The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Matthew 9:12,
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."
On the day that Jesus called the writer of this gospel to follow him, he went to go eat at his home. There, Jesus reclined at table with Matthew and what the Pharisees called "tax collectors and sinners." The religious leaders wanted to know why a man who claimed to speak for God would sit down to eat with such people.
Jesus' response was to chastise them for engaging in their religious activities while not caring for sinners, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" and to make clear why he had come. He came to save "sinners" not the righteous, and used the simile that it is a sick person, not a healthy person, who needs a doctor.
It should go without saying that if the underlying thesis of the simile is false, then it would have been a poor response. However, as always, it was a brilliant point which ended the matter.
This brings to mind my frustration with those "Christian" groups who reject the services of doctors in favor of "faith healing". They have their proof texts, such as Isaiah 53:5, James 5:13-16 as well as others. With these in hand, they accuse all others of denying faith in Jesus Christ when visiting the doctor.
As is often the case, there is so much more they fail to see, they fail to look at. Throwing a few "proof texts" at a theological argument does not suffice in studying a matter thoroughly. Show me the passage where Jesus tells us we don't need doctors when sick. This passage in Matthew says the opposite. Explain to me why those of the other persuasion get the flu like you and me, get cancer, have heart attacks... why is there a graveyard behind the church?
Why does Paul tell us our bodies are not yet redeemed, although we are? See Romans 8:23. What happens to our bodies when we embrace Jesus Christ in faith that we no longer require the services of a doctor?
Just musing out loud here. What do you think?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."
On the day that Jesus called the writer of this gospel to follow him, he went to go eat at his home. There, Jesus reclined at table with Matthew and what the Pharisees called "tax collectors and sinners." The religious leaders wanted to know why a man who claimed to speak for God would sit down to eat with such people.
Jesus' response was to chastise them for engaging in their religious activities while not caring for sinners, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" and to make clear why he had come. He came to save "sinners" not the righteous, and used the simile that it is a sick person, not a healthy person, who needs a doctor.
It should go without saying that if the underlying thesis of the simile is false, then it would have been a poor response. However, as always, it was a brilliant point which ended the matter.
This brings to mind my frustration with those "Christian" groups who reject the services of doctors in favor of "faith healing". They have their proof texts, such as Isaiah 53:5, James 5:13-16 as well as others. With these in hand, they accuse all others of denying faith in Jesus Christ when visiting the doctor.
As is often the case, there is so much more they fail to see, they fail to look at. Throwing a few "proof texts" at a theological argument does not suffice in studying a matter thoroughly. Show me the passage where Jesus tells us we don't need doctors when sick. This passage in Matthew says the opposite. Explain to me why those of the other persuasion get the flu like you and me, get cancer, have heart attacks... why is there a graveyard behind the church?
Why does Paul tell us our bodies are not yet redeemed, although we are? See Romans 8:23. What happens to our bodies when we embrace Jesus Christ in faith that we no longer require the services of a doctor?
Just musing out loud here. What do you think?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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