Luke 9:60 AFES TOUS NEKROUS QAYAI TOUS hEAUTWN NEKROUS

Jonathan Robie (jwrobie@mindspring.com)
Wed, 11 Dec 1996 17:27:52 -0500

Louw and Nida say that the phrase AFES TOUS NEKROUS QAYAI TOUS hEAUTWN
NEKROUS is "an idiom, possibly an adage, literally 'let the dead bury their
dead'", and say that this idiom means 'the matter in question is not the
real issue' - 'that is not what I mean, that is not the issue, that is not
the point'. Therefore, they interpret:

Luke 9:60 (GNT) EIPEN DE AUTW: AFES TOUS NEKROUS QAYAI TOUS hEAUTWN NEKROUS,
SU DE APELQWN DIAGGELLE THN BASILEIAN TOU QEOU.

as:

"That is not the issue; you go and announce the kingdom of God."

I wish they had footnotes in their lexicon. What kind of evidence is there
that this phrase might be used as an idiom?

P.S. They also mention that some scholars understand this as 'let those who
are spiritually dead take care of their own dead'

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