Distinctive Hearers #2478

17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?” (Mark 8:17–18, NKJV)

Jesus expected His apostles to understand His warning against the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, but they were only thinking about physical bread (Mark 8:14-16). He said their hearts were “still hardened” because they could not perceive (understand) the meaning of His warning. They needed to comprehend the corrupting influence of their error, immorality, and hypocrisy (Matt. 16:11-12; Luke 12:1). Here is a lesson on being distinctive hearers. It matters how we hear Christ’s word. Jesus said, “Therefore take heed how you hear” (Luke 8:18). The Pharisees disputed with Jesus and rejected His signs (Mark 8:11-12). Like their forefathers, they were “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears” (Acts 7:51-52). We must have open hearts to receive the gospel of Christ, lest the leaven of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians corrupt us. (Demanding preaching that scratches itching ears still happens, 2 Tim. 4:3-4.) When we resist the word of Christ, we are disputing with and testing Jesus just like the unbelieving Pharisees (Mark 8:11). May we humbly, reverently, and obediently accept the word of Christ. We understand Christ’s teachings when our will is to do the will of God (John 7:16-17; Eph. 3:3-4; Heb. 5:12-14). Open your heart to the gospel of Christ, and you will be blessed (Acts 17:11-12).

Calling Sinners to Repent #2448

30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:30–32, NKJV).

Some justify broadening the boundary of fellowship with error and sin by misusing this passage, suggesting Jesus had fellowship with sinners (2 John 9). One example is maintaining fellowship with those who remain in unscriptural remarriages. They opine since Jesus ate and drank with sinners, they can have ongoing fellowship with brethren in sinful relationships and practices. Moral sins and doctrinal errors are tolerated, rationalizing that “everyone is a sinner” and charging  “you’re a legalist demanding 100% doctrinal conformity.” Jesus was not a sinner, and He did not endorse sin when He ate with sinners. He taught them the gospel and called them to repentance (vs. 31-32; Luke 15:1-7). And He said we must abide in His word (truth) to be His disciple (John 8:31-32). (Surely that means all truth.) The scribes and Pharisees condemned Jesus and His audience but never saw they needed to repent of their sins. To them, His proximity to sinners meant defilement. Jesus was not condoning sin by teaching sinners to abandon their sin (2 John 10-11). He was with sinners to teach them to repent and follow Him – to “go, and sin no more” by walking in His light of truth (John 8:11-12). Like Jesus, let us teach sinners to repent and walk in the light. We can do this without compromising truth and having fellowship with sin (Eph. 5:11; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

The Light of the World Says, “Go and Sin No More” #2391

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:10–12, NKJV).

Jesus silenced the hypocrites who tried to entrap him at the expense of a sinner’s soul (John 8:2-9). None of her accusers were willing to cast the first stone of condemnation against her (John 8:7). Jesus was not obligated to throw a stone under the Law of Moses (hence, “Neither do I condemn you,” v. 11). When Jesus finally spoke to her, it was not with a scolding tone of damnation; She knew her sin, and so did Jesus. He did not condone or excuse her sin; He warned her to repent and bear its fruit (“go and sin no more”). Then Jesus turned spoke again to the people who observed this encounter unfold (John 8:2). They must follow Him to keep from walking in the darkness of evil; He is the light of the world. The scribes and Pharisees (John 8:3), the woman taken in adultery (John 8:4), and the people listening to Him teach had to choose whether to follow Jesus. So do we. Jesus is merciful and forgiving when we follow Him (Matt. 11:28-30; Acts 2:37-41, 47; 1 John 1:6-9). Walk in His light and have the light of (eternal) life.

Not Far From the Kingdom #2369

32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him (Mark 12:32–34, NKJV).

The scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians continually tried to ensnare Jesus with His words (Luke 11:53-54). They utterly failed. After witnessing one such occasion, this scribe acknowledged the truth Jesus spoke and applied it to loving God and others. He was beginning to grasp the Savior’s teaching. Jesus said he was near the kingdom. Christians should guard against being like the scribes and others by seeking loopholes in Christ’s word. Our hearts should be noble and receptive toward God’s truth, not obstinate and combative (Luke 8:15). This text also teaches us we cannot excuse the ill-treatment of others with religious offerings and sacrifices. Deeds of spiritual piety do not conceal inward hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matt. 23:27-28). Jesus laid down His life because He loved the Father and every one of us. We are called to God and others as He has loved us (1 John 3:16; 4:10-11). Remember, “we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16).

“With What Judgment You Judge, You Will Be Judged” #2341

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1–2, NKJV).

Jesus contrasted the righteousness of the kingdom with the scribes and Pharisees (who broke the commands of God with their traditions and taught others to do so, Matt. 5:19-20; 15:3; 23:1-2). He judged them to be hypocrites for this conduct (Matt. 15:3-9; 23:23). To conclude from today’s passage that we can never make judgments about right and wrong, good and evil, is absurd (Rom. 12:9). Otherwise, Jesus Himself is a hypocrite for judging the scribes and Pharisees to be hypocrites. In truth, Jesus is warning us against making hypocritical judgments (Matt. 7:3-5). Righteousness in the kingdom compels us not to judge others rashly, prejudicially, vindictively, and hypocritically (Matt. 6:33). When we judge unrighteously, we hinder conflict resolution, prevent forgiveness, and fail to love others as God does (Matt. 5:21-26; 6:14-15; 5:43-48). When we do so, we can expect to be judged (condemned) for our ill-conceived judgments. Jesus challenges us to “judge what is right” (Luke 12:57; John 7:24). His judgments are “true and righteous altogether” (cf. Ps. 19:9). Let us follow Christ’s example of making righteous judgments by using the proper standard (God’s revealed truth) with the proper motive (to seek the Father’s will) (John 5:30). God will judge us for the judgments we make (Luke 6:37-38). Avoid exposing yourself to condemnation by judging unrighteously.

Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage #2313

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason” (Matthew 19:3, NKJV)?

Ending marriages for all sorts of reasons is commonplace in America and around the world. The deterioration of marriage does untold damage to families and souls. How Jesus answered the Pharisees’ insincere question settles God’s view of divorce. (1) “Have you not read” (Matt. 19:4). God’s word answers the question of divorce for all who believe. (2) God rules over marriage (Matt. 19:4-5). It is His gift to humanity, and we must obey His will in it. (3) Marriage is between a male (man) and a female (woman) (Matt. 19:4, 5). Same-sex “marriage” is a corruption of marriage and not God’s will. (4) God joins together the man and his wife (Matt. 19:5-6). God approves and joins one man and one woman in marriage (Rom. 7:2-3). (5) People are not to separate what God joins together (Matt. 19:6). Ending a marriage without God’s approval is a sin (1 Cor. 7:10). (6) Jesus said God allows one reason for ending a marriage, fornication (Matt. 19:9). Divorce for “any reason” (Matt. 19:3) violates God’s will and is evidence of a hard heart toward God and marriage (Matt. 19:7-8). Christ permits putting away a spouse for the cause of fornication. By doing so, the one innocent of fornication has God’s consent to marry another. All other remarriages produce adultery, and those in them are not “joined together” by God (Matt. 19:9, 6). God’s way is not man’s way (Isa. 55:8-9). All who want God’s blessing will abide in His will concerning marriage, divorce, and remarriage (Matt. 19:10-12).

Binding Traditions While Justifying Disobedience #2309

1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition (Matthew 15:1–3, NKJV)?”

