hotcoffee
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The Calling of Matthew
Back in Chapter 5 Jesus talked about the tax collectors. He referred to them as people everyone hated.... said it was easy to hate them....
Tax collectors were also called Publicans and they were employed by the Roman Government to collect taxes. There was very little oversight so they could hit the people with high taxes, steal from them.
We learned that Matthew [the writer of this book] was one of the disciples. So this is where Jesus called Matthew to follow Him. Matthew not only left his booth but took Jesus to his home for dinner. There were other tax collectors.
Now the Pharisees [blue collar Jews] just couldn't understand why Jesus would be eating with all these sinners. Fair enough.... after all He was a Rabbi... teaching and healing... it would be the same as a preacher hanging out with thieves and bandits today..... right?
Anyway Jesus heard this and Jesus quoted a minor prophet Hosia.... He said... [paraphrasing] "go figure out the difference between mercy and sacrifice"
It's about how they got along with one another, loyalty for to the Lord. It was about sacrifice due to the faith rather than sacrifice because it's required. The word used in Hosea was hesed... HESED, describes a mutual relationship between man and between God. Translating it as `mercy,' `compassion,' or `love' destroys the concept of mutuality.
In other words.... Jesus was eating with them because they loved God....
Matthew had Hesed.... how cool is that?
Matthew 9:9 "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.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
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.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Back in Chapter 5 Jesus talked about the tax collectors. He referred to them as people everyone hated.... said it was easy to hate them....
Tax collectors were also called Publicans and they were employed by the Roman Government to collect taxes. There was very little oversight so they could hit the people with high taxes, steal from them.
We learned that Matthew [the writer of this book] was one of the disciples. So this is where Jesus called Matthew to follow Him. Matthew not only left his booth but took Jesus to his home for dinner. There were other tax collectors.
Now the Pharisees [blue collar Jews] just couldn't understand why Jesus would be eating with all these sinners. Fair enough.... after all He was a Rabbi... teaching and healing... it would be the same as a preacher hanging out with thieves and bandits today..... right?
Anyway Jesus heard this and Jesus quoted a minor prophet Hosia.... He said... [paraphrasing] "go figure out the difference between mercy and sacrifice"
Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings".
It's about how they got along with one another, loyalty for to the Lord. It was about sacrifice due to the faith rather than sacrifice because it's required. The word used in Hosea was hesed... HESED, describes a mutual relationship between man and between God. Translating it as `mercy,' `compassion,' or `love' destroys the concept of mutuality.
In other words.... Jesus was eating with them because they loved God....
Matthew had Hesed.... how cool is that?
