The Argument From His Authority (Matt. 9:12-13)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/21/2021 9:54 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  The Argument From His Authority

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matt. 9:12-13

 

            Message of the verses:  “12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 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.’”

 

            We are looking at the last of the arguments seen in these two verses, and it comes from the section “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”  I suppose that the word righteous in this section can cause problems to some, but Jesus is speaking of those who think that they are righteous, not those who have received the imputed righteous of God through Jesus Christ at their salvation.  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” writes Paul to the Romans, but not all will come to the knowledge of knowing that they need a Savior, that there is nothing that they can do on their own to receive eternal life, but that once their faith is placed in the Lord Jesus Christ who paid for their sins then they will receive eternal life, but those who do not admit that they are sinners and who say that they don’t have a need of a Savior will not receive this righteous only available in Jesus Christ.

 

            We can also see from this section from Matthew chapter nine that Jesus gladly associated and identified with tax-gatherers and other sinners, as at this time He had called Matthew the dreaded tax-gather and was eating with Matthew’s friends in the house of Matthew, and this is what caused the Pharisees to be so upset because they thought that they were the only “righteous” ones around. 

 

            In some other passages that speak of these incidents we see the words “to repentance” inserted at the end of verse 13.  It is the repentant person who is is sinful and who acknowledges and turns from their sins. 

 

            In MacArthur’s commentary he writes the following “In response to a later similar charge by the Pharisees and scribes that He ‘receives sinners and eats with them’ (Luke 5:12), Jesus gave three illustrations of God’s concern for and forgiveness of the penitent sinner.  Through the stories of the lost sheep and lost coin, He pointed up the truth that ‘there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance’ (v. 7; cf. v. 10).  In the story of the prodigal son, He dramatically illustrates the double-sided truth that God is overjoyed with a humble sinner who repents and is grieved by the self-righteous person (represented by the older brother) who is himself unforgiving of others and even resents God’s forgiveness of them (see specifically vv. 21-32).

 

            “Kaleo (to call) was often used of inviting a guest to one’s home for food and lodging.  The inference here is clear.  Jesus did not come to call the self-righteous to salvation for the same reason He did not call the Pharisees to recline with Him at the dinner of Matthew’s house.” We have already talked about this in the first paragraph of this SD so I won’t go into it again.

            There is another similar story found in Luke’s gospel concerning a Pharisee:  “9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10  "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13  "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14  "I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Luke 18:9-14). 

 

            There are other stories found in the gospels that go along with what we are looking at here but I will only name another’s reference:  Matthew 22:1-10; cf. 21:33-46.

 

            MacArthur concludes this section:  “The Kingdom of God is for the spiritually sick who want to be healed, the spiritual corrupt who want to be cleansed, the spiritually poor who want to be rich, the spiritually hungry who want to be fed, the spiritually dead who want to be made alive.  It is for ungodly outcasts who long to become God’s own beloved children.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is my desire to show others through the blogs that I write that at times go onto FB stories to understand the truths that are found in these very verses that we are studying at this time, that is we are all lost and can do nothing about it but come to the cross where Jesus paid it all.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord for the outcome of something that I have been praying for, for a long while now.

 

5/21/2021 10:35 AM