“Many years ago, it was decided to put a suspension bridge across a wide gorge. How could they build a bridge across such a wide space? If fact, how could they even start? They shot an arrow from one side to the other. The arrow carried across the gulf a tiny thread, and thus the connection was established. By and by the thread was used to draw a piece of twine across; the twine carried after it a small rope; the rope soon carried a cable across – and in good time came the iron chains the bridge was to hang from. Although often weak in its beginning stage, a seemingly small faith can draw us to a stronger and stronger faith that will accomplish greater and greater things.”(1) But the crossing begins with the faith-filled decision to take the first step; and this morning, we are going to look at some disciples whom Jesus called to cross over to the other side, as we look at Matthew 8:18-22:
18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Called to Cross Over (v. 18)
In verse 18, Jesus gave a command to His disciples to depart to the other side. There were different reasons, why at certain times Jesus moved away from the multitude, such as to have an opportunity for prayer, or to preach to others, or to show that He sought not popular applause, and sometimes to avoid seditions. The 1700’s Baptist commentator John Gill said, “His reasons here seem to be with respect to Himself, that being wearied as [a] man with the work of the day, He might have an opportunity of refreshing Himself with sleep; with respect to His disciples, that He might have a trial of their faith, when in danger at sea; and with respect to the multitude, because of their carnality, and sole concern for their temporal and worldly good.”(2) I will be sharing more from John Gill as we go along.
Now, the reason I want to hone in on, concerning Jesus’ departure, is the one dealing with His disciples: “to have a trial of their faith.” There are many times in which Jesus calls His disciples to cross over. In fact, God the Father often calls His people to cross over to enter His promises. For example, He called the Israelites, under the leadership of Moses, to cross over the Red Sea and to cross over the scorching wilderness; and He called them, under the leadership of Joshua, to cross over the flooded Jordan River to enter the blessed hope of Canaan. It takes faith to cross over, and we must make the crossing if we ever hope to be where God has called us. You see, crossing over is about moving from where we are to where Jesus is.
Henry Blackaby, the author of Experiencing God, says, “When God is about to do something through you, He has to get you from where you are to where He is.”(3) This means that God is wanting to transition you, just as we see Jesus preparing to transition His disciples across the sea of Galilee. Blackaby continues to state that God, therefore, “comes and tells you what He is doing. When you know what God is doing, then you know what you need to do – you need to join Him.”(4) Keep in mind, however, “the moment you know that God is doing something where you are, your life will be thrown in contrast to God. You cannot stay where you are and go with God.”(5)
This is where you enter a crisis of belief as you are asked to tackle a God-sized assignment; one that might require you to leave your comfort zone, and one where you must lean on God in faith. “The crisis of belief is a turning point where you must make a decision. You must decide what you believe about God. How you respond at this point will determine whether you go on to be involved with God in something God-sized that only He can do, or whether you continue to go your own way and miss what God has [in store] for your life.”(6) And in verses 19-22, we see two disciples who each faced their own crisis of belief.
The Call Is Uncomfortable (vv. 19-20)
Look at verses 19-20. The first crisis of belief is in realizing that “the call is uncomfortable.” Here, we see a scribe volunteering to become one of Jesus’ disciples. Before we go any further, I would like to talk about the scribes. The scribes belonged to the sect of the Pharisees. They “supplemented the ancient written law by their traditions, thereby obscuring it and rendering it of none effect.” Another thing to mention is that the titles “scribe” and “lawyer” are interchangeable in the gospels. During the time of Jesus, the scribes were “the public teachers of the people,”(7) and the place where they taught was in the temple (Luke 19:47, 20:1). Most of the scribes were hostile towards Jesus and the apostles, but some of the them “showed themselves friendly to the gospel and its preachers,” such as Gamaliel, as seen in Acts chapter 5 (see vv. 34-39), and the scribe seen here in our text.(8)
This scribe “gave Jesus the highest title of honor that he knew. ‘Teacher,’ he called Him; the Greek is didaskalos, which is the normal translation of the Hebrew word ‘Rabbi.’ To him, Jesus was the greatest teacher to whom he had ever listened and whom he had ever seen.”(9) I should point out that there are people today willing to acknowledge Jesus as a real figure in world history; who are willing to confess that He was a great teacher and prophet, whose precepts hold philosophical merit. But we must understand that Jesus was (and is) more than a teacher. He is also the “Son of Man,” according to His own words in verse 20. Jesus made this distinction, because our response will be based on how we view Him.
