What does Heck Tate mean when he says "Let the dead bury the dead"

Some people might think this is a callous act by Jesus. However, Biblical scholars interpret this differently. They say that the disciple wanted to ignore his spiritual responsibilities to go take care of his aging father. Jesus meant that the disciple's father was spiritually dead and that other people would take care of him. The disciple had to stay true to his religious calling. Although this doesn't literally mean that the man couldn't bury his father, it still might sound harsh. A better explanation might simply be that Jesus wanted his disciple to put God first, even before family.