Imperative: Mat 8:18-22. 22 “Follow me, and leave the dead
Context Mat 8:18 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.
(gave orders is not an imperative)
19 And a scribe came up 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 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” :
GREEK VERBS:
GREEK VERBS:
V-PMA-2P = Verb – Tense: Present/Mood: Imperative/Voice: Active – Person: 2nd Person Plural
V-AMA-2S = Verb – Tense: Aorist/Mood: Imperative/Voice: Active – Person: 2nd Person Singular
22
| 190 [e] Akolouthei Ἀκολούθει Follow V-PMA-2S |
Command:
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Mat 8:18 … he gave orders to go over to the other side.
Command text.
REFLECTION
Jesus begins to avoid this crowd … commands the disciples to go with him. Why? Is this a change, a trend?
The mood of the crowd is symbolized by the two excuses as examples of “not ready to follow” – I’ll follow so you can take care of me (dependency) … I’ll follow once it is socially acceptable as my duties are fulfilled. In neither case is Jesus Lord nor is there a response to repentance.
Exegesis:
NOTE (my commentary)
DISCERNMENT QUESTIONS
What does this quote say?
What does it say that I should obey?
What is the wish? What are the outcomes?
What are the basic steps?
What are the obstacles?
Who needs to hear this?
RESOURCES
SOURCE – Footnotes:
Link to text:
Link to Greek Interlinear text: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/8.htm
Last revision: 01-08-2023
Line break: