Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-23
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and companions. They did not see the
spiritual purpose of the feast They could
not understand that IL was a farewell
supper at which Matthew would renounce
the old life and swear allegiance to
Christ
They could understand the reason for
the large number who responded 10 Mat
thew's invitations because Jesus had been
the popular guest at many feast made
by their own number. where scribes.
spies and society met the prophet OF
Nazareth and listened to the words OF
wisdom that fell from His lips Men had
coveted the honor to entertain Him. In
vitatlons to any feast where He would
be present We're eagerly sought by MEM
berS OF the social circles.
The acceptance of Matthew's hospitality
increased their opposition to Christ With
diabolical craftiness the scribes who were
Pharisees. tried to undermine the in
huence of Christ over His disciples. They
selected the weak ones whom they
thought they might influence by their
backbiting, for they had learned by sad
experience that they stood no chance in
any controversy with Christ. They picked
out those whose training had been in the
school of John the Baptist or the ritual
or the Pharisees. and cunningly put the
question of How is il that He eateth
and drinketh with publicans and sim
ners?"
Their effort to stir up suspicion in the
minds Of the disciples of Jesus failed, for
the honest and faithful men who had
rallied to Christ's call referred their COM
plant to Christ. Jesus met the phari-
Salcai objection with what was evidently
one of their favorite reasons for not ac-
cepting His teachings. They that are
whole have no need Of a physician but
they that are sick; L come not to call the
righteous but sinners" In this He re-
versed their theory of religion. Against
their standpat system, which had be-
come petrified, Christ presents His pro-
gressive system of love that seeks to
save the lost by giving them life and
liberty.
Matthew tells us that He also added
another rabbinical phrase, used by them
in correcting the scholars whose work
was superficial, and urged them, the pro-
fessed teachers of religion, Ito go and
learn what that meaneth II will have
mercy and not sacrifice" Christ based
His authority for His work as a social
physician by quoting from Hosea, where
the prophet speaks of how the Lord him.
defense was a claim that He was doing
the work OF God, who alone, according to
the passage from which He quoted, could
heal. 1t was in reply to the same crit-
cism that Christ gave that series of para
bles upon the lost coin, the lost sheep
and the prodigal and elder brother.
Religion that is worth while must save
men, To save them you must 20 to them.
Christ, the social moral and religious
physician, must find the place where Their.
was need of help. The church that full
Nils Its mission as we'll the Christian
that obeys Christ's commands will be
found among sinners calling them to re-
pentance. There IS no word of grace for
the self-righteous but for the sinner that
will repent Christ has a gospel that will
transform their life, even as He changed
Levi. the publican, to Matthew, the gift
of God, the apostle of the Lord. If the
sinner refuses there is no hope, for the
gospels promise of salvation is for thu.
whatsoever Will accept and His condsm-
nation is upon the whatsoever won't"
class.
The conservation Of mankind requires
cooperation of man with the Great Ply
stefan who came to seek and save those
that We're lost. Christ saved Matthew by
His love. The restoration to society and
service of God called forth an expression
of appreciation Matthew considered the
banquet the best way to close his old life
and enter upon the new. His efforts to
win hts old friends to Christ was sue
cess. The sympathy expressed by Jesus
not only in words, but in the action OF
life. stirred their hearts, filled them with
the aspiration for a new life. The hope
of the Master for the lost was realized.
He had not come in vain to call them to
repentance. for they obeyed His call.
Christ. who expressed the love OF God I'm
His life. fulfilled the teachings of the Old
Testament that the scribes failed to
grasp of Gods love for the lost. Failing
to win out in their criticism against eat
ing with sinners. the scribes stirred up
the followers OF John to raise the ques-
ton of the propriety OF q feast on a fast
day.