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).

Strange Things #2405

And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” (Luke 5:26, NKJV)

Jesus was ordinary and extraordinary. His physical appearance was nothing exceptional, but His teachings were (Isa. 53:2; Luke 5:26; Mark 2:12). They were astonishing and authoritative, far surpassing what the people heard from the scribes (Matt. 7:28-29). When officers were sent to seize Him, they returned empty-handed, admitting, “No man ever spoke like this Man” (John 7:32, 45-46). The strange thing the people saw in today’s passage was Jesus giving miraculous proof He is the Son of Man who forgives sins (Luke 5:17-25). Jesus saw the faith of those who had lowered the man through the roof into His presence. They believed Jesus could heal him. Jesus did so much more by healing his soul of sin. Some who heard Him thought Jesus spoke blasphemy, so He challenged them to believe He is God by healing the man. Extraordinary, miraculous proof. Only God can forgive sins and heal the lame. Jesus did things contrary to expectation (i.e., “strange”). The reactions were varied: The healed man glorified God, the people who saw these things praised God in their astonishment, but the scribes and Pharisees refused to believe in Jesus. His extraordinary words and works should compel us to believe and follow Him (like Matthew, Luke 5:27-28; Matt. 9:9).

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).

Jesus Taught With Authority #2350

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes (Matthew 7:28–29, NKJV).

Those who heard Jesus’s message were astonished when His sermon on the mountain concluded. Utter amazement swept over the Galilean crowd who, with rapt attention, had listened to the Teacher from Nazareth. They had not heard teaching like this before. Jesus taught authoritatively from within Himself, not like the rabbis in their synagogues who leaned upon previous experts in the law to support their premises. Jesus spoke truth with the authority of heaven, independent of what men opined and postulated. His words bore the voice of heaven’s power (not the impotent regulations of men). They still do. Jesus competently and boldly taught the righteousness of the kingdom because He possessed the authority (power, the right) to do so. He is God with us, the Word who became flesh, full of grace and truth (Matt. 1:23; John 1:1-3, 14, 17). To honor the Father, we must hear (receive) the teachings of His Son, Jesus (Matt. 17:5). We stand in awe of the truth Jesus taught and its power to save the lost and secure the saved (Matt. 4:23; 9:35). So may we ever submit to the authority of Jesus Christ and be counted righteous by faith instead of futilely trying to establish our own brand of righteousness (Matt. 5:20; Rom. 1:16-17; 10:1-3). The Master Teacher has spoken. He who has ears to hear, let him hear (Matt. 13:9, 13-17).

“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.

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).

“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).

Brood of Vipers #1912

“Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33, NKJV)

Christ’s words were scalding as He exposed the sins of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. “Woe to you…hypocrites!” “Blind guides!” “Fools and blind!” “Serpents, brood of vipers!” May disciples of Jesus follow His example of exposing, rebuking, and even pronouncing God’s condemnation of those who teach error and, by it, lead others into sin? Some say, “No, this was Jesus! He knew men’s hearts, but we don’t. We are not Jesus; we cannot do this.” Yet, here and elsewhere, Jesus addressed both the sinful conduct and the motives of heart that produced their error and sin. Both teachings and behavior, whether good or evil, come from the heart (Matt. 12:35). When He warned against false prophets, Jesus said: “you will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15-16). Since we can know false proclaimers of God’s word from the fruit of their teachings, surely we are to warn others of the danger their error poses (Paul did this, 1 Tim. 4:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:16-18). Couple this with the undeniable truth that disciples follow their Master’s example, and we have ample right and reason to carefully identify and denounce sin and error (Lk. 6:40). Perhaps we should ask, did Jesus sin by using such harsh denunciations? No. Was His heart pure when He did? Yes. And, our hearts can be pure and our conduct without sin when we follow His example of warning against error and identifying those who promote it. Indeed, our hearts must be pure as we examine and expose error, lest we fall under the same condemnation (Rom. 2:1-2; 1 Tim. 4:16). God’s truth is our guiding light to expose sin and to advance righteousness (Jno. 3:19-21).