SUFFER ME FIRST TO GO AND BURY MY FATHER
By John C. Carpenter
Luke, the beloved physician (Col 4:14), wrote to Theophilus,
his fellow disciple, And it came to pass, when the time was come that he [Christ] should be received up [into Heaven], he stedfastly
set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans,
to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples
James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias
did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy
men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man
said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air
have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first
to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another
also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him,
No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9: 51-62). In these verses, Luke, possibly
the only Gentile writer of the New Testament, teaches us in his letter two important points: the calling and purpose of Christ, and
the cost to the individual who is called by Christ to be a follower of Christ.
THE SON OF MAN IS NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN’S LIVES
The
Scriptures tell us plainly the purpose of Christ’s coming to earth. Christ had determined to go to Jerusalem, and, before his arrival,
sent messengers into a village of the Samaritans (Luke 9:51-52). Because the villagers knew of His intending to go to Jerusalem, the
villagers did not receive and accept Christ (Luke 9:53). This rejection of Christ made His disciples, James and John, angry, and they
wanted and asked the Lord to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them (Luke 10:54). His disciples’ reaction angered
the Lord, who rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy [bring
death] men’s lives, but to save [deliver, heal, preserve, make whole] them (Luke 9:55-56). The Lord made it perfectly clear to His
disciples that His sole purpose and mission in coming to earth was not to bring death, but to deliver from death, and that He would
not veer from that purpose.
I WILL FOLLOW THEE, BUT
Immediately following His interaction with His disciples, the scriptures
instruct us that three men approached the Lord, all three making similar statements. Scriptures instruct us regarding the first man,And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head (Luke
9:57-58). The first man offered to follow the Lord wherever He went, but the Lord responded that animals in nature have a home, but
that He did not have anywhere to go. The Lord was making it clear that He had no home, no place to lay his head, no place that offered
the comforts of home; and implied that the man should understand that following Christ meant that he would be experiencing the same
life, one of inconveniences and discomforts, and no place to “lay his head.“
Holy Scriptures then instruct us, And he [Christ]said unto another [the second man], Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer [allow, permit] me first to go and bury my father. Jesus
said unto him, Let the [spiritually] dead bury their [physically] dead: but go thou [first, and most importantly] and preach the kingdom
of God (Luke 9:59-60). In verse 59, the English word “first” is the Greek word “proton,” which means “first in time, place, order,
or importance.“ The man was in essence telling the Lord, “I will do as you ask, I will follow you, but burying my father is more important
to me than immediately following you and preaching the gospel.” One important lesson here is that when Christ calls, one must place
Christ, His words, and His will, first. They must be more important than anything else in life, including ones’ own family members,
and even ones‘ own life. For many of us, this is difficult to do, but this is what Christ requires of those who follow Him.
Finally,
Holy Scriptures instruct us, And another [third man] also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first [“proton; i.e., first in
time, place, order, or importance] go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put
his hand to the plow [and looking forward to a task which lays ahead], and looking back [at something which is considered to be more
important than the task at hand], is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:61-62). Again, the Lord is making it clear that when He calls,
the called must look forward to and consider most important what Christ has for them, and, without looking back or having regret,
leave the past behind.
WHOEVER HE BE OF YOU THAT FORSAKETH NOT ALL
Luke added later in his letter, And there went great
multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not [consider less important than Christ]his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And
whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth
not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and
is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what
king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet
him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth
conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh [Apotassomai; i.e., literally to depart from or dismiss, bid
farewell, forsake, send away] not all [pas; i.e., all manner of, always, everyone, thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever] that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:25-33). In response to the call of His heavenly Father, Jesus Christ had one purpose in
life: to save lives. When Christ calls an individual to follow Him, Christ expects us, as well, to also have one purpose in life:
to save lives. We save lives by submitting to Christ, and obediently following and fulfilling His will and calling on our lives. He
expects us to place Him, His will, and His calling as first and most important in our lives. Nothing should come before that. Certainly,
our calling make take many forms of ministry, as Christ directs; but He expects us to fulfill whatever He asks him to do. Christ wants
and expects us us not to look back, not to consider or long for the old life, but to look forward to serving Him, and be willing,
if necessary, to give up parents, brothers and sisters, wives, children, friends, education, and even jobs and careers. As many missionaries
have experienced, Christ may even expect us to give up our own physical lives. Instructions to perform and complete ones’ calling
and ministry is consistent throughout the Scriptures. The apostle Paul wrote believers in Ephesus, I therefore, the prisoner of the
Lord, beseech you that ye walk [live, be occupied with] worthy of the vocation [invitation, calling] wherewith ye are called (Eph
4:1), and wrote those in Corinth, Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called (1 Cor 7:20). Paul also instructed
the Colossian believers to tell Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it (Col
4:17). Christ expects His followers to place His calling first above everything else, without excuse, as Christ did; and to understand,
from the beginning, that our calling will cost us everything. The Lord plainly said, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple. AMEN.
THE CHRISTIAN HERALD
A
Judeo-Christian Bible Study
WISE UNTO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works
(2 Timothy 3:15-17).
FEAR THOU NOT; FOR I AM WITH THEE
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy
God: I will strengthen
thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will
uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all
they that were incensed against
thee shall be ashamed and
confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with
thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and
shalt not find
them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against
thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For
I the
LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not;
I will help thee”
(Isaiah 41:10-13).
GOD ALSO GAVE THEM UP TO UNCLEANNESS
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness
of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which
may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto
them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified
him not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,
they
became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made
like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted
beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness [impurity] through the lusts of
their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed
the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more
than
the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up
unto vile [shameful, dishonorable] affections:for even their women did change
the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving
the natural use
of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with
men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that
recompence
of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in
their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
[rejected, worthless] mind, to
do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full
of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters
of God, despiteful, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection,
implacable,
unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which
commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have
pleasure
in them that do them”
(Romans 1:18-32).
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he
shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart
from evil"
(Proverbs 3:5-7).
“A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they
shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto
the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment
as the noonday”
(Psalms 37:1-6).