Title: Follow Me / Matthew 8:18-22
Contents
Introduction: Following Jesus
1. Outline of the main text
Chapter 8 is the chapter of miracles. 8:1-4 heals a leper, 8:5-13 heals a paralyzed centurion's servant, 8:14-17 heals Peter's mother-in-law and the sick and demon-possessed, 8: 23-27 records the incident of calming the storm, and 8:28-33 records the incident of casting out military demons. In fact, Chapter 8 can be said to be the whole chapter of miracles.⇒As I said before.
But there is one strange thing. The text we read today has nothing to do with miracles, but it is the fact that it is in Chapter 8, the chapter of this miracle. Today's text is ꡔJesus demands the way of discipleshipꡕ. This is certainly not a miraculous event like healing the sick, calming a storm, or casting out demons. So why was this event recorded in Matthew 8, which is full of miracles? Because being a disciple, or being a true Christian, is in itself a great miracle.
Main article: The path of discipleship
1. What is the path of discipleship?
Verse 19: Jesus left the crowd and went to a rather secluded place. Then a scribe came out and said to Jesus. [Teacher, wherever you go, I will follow you.]
We must first pay attention to his identity. He is a scribe. He is an expert on Jewish law. His task is to interpret the rules of the law. His whole life is focused on keeping the law. But Jesus frequently broke the rules of the law by healing the sick on the Sabbath, blaspheming the temple, and touching the body of a sick person, such as a leper. So the Pharisees and the scribes considered Jesus a very dangerous person to Judaism. It is for this reason that in the Bible the Pharisees and the scribes appear as enemies of Jesus. However, such a scribe volunteered to become a disciple of Jesus.
He called to Jesus, “Teacher.” The original Greek word for this word is didaskale (διδασκαλε). It is equivalent to the Hebrew word for rabbi. Considering the fact that the title by which Jesus was called is Teacher, he considers Jesus to be an authoritative teacher just like the great Jewish rabbi. Then, his words, ‘I will follow Jesus’, mean ‘I will follow the great Master and become a disciple who searches for truth’. With all the other scribes and Pharisees condemning Jesus, his confession was certainly a surprising decision.
A Jewish rabbi was a man of learning and godliness. Therefore, this scribe's confession was his determination to become a disciple who learned the learning and godliness of Jesus. Clearly, he clearly understood the teachings of Jesus. But there was one thing lacking in his understanding. It was none other than an understanding of <The Disciple's Path>. He didn't know exactly what the "Path of Discipleship" was. Because they didn't know what <Jesus' way> was like. To know what the <Path of Disciples> is, you must first know what the <Way of Jesus> is.
2. The road Jesus walked
Verse 20: In verse 20 Jesus said this: [Foxes also have dens, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.] Here, [Fox] refers to Herod and Herod's party. And [bird of the air] refers to the Roman authorities. At that time, there were two major world powers over Palestine. One was Herod the tetrarch, and the other was the Roman emperor. The political rulers of this world owned the royal palace and enjoyed all kinds of wealth and power. On the other hand, Jesus, the ruler of the kingdom of God, did not even have a place to lay his head.
So we can see two things here. First, it is the fact that <Jesus is the King of the kingdom of God>. Second, it is the fact that <the king of the kingdom of God is not like the king of this world>. The glory that Jesus gives is completely different from the glory that this world gives.
So, being a disciple of Jesus means more than just entering the path of learning. To be his disciple means to live a life of insecurity without a home, a life in which worldly security is not guaranteed. You also have to take the risk of throwing yourself into certain hardships and dangers. In other words, to become a disciple, you have to pay a certain price. So at what price?
In Matthew 19:21, Jesus said, “Only those who put away their riches and follow them can become true disciples.” Also, in Luke 14:26, he said, “Only those who forsake their own family and even themselves can become true disciples.” Also, in Matthew 10:38, he said, “Only those who take up their cross and follow me can become true disciples.”
Therefore, <the way to become a true disciple> must 1) give up one's possessions. 2) You must throw away your family and even your self. 3) We must take up our cross and follow Christ. Those who cling to earthly possessions can never be given heavenly possessions. A person who clings to his family and his ego can never be blessed with the whole world becoming one family. Those who turn away from the cross will never receive the crown of glory.
