a human's life (cf. Mat_8:21). Truth often cuts two ways!
▣ "the Son of Man" This was Jesus' self-chosen designation. It was an Hebraic phrase referring to a human being (cf. Psa_8:4; Eze_2:1). But because of its use in Dan_7:13, it took on divine qualities. Therefore, this term combines the humanity and Deity of Jesus. This designation was not used by the rabbis; therefore, it had no nationalistic or militaristic overtones.
Here is a quote from my commentary on Dan_7:13.
" a son of man was coming" The Aramaic phrase (" ben enosh," construct BDB 1085 and 1081) "son of man" is different from the similar Hebrew phrase ("ben adam") found in Psalms and Ezekiel. Both phrases are used in parallel in Job_25:6; Psa_8:4; Psa_90:3; Psa_144:3; Isa_13:12. This obviously refers to the Messiah and it links his humanity (cf. Dan_8:17; Job_25:6; Psa_8:4; Eze_2:1), which is the meaning of the Aramaic and Hebrew phrases, "son of man" with his deity because the clouds are the transportation of Deity (cf. Mat_24:30; Mat_26:64; Mar_13:26; Mar_14:62; Rev_1:7; Rev_14:14).
Jesus uses the phrase to refer to Himself in the NT. It was not used of the Messiah in rabbinical Judaism. It had no exclusivistic, nationalistic, militaristic connotations. It uniquely describes the Messiah as fully human and fully God (cf. 1Jn_4:1-3). Daniel's usage is the first which focuses on its divine aspect!
Jesus used the phrase for Himself in three senses.
1.His suffering and death (e.g., Mar_8:31; Mar_10:45; Mar_14:21; Luk_9:22; Luk_9:44)
2.His coming as Judge (e.g., Mat_16:27; Mat_25:31; Joh_5:27)
3.His coming in glory to set up His kingdom (e.g., Mat_16:28; Mat_19:28; Mar_13:26-27; Mar_14:62)
From The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1657 (also see George E. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, pp. 136-139), the later Jewish tradition about this text are listed.
1.This context is Messianic (cf. I Enoch 46:1; 48:10; 4 Ezra [2 Esdras] chapter 13; b. Sanh. 98a)
2.All predictions in this context are already fulfilled (cf. b. Sanh. 97b)
3.This context does not refer to the end-time (cf. Gen. Rab. 98:2)
4.This context represents Israel (cf. Ibn Ezra and Rashi)
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Mat_8:21 "permit me first to go and bury my father" On the surface this seems like a reasonable request. However, this was a cultural idiom for staying home and taking care of one's parents as long as they lived. It was a social obligation (cf. 1Ki_19:20).
Mat_8:22 "allow the dead to bury their own dead" This was a play on the word "dead." It can be used of spiritual lifelessness as in Mat_10:39. What Jesus was saying was that spiritual life and obedience to the heavenly Father are more important than social obligations to one's earthly family.