Mark 2:15-17

Passage

In Levi’s house, Jesus was gathered for a meal.  There were tax-collectors and other “sinners” with Jesus and His disciples because Jesus attracted a large crowd.  When the scribes and the Pharisees saw the company that Jesus kept, they complained to Jesus’ disciples asking, “Why does He eat with them?”  When Jesus heard it, He replied that the only people who are in need of a doctor are the ones who know themselves to be sick.  Then Jesus reminded them that He was called to change the lives of sinners.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

At Levi’s house, Jesus meets more “sinners.”  Of course, everyone that Jesus met was a sinner because every human being is a sinner.  However, these people in Levi’s house would have been the fringe of Jewish society.  These would be those with ties to the Roman government - maybe other tax collectors.  Perhaps some soldiers – for the tax collectors always went about their work with soldiers to guard the collections.  There would have been Jews who were trying to connect with Rome.  Ancient life – much like today – was very political.  It was all about who you know and what connection you had.  These people – the fringe of Jewish society – were the ones that Jesus met with in Levi’s house.

What does it mean to you that Jesus ate among the fringe of society?  What does it mean to you that Jesus was not eating with the religious leaders and the heads of Judaism?

Second Thought:

The Pharisees and the scribes complain.  But notice something.  They complain not to Jesus but to His disciples.  The disciples are the ones who feel the brunt of the pressure.  They don’t go after the lead dog, the Pharisees and the scribes start looking for the weaker links.  They look to see if there are any stragglers in Jesus’ discipleship core that they can start to pull away from Jesus.  {In the long run, they do find one: Judas.}  There is a pretty clear lesson here.  When people want to disrupt a system, they don’t start with the leader.  They go after the leader’s followers.

Why is this important to understand?  Why is this dynamic important to teach people at the beginning of their discipleship process?  Why do the Pharisees want to attack the new disciples rather than Jesus Himself?

Third Thought:

When Jesus hears about it, He takes the offensive.  Jesus doesn’t tell the disciples to go back to the Pharisees and fight the battle.  This battle is serious enough for the Pharisees to receive a direct confrontation from Jesus.  On one hand, Jesus is absolutely protecting His disciples.  On another hand, Jesus is trying to convict the Pharisees.  The only people who can be saved are those who see their inability to save themselves.  The only ones who can be saved are “the sick.”  Those who arrogantly think that they are healthy on their own merit can have nothing done for them by Jesus.

What does this passage teach us about our need for repentance and humbleness?  What is the danger of overlooking repentance?

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 2:18-19