The Life of Christ

• We remember Paul, upon matching the identity of the voice on the Damascus Road with Jesus, immediately asked , “Lord, what would You have me to do?”

• In the next section Matthew empties his pocket by throwing a huge dinner party to publicly announce his decision to follow Jesus.

• “Apostles to be” are also not at all embarrassed by their decision to follow Christ.

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Mt. 9:10-11 And it happened that as He was reclining at the table in the house, behold many tax- gatherers and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax- gatherers and sinners?”

This was such a blatant contradiction of how the Pharisees viewed righteous behavior.

• They assumed true spirituality was to separate themselves from the unclean and wicked segments of their society.

• The word “Pharisee” actually means “ to separate, ” particularly from all forms of ritual uncleanness.

• They naturally assumed that Jesus would do the same.

Mt. 9:12 But when He heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.”

He answers their criticism with a simple parable — the healthy don’t need a doctor, but rather those who are ill. This is why I’m doing this!

• By saying this, Jesus also authenticated and endorsed the professions of those in the medical community.

Mt. 9:13 “But go and learn what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus quotes from Hos. 6:6 to show that even in the Old Testament, the showing of mercy far outweighs the rigors of separation.

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Lk. 5:33-35 And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers; the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same; but Yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 “But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

Jesus likens His earthly ministry to an extended marriage feast.

• While present, just like being at a wedding feast, this is not the time to fast; fasting was associated with sorrow.

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