I am often asked about whether or not cremation is biblical. The answer is simple in that the Bible says nothing about cremation. Nowhere in the Bible will you find a verse or passage speaking about how we are to bury our dead. We do find Jesus commenting rather harshly to a disciple who wanted to go back and bury his father when he said, “let the dead bury their own dead,” but he was speaking of something far different than our funeral customs. In Jesus’ day, when a person died they placed them almost immediately in the tomb. One year from the burial someone would go into the tomb, collect the bones, and place them in another box. On that one year anniversary of the death the family would gather again and have another memorial service for their dead loved one. Jesus was confronting the man’s taking a year off. Still, nowhere in the Bible does it speak of how we are bury our dead.
What I will say about cremation is that it is not the way Christians have practiced funerals over the years. We have a lot of cultural and biblical history surrounding special care for the bodily remains of our loved ones. The Old Testament is replete with the special care of burying the dead–Abraham with Sarah; Jacob with Rachel; even Moses (see Jude). Even in the New Testament we know how they took care of Lazarus’ body and all four Gospels tell us how they took special care with Jesus’ body; even wanting to come again to anoint it with perfumes only to find it gone! The greatest reason the Christian community has taken care of the body for funeral is based on Paul’s writings that at the resurrection God will raise our bodies and give us new ones.
Is that to say that cremation is bad? No, it is just not the way it has been done in the past. With funerals costing up into the tens of thousands of dollars, a cremation service for under $3K is very appealing. Funeral homes will even prepare the body for viewing and then cremate the body after the service. There is no right or wrong answer here; just preferences. By the way, in the resurrection, I do not want my old body back; I want a new one. In case you are wondering, God does not need my old body to make me a new one.
I have often wondered about this topic. Bruce is right when it does not talk about cremation in the Bible. Throughout the past, there have been many ways that people have passed on from this life & there have been many ways that others have taken care of their bodies. The Egyptians wrapped the dead with cloth & would even take out body parts placing them in jars resulting in what we call mummies. The people that lived in the dark ages & also those in Greek times would burn the bodies, especially those wounded in battle. Royal kings would be treated this way when they would pass on. This was a type of cremation & it was held as a top of the line, died with honor type “burial”. There are many people in parts of the world in morgues or other burial sites where people cannot be buried in the ground. Earthquakes have often brought up the dead from their grave so the bodies were put in tombs above ground. My mother has asked to be cremated & that is fine with me. Me, I don’t care what really happens to my body. I would be fine with them throwing me into the ground without a casket. I don’t want my family to suffer financially & give me a great funeral when i won’t even know about it. I don’t need a $10,000 casket. I don’t even want to be buried in an expensive suit. If anyone knows me, they know that I do not were suits so why would I be buried in one. A cut-off T-shirt & gym shorts is fine for me (not that I’m gonna be using them anyway). We were made from the dust of the ground & to the ground we should return in some form. The Lord will give us all a new type of body at a different time. How we are buried, or rather how are bodies are disposed of, does not matter. Yes it is good to keep those cherished memories of people that have passed on. In this way, they will always live on forever.
Bruce,
I’m not sure if you are aware that my Dad passed away 6 weeks ago. This is a timely subject. I found it to be informative and I appreciated it. Thanks for the post and for including me in your list of friends to read your blog.
Blessings,
Lesa
Bruce,
your blog really BURNED me up!
Sorry that was way too much fun. Thanks for including me on your list – I feel privileged.
I was in Kathmandu, Nepal about 2 years ago and we went to the main Hindu temple (known as the most holy place in Nepal) and we watched as a temple servant cremated bodies and then ritualistically spread the ashes into the river. Hindus would then bathe in the river because of it sacredness. This place was one of the most horrendous places I have ever seen. Not because of the cremation or the thoughts of bathing with the ashes but because of the lack of the presence of God. It felt as if satan was in total control over this place and the demons were running rampid. When I think of cremation I always think about Nepal.
Many of my folks have struggled over the issue of cremation and I can understand their struggle, but it often comes down to dollars and sense. I am learning to handle death a little more delicately the older I get and the closer I get to, well you know.
Brother you keep on blogging and who knows maybe one day I will join you.
Together for HIM – dave