Replies

Those are good points. They tie in with the handkerchiefs and aprons which were taken from Paul’s body to the sick. Unfortunately there is no equivalent today of those handkerchiefs and aprons. Once in a great while someone says that contact with a certain item healed them. But the for the next hundred—or however many—people who touch that same item, nothing happens.

Jesus spoke to this issue. Here is the same pronouncement, recorded in two different Gospels:

Matthew 8:22

But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

Luke 9:60

But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”

Let the dead be buried, without hanging onto their brain or some other item, and as for those who are alive in Christ, proclaim the Good News everywhere.

I'd agree with you, but for two things:

1) Your gospel quotes are out of context, as the young man had just declined Jesus' invitation to follow him: "Let me first go and bury my father." The "let the dead bury their own dead" was not a general proscription as "do not commit adultery" but to *him*; the principle involved is, follow God *first*.

(Incidentally, you know, if you wanted to engage in sophistry, your line could argue FOR the veneration of relics: "Let the dead _bury_ *their* own dead, but as for you, follow me" (hence, rather than bury the dead, venerate them.) <-- just yanking your chain, I don't really think this is what it meant. :-P

2) Luke 13:4-5

⁴Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus is cautioning not to draw too immediate a conclusion from individual instances. (cf His instructions to Peter, "if it is My will if that man remain alive until I come [again], what is that to you? Follow Me.")

Against the sin of idolatry (less likely) there is the added feature of humility. It rubs our nose in our helplessness, and interdependence, and all under Christ...

Peace be with you.