Rachel Workman:
|
Matthew
|
Mark
|
Luke
|
John
|
|
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at
his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him.
So Matthew got up and followed him. 10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?[d]” 12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ I don't think they did find the meaning. Jesus doesn't want our repentance he wants our obedience. For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Not those who think they are righteous but those who know they are sinners. We will never be good enough without Jesus. We are a sinful people in need of a loving Savior. There is nothing that we can do that will ever change that. |
13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds
that were coming to him. People came because they were hungry for a word
from God. Not what was being taught in the temples but a true word from God.
Today God's word in available in many translations at just about any store
and readily available online. People still hunger although they are not sure
what they hunger for. We need to make a habit of reading and meditation on
God's word every day. In this way we are satisfied. 14 As he walked
along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth.
“Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed
him. 15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) I like how Mark included that a lot of Jesus' followers were like the other sinners. Sinners like us. We are all sinners. What sets us apart is our ability to admit it.16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” 17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” |
27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi
sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus
said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. I
like how Luke stated that Matthew just got up and left everything. We too can
get up and leave everything and follow Jesus. 29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” |
|
______________________________
John Burnett:
|
Matthew
|
Mark
|
Luke
|
John
|
|
9 As
Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s
booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up
and followed him.
10 Later,
Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along
with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But
when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher
eat with such scum?[d]”
12 When
Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people
do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this
Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[e] For I have come to call
not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
|
13 Then
Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming
to him. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus
sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus
said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.
15 Later,
Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with
many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people
of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the
teachers of religious law who were Pharisees[b] saw him eating with tax
collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with
such scum?[c]”
17 When
Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick
people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but
those who know they are sinners.”
|
27 Later,
as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax
collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So
Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Later,
Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of
Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But
the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to
Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?[e]”
Luke
left out the best part about the doctor and sick people. Jesus gives
the Pharisees the answer for why he came to earth. He basically says, I
came for those who know they are bad and not for those who think they are
good. Ray Comfort is my favorite evangelist and the first question he
always asks when he begins witnessing to someone is, “Do you think you are a
good person?” Out of the hundreds of encounters I have seen or listened
to him do, I have never heard someone say, “No, I am a wretched
sinner.” This includes the people who later on in the conversation
confess to be Christians. Most of them don’t even know what it takes to
be a Christian.
|
John
missed the boat on this passage as it is one of the best reasons given for
our need for Jesus Christ. We should be reminded of who we are and bad
we are. The Pharisees had something right, we are scum. We are so
bad that Jesus had to die the most horrible death but instead of lamenting on
how bad we are, we can celebrate that He no longer sees us as bad sinners
when we put our trust in Him. God looks down on us and sees Christ’s righteousness
that we now have in us via the Holy Spirit.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment