The Feast For Sinners

Bible Reading

Mark 2:13–17 NIV84

13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Introduction

Mark 2:17 NIV84

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

1. The Context

Mark 2:13 NIV84

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Scandal of Grace (2:13–17)

Mark again summarizes Jesus’ ministry in a word, “and he was teaching them” (edidasken; NIV, “and he began to teach them”).18 The term itself, and the way Mark repeatedly uses it to characterize Jesus’ ministry, indicate the essential role that teaching played in Jesus’ ministry

Mark 10:1 NIV84

Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

Video posted by Ligonier ministries, and in it a number of people were asked some questions relating to the faith…expand...

Mark 2:14 NIV84

As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

The New American Commentary: Mark (2) Over Associating with Tax Collectors and “Sinners” (2:13–17)

Levi was a minor official of the Jewish client-king Herod Antipas and not a Roman tax collector.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Scandal of Grace (2:13–17)

The Roman system of taxation depended on graft and greed, and it attracted enterprising individuals who were not adverse to such means.

Mark 2:15 NIV84

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark The Scandal of Grace (2:13–17)

Some of the above are criminal elements, but many are simply laborers and commoners, who were too busy, too poor, or too ignorant to live up to the rules of the religious authorities.

2. The Conflict Arises

Mark 2:16 NIV84

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

The New American Commentary: Mark (2) Over Associating with Tax Collectors and “Sinners” (2:13–17)

In Semitic society table fellowship was one of the most intimate expressions of friendship.

Imagine that after a particular church service, as we’re gathered together outside having coffee and fellowshipping together, you ask me how my week has been. And I explain to you that it’s been a good week, and the highlight of my week has been to go and have a very lovely dinner with some very well-known family. And so you ask, “well where exactly did you go for this lovely dinner, and what was the family like?” And my response is that the house that I went to is in a suburb known as Saxonworld, and I met and had a wonderful meal around the table with the family affectionately known as the Guptas. And I go on to explain that I was not the only guest there, but there were a whole host of other people, most of them being very significant and high ranking politicians, and even a few guests as far afield as Dubai. Now obviously this is a very far-fetched scenario…but if it had to be told, I’m quite certain that you would begin to have quite a sick feeling in your gut, and your mind would begin to work overtime, wondering precisely why it is that I was visiting such a family. Whether or not the family, and those that they’ve gathered with are actually guilty of doing anything wrong or not is quite besides the point - the fact is that they have reputation, and anyone it seems who even goes to their house is automatically assumed to be linked in some way to corrupt dealings. And so if you had to hear that the man who is supposed to be bringing God’s word to you is visiting with people of such questionable character, you would begin to ask some pretty serious questions, would you not?

3. The Response from Jesus

Mark 2:17 NIV84

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Luke 18:10–14 NIV84

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

1 John 1:8–9 NIV84

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Application

A) Who Do We Evangelise?

B) How do we Evangelise?

C) Acceptance by Christ, Irrespective of Who you Are!

D) Legalism vs. Antinomianism

Conclusion

Philippians 4:2–3 NIV84

2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.