Verse of the Day 1/24

Through the Bible - Isaiah 7-8, Mark 3:1-19

 

Good morning,   

The men's small group that I'm in has been going through the gospel of Luke.  We are currently in Luke 5 where we have the call of Matthew (Levi).  He was a tax collector a profession that was thought of as being worse than the "average sinner".  You might equate it to organized crime today or corruption at the very least.

 

His call, and Jesus' spending time and going to his house infuriated the Pharisees.

 

For today's verse we'll go to Luke 5 for Jesus response to the Pharisees.

   

Luke 5:31-32 (English Standard Version)  And Jesus answered 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."

 

The religious establishment had no need for Jesus, no need for repentance (in their own eyes).  In their opinion, they were in the right and Jesus was upsetting the applecart, breaking the rules by meeting and having fellowship with these known scoundrels.

 

Jesus stated that He came to call sinners to repentance.  Commentator Henry Wansbrough writes that "he came not just to call sinners, but to call sinners to repentance.  The Greek word means 'a change of mind set'.  It consists in the adoption of a whole new set of values.  This is illustrated by the abandonment of such conventional ways to holiness as fasting; Jesus wants to emphasize the joy of coming to Him."

 

Like Abraham in the Old Testament, Matthew was asked to leave everything and follow Him, a total change, total repentance.

 

Wansbrough offered the following prayer in repsonse to that concept.

 

"Lord grant me to re-examine my values, the ways in which I think I am seeking you.  Lead me to a true conversion, so that my whole way of life flows from the joy of your kingship."

 

The pharisees thought they were seeking God.  Do we need some correction in the ways we "think" we are seeking God, are we willing to amend our ways, to come to Him and follow Him?

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Luke 5:29-32 (Amplified Bible)

²⁹And Levi (Matthew) made a great banquet for Him in his own house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others who were reclining [at the table] with them.

    ³⁰Now the Pharisees and their scribes were grumbling against Jesus' disciples, saying, Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and [preeminently] sinful people?

    ³¹And Jesus replied to them, It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.

    ³²I have not come to arouse and invite and call the righteous, but the erring ones (those not free from sin) to repentance [to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins].