29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his
own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat
down with them. 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.”
Matthew (or Levi) then having received the Lord Jesus Christ for himself now gives Him a great feast at his own house. Matthew then having found the Lord Jesus now wants to share Him with everyone He knows. And in this Matthews friends are of others tax collectors and what Luke diplomatically here calls others (in Matthews own Gospel he records them as sinners, see Matt. 9:10). For these were Matthews only friends and associates. And yet the Lord Jesus Christ does not shun sharing a meal with them, because that is what they were, instead He graciously accepts Matthews invitation and shares Himself and His Word with everyone and anyone who will receive Him. For the Lord Jesus Christ’s table is a broad table with lots of room for everyone, from every walk of life, and thus it is an inclusive table, not an exclusive one! And so it was that a great number of tax collectors and sinners upon hearing that Matthew the now former tax collector was holding a feast for Jesus, also attended and sat down with Jesus to share a meal and have fellowship with Him at Matthews house.
Vs. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Now of course there were also present the scribes and Pharisees of the Jews who were like watchdogs, watching over the Jewish communities where they dwelt. And so upon seeing Jesus do so they were completely indignant that a rabbi like Jesus (for that is how they thought of Jesus, not as Lord and Savior, but just as a gifted rabbi or teacher) would dare do something like eat and drink and thus socialize with tax collectors and sinners, something that they themselves in all their religious “purity” and zeal would never do.
Vs. 31-32 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.”
Jesus upon perceiving the scribes and Pharisees complaints about His eating with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus now replies to them by saying that: “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.” In Jesus’ reply there are some critical things that must be noted. First is that the Lord Jesus Christ says that: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” That is those who think they are well as they now are; whether religious or godless; and thus, do not see themselves in need of salvation from their own sins and their own spiritually dead state, and thus do not perceive their own separation from God that comes through sin, have no need of a Physician, because they themselves have already judged themselves as being “good” and fine in the sight of God. Deceived then by their own religious zeal and self-sufficient pride, the scribes and Pharisees could easily see others as dirty and defiled sinners (unworthy of God’s Person, Presence and Mercies) and yet they themselves could not perceive their own sinfulness, indeed their own cruelty and hardness of heart, which is equally evil in the sight of God. Therefore, Jesus when He heard their complaints does hesitate to reply to them, saying: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick…” Because they do not perceive that they’re greatest need is for Jesus Christ the Great Physician to come into their person and life and heal and restore them back to God by their faith in His Person. For apart from the Lord Jesus Christ the One whom God has appointed as the everlasting Sacrifice and Atonement for all our sins by His own Death on the Cross, no one can be accepted or received by God. For no one can come to God based on their own righteousness, or “merits”, or religious services, or practices (Old Testament Job and Israel teaches us that). Therefore, the Word of God makes it clear that no one can be saved or accepted by God based on their own works or righteousness (Rom. 4:4-5; Gal. 2:16, 19-21; Eph. 2:8-9 etc.). Therefore, those individuals (whether religious or not) who think they are “okay” as they currently are, trusting themselves, or something or someone else other than the Lord Jesus Christ, are only blinded to their true spiritual condition and alienated state from God; an alienation and separation that ends in an eternity in hell! Therefore, because they do not see themselves as they truly are, spiritually dead in their sins and transgressions, and thus in need of God’s salvation from sin and death here and now which will save them for all of eternity, while bringing them to spiritual life and peace with God so that they can live holy, righteously, justly and abundantly today. Therefore because the scribes and Pharisees judged themselves as already being “well” in the sight of God, Jesus says to them (and all who think they also are well or okay in of themselves and apart from Him) that they do not need a physician; that is have Him come into their persons and lives and heal them and restore them back to God, because they themselves have already decided for themselves that they don’t need God. Therefore, they do not need a Physician, because they themselves do not see or perceive their own spiritual sickness and need for Him. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ says 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.”
Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ also says that He did not come to call the “righteous”, (which no one is apart from faith in Jesus Christ in the sight of God), but sinners to repentance. Something which we all are, and something which everyone has been from Adam and Eve forward, because we have all been born into their sinful and alienated state from God which happened when they rebelled against the Will of God in the garden and choose to listen and believe the devil who lied and deceived them into eating from the tree of knowledge which God sternly warned them not to do (Gen. 2:15-3:24, vs 2:17; 3:4-etc.). Therefore because of Adam’s sin, and thus we all being descendants of Adam and Eve, we are all born into the very same sinful and alienated state from God which Adam as the head of the human race ushered into the world, and thus all of God’s creation of which he was also the head of also became subject to the law of sin and death when Adam and his wife Eve ate of the tree of knowledge. No one then is exempt from the very just charge of being sinful, or a sinner in the sight of God, because from the very youngest to the very oldest we are now all confined under the law of sin and death. For through Adam not only do all become sinners in the sight of God, but all also die (Psalm 143:2; Rom. 3:23; 6:23 etc.). Therefore God not wanting to leave us eternally separated from Himself has provided our eternal redemption from sin and death through the Lord Jesus Christ by His first taking the place of Adam as the Head of the human race, by coming into the world as all mankind does, and then by His own Sacrificial Death on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead three days later. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ has provided the means by which God can now redeem and save us all who believe in Him (John 3:16-21; Rom 5:12-21) by our believing in Him and trusting His own Sacrificial death on the Cross as God’s permeant and everlasting atonement for all our sins and transgressions, because without the shedding of sacrificial blood there is no remission of sin (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). But now in Christ God has provided by One Sacrifice the permanent and everlasting atonement for us all who believe in Him, sanctifying and perfecting us forever in the sight of God, and thus making us who believe in Jesus Christ fully acceptable and receivable into God’s Presence and thus the Kingdom of heaven (Heb. 10:14).
Now repentance at its heart is a change of mind, and in this case a change of mind about one’s person and one’s own standing with God. In essence Jesus is saying here that those who do not make an honest assessment of themselves, cannot have Him come into their persons and life. For Jesus Christ will not come to the proud and self-sufficient (James 4:6), but He will come to every sinner who sees themselves and what they have done as being sinful and wrong in the sight of God, and thus in humility of heart and mind and or brokenness of spirit, repent and come to God through Him. These then will have the mercies of God from Him (consider Luke 18:9-14). For that is where repentance always starts with a change of mine about oneself and or God Himself, everything else then works itself out from there. However, the scribes and Pharisees did not see themselves as they truly were, sinners in need of salvation from sin, just like all people need salvation from sin and all its negative effects which end in death, because they made adhering to their religious services and practices the means by which they were righteous before God. Thus, they bypassed the fundamental problem with us all and that is indwelling sin which has corrupted us all. Therefore, though they were religious men, they were just as alienated from God as the very sinners which they condemned. For they had neither the love of God in them, or love for God flowing through them, thus though they were very religious in their lives their hearts were already hardened to the One who could and would save them. For they choose “religion” for themselves, rather than God’s salvation, which does not come by our own efforts to save ourselves or make ourselves right in the sight of God, but only by our placing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who by His Spirit indwelling us then changes us. Thus, God’s grace comes to one and to all who repent and believe in His Son. Something I now urge you to do, to make an honest assessment of yourself and see if you are truly right with God, and if not, come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, by looking to His death on the Cross as the Atoning sacrifice for all your sins and transgressions, and believing that He Rose from the dead, Jesus did so that He could bring new and everlasting life to you and to everyone who repents and believes in Him (Rom. 10:9-10. 13). Therefore, if you believe in Jesus Christ receive Him as your Lord and Savior and confess Him as Lord before one and all to the glory of God the Father. Because God loves you and sent His Son Jesus Christ not to condemn you, but to redeem you, and bring you back to Himself. Therefore, don’t delay believe in and receive the Lord Jesus Christ’s for yourself today!