“Verse 20 marks Jesus’ first use, in Matthew’s gospel, of the term ‘Son of Man’ to describe Himself. Usually, this term simply meant man. However, after the use of the phrase in the book of Daniel, it had become a messianic title. Daniel 7:13-14 described ‘one like a Son of Man’ coming ‘with the clouds of heaven’ and being given by God an indestructible kingdom. ‘Son of Man’ was a title which expressed both Jesus’ humanity and His future triumph, but which lacked the political implications attached to the title ‘Messiah’.”(10) Yet, it still expressed that Jesus is Lord. We must understand that if Jesus is Lord, then He has the authority to establish truth and morality, and to direct our lives. If Jesus is not Lord, then we can pick and choose how to follow Him, and that is why it is often easier to call Him teacher. If this scribe were to ever follow Jesus, then he had to acknowledge Him as the “Son of Man” and Lord.
Commentator John Gill said, “One would have thought that this man desired in good earnest to be a disciple of Christ, were it not for Christ’s answer to him, who knew his heart: from whence it appears, that he, seeing the miracles which Christ wrought, and observing the fame of Him among the people, began to think that . . . by joining himself to Him, [it] promised much ease, honor, and wealth. These seem to be the motives, which prevailed upon him to take so sudden and hasty a step; for he did not wait to be called to follow Christ, as the other disciples were, but offers himself to be . . . one of His apostles,” and “he rashly promises to do that, which he knew nothing [about].”(11)
Jesus’ answer to the scribe centered around Him being the “Son of Man.” This term did not just emphasize His lordship, but also His humanity. Hebrews 4:15 says, “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” As a man, Jesus had to endure temptation; but He also had to endure such things as hunger and sleepless nights in the cold. He said, “The foxes have holes” (v. 20), which meant they had warm cozy dens. He also said that the “birds of the air have nests” (v. 20). Another translation is “the birds of the air have roosts,” referring to “where they sit, lay, and hatch their eggs, and bring up their young.”(12) Jesus spoke about having shelter and long-term stability; something which the scribe would have to forfeit if he were to follow Jesus.
This scribe might have been accustomed to nice buildings, like the temple in which he taught; but Jesus was telling Him that he would not have any more fancy worship centers in which to teach, let alone a nice house in which to sleep. The expression about having “nowhere to lay His head” (v. 20) had nothing to do with not having a soft pillow. He was not giving a promotional for MyPillow.com; but rather, He was speaking about not having any shelter. Jesus laid out the cost of discipleship, which entailed hardship and instability; and the text implies that this scribe ultimately failed to follow Jesus. If he only saw Jesus as “Teacher,” then this would explain his reluctance to follow; but if he had recognized Him as “Lord,” then perhaps he would have been convicted to follow Christ in obedience.
