THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 460

As with many longstanding traditions involving institutions, often the message being disseminated today varies significantly from the originating foundational truths. This becomes evident when one reads the scriptures and compares Jesus' teachings to the message being taught today by established religion. It is also interesting how people's motivations change when confronted with realities that don't necessarily fit within their man-made institutional mandate.

I was thinking about this phenomena when reading Mark chapter 2. This chapter highlights examples off Jesus' compassion for people, including healing the paralytic carried to the rooftop by four men As we read in the Biblical passage, Jesus saw their faith and said to the man, "My son, your sins are forgiven!" In the distance watching were the scribes (and later in the chapter the Pharisees). In their hearts, they were questioning the actions of Jesus saying, "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 

Their compassion for the paralyzed man was not their first priority. Even as the crowds gathered around Jesus to hear His teachings, the Pharisees held to their traditions, fasting instead. "Why does He [Jesus] eat with sinners and tax collectors?" was the question of the day. Repeatedly, the Pharisees dismissed Jesus for going against tradition. In this case, it was for performing numerous healing of the sick and miracles on the Sabbath. 

Still, the people who listened understood. When John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, the people came to Jesus and asked, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast but your disciples do not fast?" (Mark 2:18) Jesus' response was telling.

"Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The day will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast in that day." Then Jesus cited two examples that we can all understand.

"No one sews a piece of un-shrunk cloth on an old garment, If he does, the patch tears away from it. The new from the old and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wine skins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins and the wine is lost. And so are the skins but new wine is for fresh skins." In other words,  Jesus saw that it wasn't those who were well that needed a physician to heal them but those who are sick. It was not the righteous who needed a Saviour to rescue them but the sinners.

So while the Pharisees held counsel against Jesus, the people ate from the "presence" of their Lord and Saviour. While the religious held that it was unlawful to perform miracles and healings on the Sabbath, the people recognized that Jesus -- the Son of man -- was Lord, even over the Sabbath. While the scribes and Pharisees called Jesus' willingness to forgive sins blasphemy, the people recognized that the reason Jesus could forgive sins was because He was God in the flesh. 

A contrasting difference in perspectives in these scriptures and one that tells so much. Read Mark 2 for yourself and marvel in the goodness of God! "Follow Me" said Jesus and in so doing, put yourself in His offering plate!