To be a Christian means to be a disciple of Christ. The path of discipleship is never a comfortable and easy path. In a word, it is the way to take up the cross and follow it. But that road is the road promised glory. But unless we suffer with Christ and die with him, that promise of glory cannot be fulfilled forever.
3. Decide now!
Verse 21: When Jesus taught that <the way of the disciples is the way of the cross> like this, one of the disciples opened his mouth again and said, [Lord, allow me to go first and bury my father.]
This verse has hitherto been heavily misinterpreted. If you just look at this verse without thinking, it is understood that the person who said this has just been beaten by his father. But that is a huge misunderstanding. It is precisely this misunderstanding if we do not know the characteristic Jewish expressions of tolerance.
For example, when someone asks to go on a trip, the Jews sometimes say, [Please wait until I bury my father]. This does not mean "his father is in critical condition or is already dead and a funeral must be held". It means <Wait until you take care of your father>. It means that you will do everything you can to become a child until your father is alive.
However, it is unknown how many years or decades it will take for his father to be buried. Therefore, he is delaying his decision to become a disciple. In particular, he uses the word [first]. In his life, <serving for one's father> takes precedence over <becoming a disciple>. that is being prioritized.
4. Do what the living are supposed to do ⇒ Do the work of the dead to the dead!
Verse 22: Jesus spoke to the disciple who was delaying his decision like this. [Let the dead bury their dead, and you follow me] This verse is the most difficult of words. How can the dead have a funeral? Therefore, this verse too is bound to fall into the wrong interpretation if we understand it on a daily basis.
The key to a proper understanding of this verse lies in understanding the difference between the dead and the living. Jesus said, “Let the dead do the burial.” It is said that <burial is the work of the dead>. Therefore, if you reverse this word, it means <burial is not the work of the living>. We learned a little while ago that the word 'to bury' means 'to take care of the father'. Therefore, these words of Jesus mean “The work of the dead is to provide for their father, not the work of the living.”
So, is it really a dead person who makes offerings to his father? Is offering to one's father so worthless? It's never like that. So, what does it mean to say that “giving offerings to one’s father is something the dead should do”?
In order to know the true meaning of this word, you must first know the meaning of the word <dying>. Here, the word <dying> does not mean that life dies or that value dies. A person who delays his or her decision for one reason or another means <a person whose dream is dead>. A person who delays making a decision is a person whose dream is dead. He is a man whose dream of becoming a great disciple of Christ is dead. The promise of the glorious crown is that of a dead man. All of you, dear ones, have a great dream of faith in faith, and I sincerely pray and wish that you will always live believing that God will make that dream come true, and that you will receive all the promises you have made.
Conclusion: Become a great dreamer
1. In the case of Jacob ⇒ a life full of dreams
Jacob was a greedy man. By trickery, he stole the birthright blessing his brother Esau was supposed to receive. Even so, it was something that could not be avoided. So he fled to his uncle Laban in Haran. He had run away so hastily that he wasn't prepared for anything. He came to a place called Bethel and went to sleep. He made a pillow with stones. Do any of you use stones as pillows when sleeping at home? No one will make a pillow out of stone at home. Jacob made a pillow with stones. This means that he has been thrown into a barren reality.
What did Jacob do then? He had a dream. In his dream, he saw an angel of God ascending and descending a ladder that reached the sky. Then he heard the voice of God.
[I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of Isaac. I will give to you and to your descendants the land on which you lie, and your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and they will spread from east to west and from north to south, and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed in you and your descendants. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you.”
He heard God's blessing in his dream. After waking up from the dream, Jacob built an altar in the place he had dreamed of and made a promise to become a dream come true.
2. What is our dream?
What hardships are you facing? What crisis are you facing? Are you killing your dreams because of the barren reality? Jesus is saying to you, [Let the dead bury their dead, and you follow me]. He is dreaming of becoming a great disciple of Christ, and he is asking for a decision. Therefore, I earnestly pray that you, dear ones, dream of a great mission and become blessed Christians who, by deciding on the path of discipleship, will be used worthy of his great work, and participate in the glory with him.