Matthew 9:11-13

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Matthew 9:11-13
When Jesus attended a feast at Matthew’s house and ate with a group of tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees were appalled. They believed that touching or eating with sinners made them unclean. “Pharisee” meant “the separated one.” They prided themselves on maintaining a distance from all “defilements of the flesh,” and this included people who did not meet up to their standards of righteousness. However, Jesus answers that it is the only way a physician can help those who are sick. The Pharisees had missed the whole point of service to God. If we are not going to help others come to the Lord, then how do we have the love of God within us?Jesus challenges these Jews to learn the meaning of Hosea 6:6, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” This is the first of two times that Jesus will quote this passage to the Jews. For Jesus to continue to challenge them with this verse tells us that we also need to learn its meaning. The intent of the text is, I desire mercy, not simply sacrifices. It is too often typical of religious people to think they have satisfied the demands of service to God when they have participated in some act of worship. For the Jews, as long as the sacrifices and outward rituals of worship were offered, they believed their duty was done. But worship is to lead us to learn to have a heart like God. If we have not become more God-like, worship has lost its purpose.

“Mercy” refers to our relationships with others. We must live with a heart of compassion for those who are lost and in need around us. It is sad that religion has become something only done in a church building. James said, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Religion has to do both with our own inner life and how we love our fellowman.
Berry Kercheville