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MATTHEW 8:21 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 8:20Matt 8:22
“And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”
Another of the disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. The second would-be disciple's request — to bury his father — seems entirely reasonable and was in fact a paramount duty in Jewish culture: a son's obligation to bury his father superseded almost all other obligations. The request may mean that the father has just died, or it may mean that the disciple wants to wait until his father dies (possibly years away) before committing to follow Jesus. The first interpretation makes the response of verse 22 harsh; the second makes it more comprehensible: some things, even culturally mandated things, cannot take priority over the call to follow.

Church Fathers on Matthew 8:21

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 saw great multitudes about him, he commanded his disciples to cross over to the other side.' This He did at once teaching us to be lowly, softening the ill-will of the Jews, and teaching us to do nothing with ostentation.

Chrysostom · 4th century

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 His open face, to see His mouth that spoke such things? For if Moses' countenance was made glorious, and Stephen’s as that of an Angel, gather from this how it was to have been supposed that their common Lord must have then appeared; of whom the Prophet speaks,…

Remigius · 9th century

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

Hilary of Poitiers · 4th century
Read all 27 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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