Commentary
Vs. 29 “Then
Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of
tax collectors and others who sat down with them.”Matthew (or Levi) then having received the Lord Jesus Christ for himself now gives Him a great feast at his own house. Matthew then having found the Lord Jesus now wants to share Him with everyone He knows. And in this Matthews friends are of others tax collectors and what Luke diplomatically here calls others (in Matthews own Gospel he records them as sinners, see Matt. 9:10). For these were Matthews only friends and associates. And yet the Lord Jesus Christ does not shun sharing a meal with them, because that is what they were, instead He graciously accepts Matthews invitation and shares Himself and His Word with everyone and anyone who will receive Him. For the Lord Jesus Christ’s table is a broad table with lots of room for everyone, from every walk of life, and thus it is an inclusive table, not an exclusive one! And so it was that a great number of tax collectors and sinners upon hearing that Matthew the now former tax collector was holding a feast for Jesus, also attended and sat down with Jesus to share a meal and have fellowship with Him at Matthews house.
Vs. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Now of course there were also present the scribes and Pharisees of the Jews who were like watchdogs, watching over the Jewish communities where they dwelt. And so upon seeing Jesus do so they were completely indignant that a rabbi like Jesus (for that is how they thought of Jesus, not as Lord and Savior, but just as a gifted rabbi or teacher) would dare do something like eat and drink and thus socialize with tax collectors and sinners, something that they themselves in all their religious “purity” and zeal would never do.
Vs. 31-32 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.”
Jesus upon perceiving the scribes and Pharisees complaints about His eating with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus now replies to them by saying that: “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.” In Jesus’ reply there are some critical things that must be noted. First is that the Lord Jesus Christ says that: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” That is those who think they are well as they now are; whether religious or godless; and thus, do not see themselves in need of salvation from their own sins and their own spiritually dead state, and thus do not perceive their own separation from God that comes through sin, have no need of a Physician, because they themselves have already judged themselves as being “good” and fine in the sight of God. Deceived then by their own religious zeal and self-sufficient pride, the scribes and Pharisees could easily see others as dirty and defiled sinners (unworthy of God’s Person, Presence and Mercies) and yet they themselves could not perceive their own sinfulness, indeed their own cruelty and hardness of heart, which is equally evil in the sight of God. Therefore, Jesus when He heard their complaints does hesitate to reply to them, saying: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick…” Because they do not perceive that they’re greatest need is for Jesus Christ the Great Physician to come into their person and life and heal and restore them back to God by their faith in His Person. For apart from the Lord Jesus Christ the One whom God has appointed as the everlasting Sacrifice and Atonement for all our sins by His own Death on the Cross, no one can be accepted or received by God. For no one can come to God based on their own righteousness, or “merits”, or religious services, or practices (Old Testament Job and Israel teaches us that). Therefore, the Word of God makes it clear that no one can be saved or accepted by God based on their own works or righteousness (Rom. 4:4-5; Gal. 2:16, 19-21; Eph. 2:8-9 etc.). Therefore, those individuals (whether religious or not) who think they are “okay” as they currently are, trusting themselves, or something or someone else other than the Lord Jesus Christ, are only blinded to their true spiritual condition and alienated state from God; an alienation and separation that ends in an eternity in hell! Therefore, because they do not see themselves as they truly are, spiritually dead in their sins and transgressions, and thus in need of God’s salvation from sin and death here and now which will save them for all of eternity, while bringing them to spiritual life and peace with God so that they can live holy, righteously, justly and abundantly today. Therefore because the scribes and Pharisees judged themselves as already being “well” in the sight of God, Jesus says to them (and all who think they also are well or okay in of themselves and apart from Him) that they do not need a physician; that is have Him come into their persons and lives and heal them and restore them back to God, because they themselves have already decided for themselves that they don’t need God. Therefore, they do not need a Physician, because they themselves do not see or perceive their own spiritual sickness and need for Him. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ says 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.”
Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ also says that He did not come to call the “righteous”, (which no one is apart from faith in Jesus Christ in the sight of God), but sinners to repentance. Something which we all are, and something which everyone has been from Adam and Eve forward, because we have all been born into their sinful and alienated state from God which happened when they rebelled against the Will of God in the garden and choose to listen and believe the devil who lied and deceived them into eating from the tree of knowledge which God sternly warned them not to do (Gen. 2:15-3:24, vs 2:17; 3:4-etc.). Therefore because of Adam’s sin, and thus we all being descendants of Adam and Eve, we are all born into the very same sinful and alienated state from God which Adam as the head of the human race ushered into the world, and thus all of God’s creation of which he was also the head of also became subject to the law of sin and death when Adam and his wife Eve ate of the tree of knowledge. No one then is exempt from the very just charge of being sinful, or a sinner in the sight of God, because from the very youngest to the very oldest we are now all confined under the law of sin and death. For through Adam not only do all become sinners in the sight of God, but all also die (Psalm 143:2; Rom. 3:23; 6:23 etc.). Therefore God not wanting to leave us eternally separated from Himself has provided our eternal redemption from sin and death through the Lord Jesus Christ by His first taking the place of Adam as the Head of the human race, by coming into the world as all mankind does, and then by His own Sacrificial Death on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead three days later. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ has provided the means by which God can now redeem and save us all who believe in Him (John 3:16-21; Rom 5:12-21) by our believing in Him and trusting His own Sacrificial death on the Cross as God’s permeant and everlasting atonement for all our sins and transgressions, because without the shedding of sacrificial blood there is no remission of sin (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). But now in Christ God has provided by One Sacrifice the permanent and everlasting atonement for us all who believe in Him, sanctifying and perfecting us forever in the sight of God, and thus making us who believe in Jesus Christ fully acceptable and receivable into God’s Presence and thus the Kingdom of heaven (Heb. 10:14).
Now repentance at its heart is a change of mind, and in this case a change of mind about one’s person and one’s own standing with God. In essence Jesus is saying here that those who do not make an honest assessment of themselves, cannot have Him come into their persons and life. For Jesus Christ will not come to the proud and self-sufficient (James 4:6), but He will come to every sinner who sees themselves and what they have done as being sinful and wrong in the sight of God, and thus in humility of heart and mind and or brokenness of spirit, repent and come to God through Him. These then will have the mercies of God from Him (consider Luke 18:9-14). For that is where repentance always starts with a change of mine about oneself and or God Himself, everything else then works itself out from there. However, the scribes and Pharisees did not see themselves as they truly were, sinners in need of salvation from sin, just like all people need salvation from sin and all its negative effects which end in death, because they made adhering to their religious services and practices the means by which they were righteous before God. Thus, they bypassed the fundamental problem with us all and that is indwelling sin which has corrupted us all. Therefore, though they were religious men, they were just as alienated from God as the very sinners which they condemned. For they had neither the love of God in them, or love for God flowing through them, thus though they were very religious in their lives their hearts were already hardened to the One who could and would save them. For they choose “religion” for themselves, rather than God’s salvation, which does not come by our own efforts to save ourselves or make ourselves right in the sight of God, but only by our placing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who by His Spirit indwelling us then changes us. Thus, God’s grace comes to one and to all who repent and believe in His Son. Something I now urge you to do, to make an honest assessment of yourself and see if you are truly right with God, and if not, come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, by looking to His death on the Cross as the Atoning sacrifice for all your sins and transgressions, and believing that He Rose from the dead, Jesus did so that He could bring new and everlasting life to you and to everyone who repents and believes in Him (Rom. 10:9-10. 13). Therefore, if you believe in Jesus Christ receive Him as your Lord and Savior and confess Him as Lord before one and all to the glory of God the Father. Because God loves you and sent His Son Jesus Christ not to condemn you, but to redeem you, and bring you back to Himself. Therefore, don’t delay believe in and receive the Lord Jesus Christ’s for yourself today!
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson
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