The Call Is Right Now (vv. 21-22)
Look at verses 21-22. The second crisis of belief is in realizing that “the call is right now!” Here, we see another disciple; one who did acknowledge Jesus as “Lord,” and I will address this in a moment. This second disciple “wanted to follow Jesus, but only after he had taken care of other obligations. He told Jesus that first he had to bury his father. Very probably he meant that he needed to care for his father until his father’s death. The Jewish law considered it a son’s duty to care for his father in his old age and then give him a [proper] burial.”(13) This was a sacred responsibility that took place over all other duties under the law.(14)
A Christian missionary by the name of M. Waldmeier “was friendly with an intelligent and rich young Turk. He advised him to make a [missionary] tour at the close of his education, so that his education would be completed and his mind broadened. The Turk answered, ‘I must first of all bury my dead father.’ The missionary expressed his sympathy and sorrow that the young man’s father had died. But the young Turk explained that his father was still very much alive, and that what he meant was that he must fulfill all his duties to his parents and to his relatives, before he could leave them to go on the suggested tour; that, in fact, he could not leave home until after his father’s death, which might not happen for many years.”(15)
This is probably what was meant by the disciple in these verses; he wanted to stay with his family until his father had passed away, whether that took months or even years. To which Jesus replied, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Commentator Warren Wiersbe says that “Matthew 8:22 might be expressed, ‘Let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead’.”(16) “Jesus believed that His mission and that of His disciples was so urgent that it superseded even this scared obligation. Those who were dead spiritually (those who had not received Jesus’ life-giving message) could bury the physically dead. Those who had received the good news and become spiritually alive should consider following Jesus to be their primary obligation.”(17) “The spiritually dead are always on hand to bury the physically dead, if one’s real duty is with Jesus.”(18)
Listen to how John Gill explained these verses. He said, “Our Lord is not to be understood, as speaking against, or disrespectfully of burying the dead; His words [express that] it ought to be done: only it was not proper that this person should be concerned [with] it at this time, [he] who was called to an higher [purpose]; and therefore, should leave this to be done by persons, whom it better [suited] . . . Christ's meaning is, ‘let such who are dead in trespasses and sins . . . bury those who are dead in a natural or corporal sense’ . . . and there were enough of them to take care of this service: and therefore, there was no need why he should neglect the ministry of the gospel to attend [to it].”(19)
Over in the book of Luke, the physician tells us about a third disciple. We read this: “And another also said, ‘Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:61-62). If you have ever tried to plant a row of corn, tobacco, or any other large crop; then you probably experienced how when you failed to keep your eyes straight ahead, that your row became crooked. Now, this was before the days of GPS! The point is, if we look back, our life will stray off course from God’s will, and we will miss a blessing. And if we wait around to care for a sick family member, or so our widowed mother will not have to be alone, then we will miss what God has in store. The same would be true had any of the disciples looked at the sea and thought the waters appeared too choppy and dangerous to set sail with Jesus.
Henry Blackaby says that “God has tried, at times, to get our attention by revealing where He is at work. We see it, but we do not immediately identify it as God’s work. We say to ourselves, ‘Well, I don’t know if God wants me to get involved here or not. I had better pray about it.’ By the time we leave that situation and pray, the opportunity to join God has gone. A tender and sensitive heart will be ready to respond to God at the slightest prompting.”(20) Did you happen to catch that next-to-last statement? If we wait too long in trying to muster up the courage, or in trying to set our affairs in order, then “the opportunity to join God has gone” – it has passed us by! You see, when Jesus extends the call, the timing is right now! Otherwise, we will miss the boat! Pun intended!
Listen, as I share God’s call extended to Abraham and his response, as seen in Genesis chapter 12: “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ So, Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him” (Genesis 12:1-4a).
Blackaby says, “The moment Abraham knew what God was about to do, he had to make an adjustment in his life to God. He had to immediately follow what God said. The moment God speaks to you is the very moment God wants you to respond to Him. Some of us assume that we have the next three to four months to think about it and to try to decide whether this is really God’s timing. The moment God speaks to you is God’s timing. That is why He chooses to speak when He does. He speaks to His servant when He is ready to move.”(21) So, let me ask you: When God calls us and gives us an assignment, what are we going to do about it? Hopefully we will respond as Abraham, and not be sidelined by choosing personal comfort, or our mamma, or our father over Jesus.
