Jesus - Insensitive and Rude?

[DavidinWichita]

All,

How would you respond to someone who stated that Jesus was insensitive and rude in the following circumstance?

Luk 9:59 Jesus said to another, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
Luk 9:60 But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

I mean, how many of you have displayed this attitude when a friend told you that, for example, their mother had passed away? Did you say, "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," or did you say, "ah, let the dead people bury your mother...get to work on the kingdom of God?" Can you imagine what this poor person must have thought when Jesus said this to him?

Thank you,
David

[TK]

i have heard it said that the mans father was not yet dead; which i suppose is possible but not explicitly stated. steve (or someone) mentioned this possibility in one of his lectures.

TK

[steve]

TK is correct. There are many who take the man's words to mean, "I will follow you after I have buried my father," which can mean, "after my father has died and been buried." This could mean that his father was not yet dead, and that he dared not displease his father by leaving on an errand for the kingdom of God, so he would come along after his father's opinion was no longer a factor—i.e., after his father had died and been buried. Since the dead were usually buried the same day that they died (e.g., Matt.27:58-60/ Acts 5:6, 10), if the man's father had already died, it is likely that the man would have even then been involved in burial arrangements, which would not likely have had him out in public places where he would encounter Jesus and receive such a call.