Many Bible commentators have been critical of the Messiah's response to the disciples who requested some time off to bury their fathers -- the so-called 'harsh sayings' of Yeshua found in Matthew 8:22 and Luke 9:60. After all, didn't Elijah allow Elisha to return home from the fields to bid his family goodbye? Was Elijah more compassionate than the Messiah? An understanding of first-century Jewish burial customs throws light on this paradox and reveals WHY the disciples in question received such a 'harsh' rebuke from their Teacher!

Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead!

Adobe Acrobat File -- Graphics and Original Formating

"Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always KEEP ALL MY COMMANDMENTS, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!" -- Deuteronomy 5:29