So, this second disciple acknowledged Jesus as “Lord.” Perhaps, Jesus simply gave him a verbal chastisement, and he was obedient in the end. We simply do not know. But perhaps, he had a different understanding of the word “Lord.” This term is a title given to “God, the Messiah.”(22) However, it can also mean, “the owner; one who has control of the person; [or] the master. In the state, [or the government, it can be] the sovereign, prince, chief, [or] the Roman emperor.”(23) It is also “a title of honor expressive of respect and reverence.”(24) In other words, it was a polite greeting extended to someone in authority. There is a big difference between calling someone “God” and acknowledging them as a respected leader. As Christians, being people who call Jesus “Lord,” we are more apt to obey Jesus, and the words of the Bible, first before the laws of men. So, like the first disciple, this second disciple probably failed to follow Jesus; and this seems to be implied by the text.
Time of Reflection
I said earlier that “it takes faith to cross over, and we must make the crossing if we ever hope to be where God has called us.” Crossing over is about moving from where we are to where Jesus is. This principle holds true both now and in eternity. The Bible tells us that between us and heaven, there is a great gulf or chasm fixed (Luke 16:26). Jesus is the bridge that God has provided to cross the great divide (1 Timothy 2:5-6). He is the way of salvation (John 14:6). We are called to cross over this chasm to spend eternity with God, but there is only one way to cross over, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.
Back when I was in college, I listened to the Christian R & B group Winans Phase 2, and one of my favorite songs was entitled “Come on Over.” I want you to listen closely, as I share some of the lyrics: “You’ve been crying tears of sadness, looking for new hope; reaching for those friends, that left you long ago. Scoping out the world, for a better life; but if you look to Him, He will give you [life]. If you’re tired of all the pain, and you’re hoping that the seasons change; it’s time to rearrange, come on over to the other side”(25) – and that is the invitation that Jesus extends today; to come to the other side.
To cross over to the other side, we must put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; but the part about “Lord” is all important. We must first acknowledge Him as Lord to experience Him as Savior. In the NIV, Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” If we believe in faith that Jesus is “Lord,” we will offer our full surrender to Him. We will acknowledge Him as the risen Savior and acknowledge His right to direct our lives in kingdom service (2 Corinthians 5:15). Jesus said in John 5:24, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (NIV). I invite you to come today, confess Jesus as Savior and Lord, and cross over into eternal life.
NOTES
(1) Michael P. Green, Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997), p. 136
(2) John Gill, “Gill’s Exposition of the Bible,” Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-18.html (Accessed August 29, 2024).
(3) Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God (Nashville: Lifeway), p. 19.
(4) Ibid., p. 19.
(5) Ibid., p. 19.
(6) Ibid., p. 109.
(7) “Easton’s Bible Dictionary,” PowerBible CD (Bronson, MI: 2007).
(8) Ibid.
(9) William Barclay, “The Gospel of Matthew,” The Daily Study Bible, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958), p. 317.
(10) Clair M. Crissey, “Matthew,” Layman’s Bible Book Commentary, vol. 15 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1981), p. 51.
(11) John Gill: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-19.html (Accessed August 29, 2024).
(12) Ibid: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-20.html (Accessed August 29, 2024).
(13) Crissey, p. 51.
(14) Frank Stagg, “Matthew,” The Broadman Bible Commentary, vol. 8 (Nashville: Broadman, 1969), p. 127.
(15) Barclay, pp. 320-321.
(16) Warren Wiersbe, “The Complete New Testament in One Volume,” The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 28.
(17) Crissey, p. 52.
(18) A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1930) p. 68.
(19) John Gill: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-22.html (Accessed August 29, 2024).
(20) Blackaby, p. 67.
(21) Ibid., p. 38.
(22) Blue Letter Bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2962/kjv/tr/0-1/ (Accessed September 10, 2024).
(23) Ibid.
(24) Ibid.
(25) “Come on Over,” Winans Phase 2, Copyright Wb Music Corp., Gratitude Music, Gratitude Sky Music.
