Notes. Ltjkb IX. d7-*-62.
67.— [^ certain man said.'] St. Mattbew tells ub that this man was a scribe. This offer appears to have been made at an early period of our Lord's earthly ministry. (Matt. viii. 19.) St. Luke mentions it in this place, because it is his habit to relate events in groups, and not in strict chronological order. See Luke i. 8, and the note thereon.
58. — [Foxes have Jioles^ Sc.] This expression throws strong light on the poverty and lowliness in which our Lord was pleased to pass the time of His ministry.
Let our Lord's reply to this man's offer be carefully noted. Both here and elsewhw^e we find Him putting forward promi- nently the cross which must be borne, if the man becomes a Christian. The conduct of those ministers and Christians who keep back the trials of Christianity from inquirers, and suppress the cross in order to swell the ranks of their own sect, or party, or congregation, is very unlike the conduct of Christ. To obtain adherents to our ranks by incorrect and partial statements, is a procedure to which no Christian should ever condescend. Better a small congregation honestly obtained, than a large one gathered by false representations.
59. — [First to go and hury my father.'] There is probably more implied in this expression than at first sight appears. It means something more than merely attending the funeral of a deceased parent.
Theophylact and Pellican think that it means, "to take care of a father until he is dead," and that it implies a wish to attend upon an aged father during all the infirmities of his latter days, until he was released by death.
Heinsius thinks that there is a reference to the many tedious and superstitious practices of the Jews in connexion with deaths and funerals, such as a seven days' lamentation before the burial of a fatlier, and a year's special mourning after his funeral.
There is some probability in both these opinions.
60. — [Let the dead bury their dead.] The first word, " dead," in this expression, means the " spiritually dead," the second the "naturally dead." The meaning evidently is, that funerals may be safely left to those who, being without spiritual life them- selves, attach importance to all cer^nonies and customs belong- ing to this life, and are sure to attend to them.
[Oo thou and preach.] It is not unlikely that this command to go and preach was delivered just before our Lord selected the seventy preachers mentioned in the next chapter. If this man had beea ready he might have been one of the seventy.
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