[RD] Matthew 8:22

[BvBPL]

You are not responsible for the errors of the past. The failures of your father and the debts of your brothers do not accrue in you. You need not answer for the sins of those who came before.

You are responsible for yourself. You are responsible to those you with whom share the world and to those who will come after you.

Take the lessons from the past and learn from them, but do not be bound to the past mistakes of others. You are not fettered to what came before, bound neither to repeat it nor to be held accountable for it.

Do not chain yourself to live in the past nor hold others captive to the faults of their predecessors. Let the misdeeds of the past encumber only the dead. Look instead to what you can do for the present, and for the future.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

How about a quote of the original, or at least a link to the relevant version of the New Testament?

 

[BvBPL]

"Let the dead bury the dead."

 

[Lohrenswald]

Men Jesus svarte: «Følg du meg, og la de døde begrave sine døde.»

http://www.bibel.no/Nettbibelen?que...mrb8DjuCeLS2VrRNdXjULXYQhgggMFAd3IEDKxtLnYSKA

but Jesus answered: "follow (you) me, and let the dead bury their dead"

dunno if the distinction their dead matter

I kinda think the way the bible is split into verses is dumb because it's inviting you to read things out of context

but overall I guess I agree with your point BVBPL

 

[Synobun]

What would you like to discuss in this thread, @BvBPL? It's a nice verse. Since this is an RD thread, though, I'm assuming you've got something keener to have us chew on and provide input over?

 

[onejayhawk]

It's a verse about priorities. I am not sure why it was chosen for this topic.

J

 

[BvBPL]

What would you like to discuss in this thread, @BvBPL?

People are not bound to answer for the errors of their predecessors, at least not beyond correcting those errors for the present and future. Effort should instead be focused on present- and future-orientated goals.

 

[Synobun]

People are not bound to answer for the errors of their predecessors. Effort should instead be focused on present- and future-orientated goals.

I mean... okay.

What's the context for this? What do you want us to talk about?

 

[Gori the Grey]

In context, I would read it as meaning: if Life Itself comes your way, consider any other earthly attachment as of lesser importance, to the extent of considering it Death.

Incidentally, I see this as essentially what J is driving at. It's as fun to occasionally agree with someone with whom you generally disagree as to disagree with someone with whom you generally agree.

 

[Kyriakos]

"Let the dead bury the dead."

It is (literally) a reply to someone saying to Jesus that he cannot follow him now, because he has to bury his father. So Jesus replies back that

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ Ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.

which translates to "and Jesus said to him 'Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead'". Which can mean that if you bother with what is dead, you render yourself dead as well, while Jesus is argued in the gospels to be life, love etc.
Many similar meanings can be noted, eg that the dead father is also a metaphor, for a previous mindset.

 

[timtofly]

Many similar meanings can be noted, eg that the dead father is also a metaphor, for a previous mindset.

Would not leaving behind a previous mindset be the same thing as leaving the past behind. Changing ones mind and thought process is a literal thing. Some call it brainwashing, and give it a negative connotation. Most people are too lazy to change out of habitual patterns. Some people do not even realize what being dead even means.....

 

[Kyriakos]

Would not leaving behind a previous mindset be the same thing as leaving the past behind. Changing ones mind and thought process is a literal thing. Some call it brainwashing, and give it a negative connotation. Most people are too lazy to change out of habitual patterns. Some people do not even realize what being dead even means.....

It could. Depends on how the person views "mindset" in the context of "the past". Afterall, a mindset can be identified as a factor during a huge amount of time, or just a part of that. "Father" (parent, in general), metaphorically, usually connotes a core factor.