Jesus’ Misunderstood Mission

Religious leaders misunderstood Jesus’ mission, 9:10-13

Matthew 9:10–13 NKJV

10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Who was hosting this gathering?

Matthew (don’t lose the context from verse 8)

Who was invited to this gathering?

tax collectors, Matthew himself being a tax collector. Tax collectors were seen as collaborators with Rome and traitors to their own people.

sinners, Matthew would have been one of them too. Sinners were the broader category of people who lived outside of the accepted societal norms. They were the non-conformists, the misfits, the rebels: anyone whose lifestyle was rejected by society.

Who was watching this gathering but definitely not participating?

The religious leaders. Those who exemplified society and were the gate keepers of society.

The same people who misunderstood God’s plan for millennia, always assuming it was about outward adherence, not inward transformation.

Hosea 6:6 NKJV

6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

How did Jesus define his mission?

heal those who are sick

teach those who are ignorant

summon those who are sinful

Religious zealots misunderstood Jesus’ mission, 9:14-17

Matthew 9:14–17 NKJV

14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Fasting, the practice of not eating for a day or days, was seen as a display of zeal. The more zealous for God you were, and the more zealous for God you wanted to appear, the more frequently you would sacrifice meals and personal comfort for God.

There is a right time to fast

Reveling in Jesus’ presence was not the right time

Awaiting Jesus return was the right time

There is a right way to fast

Jesus’ mission was to bring about something new and different than what John’s disciples understood.

The examples of garment repair and wineskins were trying to communicate that Jesus was doing something new in a way that people could understand.

People who saw their own needs understood Jesus’ mission, 9:18-34

It is interesting in this context to note that Jesus’ pursuit of His mission is demonstrated in a progression leading away from society.

The people and problems Jesus helped

The ruler of the temple, 18-19, 23-26

Matthew 9:18–19 NKJV

18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

Matthew 9:23–26 NKJV

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

He was a respected member of society

We are not told what measure he had taken within society to tend to his daughter, but it is likely he took many.

Those efforts had all failed.

The woman who touched his garment, 20-22

Matthew 9:20–22 NKJV

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

She was on the outskirts of society.

She had money and was attended by doctors

her money and her doctors could not heal her

Most people in society would consider that a sign from God that she had done something terribly wrong and was suffering for it (no, they hadn’t learned anything from the book of Job)

Two blind men, 27-31

Matthew 9:27–31 NKJV

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

Blind people were definitely outside of society

blind people, like many disable people, subsisted by begging

A demon-possessed man, 32-34

Matthew 9:32–34 NKJV

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

This guy was way outside of society: not only was he disabled (mute), he was known for being possessed.

Religious society definitely shuns those who are agents for the other side, regardless of how or why they are so.

The commonalities these people shared

What was Jesus’ mission again?

heal those who are sick

teach those who are ignorant

summon those who are sinful

What did all of these people do?

They all knew they had a need

They all were desperate to have that need met

They all believed Jesus could meet that need

They all received the help they needed

What lessons can we learn from the people Jesus helped?

Admitting our need is the first step to receiving help

Believing Jesus can help is the second step to receiving help

Confessing that belief is the final step to receiving help

This is how we get saved, but it is also how we get helped.

Conclusion

When we see ourselves as sick, ignorant, and sinful, we make ourselves prime candidates for receiving Jesus’ help. When we add belief to that admission and ask for help, we will receive it.

Jesus will not fail anyone who asks for help. But He also will not force Himself on anyone who doesn’t want it and thinks they don’t need it.