9 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
The Calling of Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
First we see another miracle performed by Jesus. He performed miracles for people who had no faith, some who had a little faith and some who had great faith. This man and the friends that brought him to Jesus, through a roof (as we learn from the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke), had great faith indeed.
First Jesus meets this man's greatest need and that was for forgiveness of sin. Then to prove that He had done that, He also healed the man. In the process, He also read the very thoughts of the teachers of the law. Incredible power. Resulting in very appropriate awe. Awe at being in the presence of Someone so superior, the presence of God Himself.
So, Jesus has the power, authority and ability to forgive sin.
Now the question is - whose sin? What's the criteria?
And Matthew answers that in v9 - Jesus forgave him. So what? you ask.
That was a big deal! MacArthur has a lengthy explanation of what types of tax collectors there were but it basically comes down to the fact that Matthew was the worst of the worst. He was likely the most hated man in Capernaum. And when he left that tax booth to follow Jesus he literally gave up everything - that job would not be waiting for him if he changed his mind. Matthew paid a high price to follow Jesus but he didn't care because he was desperate for forgiveness.
Ettershime says, "He said not a word for his soul was in the speechless surprise of unexpected grace." Boy I love that. His soul was in the speechless surprise of unexpected grace. He was redeemed at that spot. Far from being depressed about what he left, he couldn't run fast enough to get to Jesus....Matthew lost a career and gained a destiny. He lost his security and gained an undreamed adventure. He lost material things and gained a spiritual fortune. And Matthew understood the spirit of the Lord. He knew He had come to save sinners and he knew that he was the worst, the unforgivable, the worst man in his town.
Matthew was very overwhelmed and decided to throw a party - likely in the hopes of converting his friends. So naturally there were a lot of rotten people there because they were the only ones that were willing to be friends with him. And Jesus comes and eats with them.
And that was absolutely vile to the Pharisees.
But then we come to, really, the nutshell of the gospel.
Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Well people don't need a physician. Sick people do. And what He's doing is indicting the Pharisees. He's saying, "You are the ones who are saying they are the sickest and then by your own affirmation they most need the physician." The analogy is simple. A physician can be expected to go among sick people and so a forgiver should be expected to go among sinful people. His defense is simple. He went to the people who had the deepest need. If the eyes of the Pharisees, and get this, if you're so perceptive as to see them as sinners, if your diagnosis is so accurate, where's your passion? Where is your concern? Are you a doctor who diagnosis but has no desire to cure? What an indictment of their self-righteousness. What an indictment of their judgmental spirit that was spoken of in Matthew 7. What an indictment of their condemning attitude, these pious critics. They so freely have defined them all as sinners, but are utterly indifferent.....They were more concerned of the preservation of their own holiness than with helping someone else. They'd be like a doctor who would say, "Oh I would love to come over and cure you, but I might get your sickness." Some doctor he'd be.
Then He indicts them with Scripture....
Go and learn, he says. Go back to the books and come again when you've gotten the information and learn what your own text says and he quotes Hosea 6:6. "I will have mercy and not sacrifice." In other words, God says, "I am not concerned with ritual. I'm concerned with a merciful heart." Here they were, they crank out all the little ritual, but they had no mercy or compassion or love for a sinner....God is indicting the Pharisees saying you'll never get the mercy of God because you show no mercy, which indicates your hearts are not right....
God is never pleased with ritual separated from personal righteousness. I think some people just think they go through a certain Christian routine, go to church and do certain things, and God is pleased. He is never pleased with a routine that is separated from personal holiness. Without a change of heart, without a deep sense of sin, sacrifices were dead ritual, loathsome, hateful to God...
You know what it says inLuke 18:9? It says, "The Pharisees believe they were righteous," so He accepts their self-evaluation. He says, "You say you are righteous. I accept that as your self-evaluation. I have nothing to say to you. I have come to call sinners."
That's the whole issue. Logic says it. Scripture says it. Jesus affirms it.
Jesus came to save sinners. Jesus didn't come to save good people. Obviously, there are no good people, but there a lot of people who think they're good. And Jesus can't help them.
Christians are bad people who recognize how bad they are and how much they need the forgiveness of Jesus.
Jesus saves sinners. The key is to know that you are one.
Tomorrow's scripture focus: Matthew 9:14-26
1 comment:
The first step is to admit you have a problem. :)
Great post. My favourite part is the first excerpt from MacArthur about Matthew. Great word picture.
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