Mark: Matthew Entertains Jesus

1. Additional Scriptural readings suggested: Mark 4:1-20; 4:21-25

2. A short reading:

"The issue is not the finiteness of man but his sin, not his involvement in the flux of nature but his abortive efforts to escape that flux. The issue of Biblical religion is not primarily the problem of how finite man can know God but how sinful man is to be reconciled to God and how history is to overcome the tragic consequences of its "false etemals," its proud and premature efforts to escape finiteness." Reinhold Niebuhr, The Nature and Destiny of Man, vol. 1, 147)

3. Text for meditation (in Italics):

¹ When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. ³ Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" ⁸ At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? ' ¹⁰ But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic ¹¹ "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." ¹² And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" ¹³ Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. ¹⁴ As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. ¹⁵ And as he sat at dinner in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples -- for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? "

4. Reflections: Sitting or reclining at this table were "the good, the bad, and the ugly." Matthew prepared a banquet in Jesus' honor and among his guests were some former associates and some "sinners." It is important to note that the "scribes of the Pharisees" knew all the pertinent details of what was going on, and they were ready with their condemnation: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" This is another good question asked by the right people but with the wrong attitude.

We know each of the major Jewish groups (Essenes, Sadducees, and Pharisees, which was the largest group of the three) had their own scribes, those who taught Old Testament thought according to their respective traditions. In this they were like Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and Roman Catholics, to name a few. It is fair to assume that the scribes of the Pharisees were the most rigid in their following of the Law, at least by their own reckoning. This put them a notch above the rest, at least in their own eyes. The Pharisees were "separatists," being openly opposed to the influences of Greek life on Jewish people. Therefore, when they saw Jesus eating and drinking with sinners, they were very upset.

What did it mean in Jesus' day for one to be a sinner? This is not as easy to determine as we might think. One size does not fit all. A sinner might be one who deviated from the dietary laws of Israel, as might be the case in this text. A sinner might be one who was involved in a great sin, such as adultery or murder, but there is a wide difference between this and, say, eating pork. There are many nuances in dealing with the word "sin." In essence, to sin is to intentionally disregard or break a known law of God. Sinners were people who knowing God's will decided to break it anyway. Not all sin is the same, but all sin needs remedy. And, sin also implies guilt and a desire to be free of guilt as well as sin. The sinners at table with Jesus were likely so because they ate with Him, or with lowlifes such as tax collectors. It was assumed that tax collectors were sinners

5. Questions raised today for personal reflection:

Is sin still a problem? Oh yes, sin is a major problem. I heard a social commentator the other day say that it is easier for us to hate people than to like them, to be judgmental than to be forgiving. That, he said, like it or not, is human nature. I am sure that is the case, as humans we find it easier to live mad rather than glad. Christian spirituality recognizes this problem in us, and urges us to become changed people so we can live as Christ wants us to live. Whenever I gripe at the driver in front of me, or say spiteful things about office personnel who bother me, or make fun of relatives, or members of the other political party, or curse my "bad luck," I show myself to be a partner to sin. We know better, but.... We are only human! But Christ has come..

What would Jesus gain by associating with sinners? Actually, in the first century, eating dinner with someone was tacit approval of them. To the Pharisee it appeared as though Jesus condoned the behavior of sinners. We know that is not so; we know Jesus wanted women and men, and children with understanding, to follow Him all the way to the kingdom, to be God's children, and to live in ways that please the Lord. Some Christians go into bars and nightclubs to bear witness to Christ. Some churches openly invite questionable characters to participate in their services. To gain what? To gain what Christ gained, changed people through the power of God. But if a bar is a source of temptation to you, stay out!

6. Suggestions for prayer: Let us praise the Lord that He loves sinners like us. We need to pray for grace to live lives of obedience, free of everything would tear us apart and bring us down. This means we need to pray for grace to resist temptation and not to put ourselves in any place where sin might have an inroad into our hearts. We need to pray for those people who become members of our church, that they would follow the Lord and be good disciples. Likewise, we need to pray for the ministers of our church, that they would be examples of healthy spiritual living.