In an earlier Sword Tips (#2307), we noted how human traditions nullify mercy and truth (Matt. 12:1-8). Today’s text exposes this deficiency even more. Wedding oneself to religious traditions (that originate with men) leads to one defining faithfulness to God by whether one keeps the traditions. The scribes and Pharisees demanded people keep “the tradition of the elders.” In their sight, it was a transgression to violate their interpretation of purification practices (Mark 7:1-5, 8). Jesus exposed their hypocrisy of transgressing God’s commandment with their traditions. Their use of “Corban” was a prime example of rationalizing disobedience to God (not honoring their parents) by their appeal to an exception they had devised (Matt. 15:4-7; Mark 7:9-13). Instead of relying on religious tradition and binding it on others, we must let God’s word establish and settle our moral and religious responsibilities (Matt. 28:20). We are assured of Christ’s approval when we follow what His apostles have handed down to us. Paul wrote, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:15). Following apostolic tradition avoids binding man-made moral and religious requirements (Gal. 1:6-10).

Do Not Condemn the Innocent #2307

7 “But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:7–8, NKJV).

The Lord of the Sabbath did not violate the Sabbath, nor did He sanction its violation when His disciples plucked the heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1-2). The Pharisees accused His disciples of being Sabbath-breakers. But Jesus pronounced them “guiltless” because His disciples acted consistently with the law and its provision of mercy (Matt. 12:7; Hosea 6:6; Deut. 23:25). The Pharisees had developed a tradition that such conduct was work, and so to do it on the Sabbath was a sin. They added their tradition to God’s word and bound it on others. Thus, they “condemned the guiltless.” Jesus was not approving situation ethics and justifying violating God’s law. Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets, not destroy them (Matt. 5:17). Neither does this occasion endorse breaking God’s word for a so-called greater purpose (mercy, for example). The law of God allowed for mercy, which the apostles received as they plucked and ate the grain. The tradition of the Pharisees denied compassion and condemned the innocent. Both mercy and truth are present in God’s law (Ps. 85:10). Beware of human traditions. They nullify both (Col. 2:8, 20-23).

“He Spoke This Parable” #2246

1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: (Luke 15:1–3, NKJV).

Simply put, a parable is an illustration of divine truth. The illustration is taken from ordinary life events, from which the spiritual lesson is drawn. Greek dictionaries define a “parable” (parabole) as “a similitude…fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral)” (Strong’s, G3850). Understanding the parables depends on the condition of one’s heart. Jesus explained this in the parable of the soils, which He said is key to understanding the parables (Mark 4:13, 14-20). An open, honest heart receives its meaning, holds it fast, and bears good fruit (Luke 8:9-10, 15). Hard, closed hearts do not receive God’s word and fail to understand and apply the parables of the Lord (Matt. 13:10-22). In today’s passage, the scribes and Pharisees complained against Jesus for receiving and eating with sinners. They distorted the truth of the matter. The sinners came to Jesus to hear Him teach. He did not endorse their sins; just the opposite. He taught them the way of God in truth to save them. Jesus answered His critics with three parables. God is compassionate toward sinners (Luke 15:4-7), God values each and every soul (Lk. 15:8-10), and God mercifully forgives sinners who repent and return to Him (Luke 15:11-24). Like the elder son, the complainers were ungrateful of their blessings and unmerciful toward sinners (Lk. 15:25-32). Powerful lessons for those who have “ears to hear” (Matt. 13:9).

All the People Came to Him #2101

2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.” (John 8:2–4, NKJV)

Why do people come to Jesus? This passage contrasts two different reasons. Some people come to Jesus to be taught by Him. They are ready to hear His words, to learn from Him. Those who “labor and are heavy laden” are among this number (Matt. 11:28-29). Open minds ready to receive and follow Jesus listen to Him with pure motives that increase faith (Acts 17:11-12). Others come to hear the words of Jesus with an agenda, like the scribes and Pharisees. They wanted to test Jesus so they could accuse Him of wrong (Jno. 8:5-6). They were not concerned about the law; they were violating it by their very conduct (where was the man involved in this sin?, Lev. 20:10). They were not interested in the woman’s salvation; she was a pawn in their devious attempt to ensnare the Son of God. Like them, some only listen to gospel preaching to disparage the gospel teacher, discard his gospel teaching, and generate doubt in others (cf. Acts 6:9-13). Use your opportunities to hear the gospel of Jesus with a ready heart, not a condemning eye. You will find rest for your soul when you come to Jesus this way (Matt. 11:28-29).