Monday: Calling Levi and the Question of Fasting
Daily Lesson for Monday 15th of July 2024
Read Mark 2:13-22. Who was Levi, the son of Alphaeus, and why would there be an objection to him becoming a disciple of Jesus?
Tax collectors in Jesus’ day were civil servants under the local or Roman government. They were unpopular among the Jewish population in Judea because they often exacted more than required and became rich off their countrymen. A Jewish commentary on religious law, the Mishnah tractate Tohoroth says, “If taxgatherers entered a house [all that is within it] becomes unclean.”
Image © Kim Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Thus, it is not surprising that the scribes inquire disapprovingly, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
How did Jesus respond to their question? He doesn’t reject it. Instead, He turns it on its head, indicating that people who are sick, not who are healthy, need a doctor. He thereby claims the moniker of spiritual doctor, the One who can heal the sin-sick soul. And should not a doctor go where the sick are?
Mark 2:18-22 picks up a new theme. It is the central story of these five stories dealing with controversy. Where the previous section included a feast provided by Levi, this next story revolves around the question of fasting. It consists of a query as to why Jesus’ disciples do not fast when John the Baptist’s and the Pharisees’ do. Jesus responds with an illustration or parable in which He compares His presence to a wedding feast. It would be an extremely odd wedding if the guests all fasted. But Jesus does predict a day when the bridegroom will be taken away, an allusion to the Cross. There will be plenty of time for fasting then.
Jesus continues with two illustrations that highlight the contrast between His teaching and that of the religious leaders—unshrunk cloth on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins. What an interesting way to contrast the teaching of Christ and the religious leaders. It shows just how corrupted the ways of the teachers had become. Even true religion can be turned into darkness if people are not careful.
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Who are those who today might be looked upon as the tax collectors were in Jesus’ day? How do we adjust our thinking regarding them? |
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Mark continues to document Jesus' radical approach. He calls Levi, a tax collector, to be a disciple. The Jews took the idea of purity very seriously, and to them tax collectors were impure. You did not make friends with a tax collector because it would make you unclean.
Then the question of fasting arose. Ritual fasting and cleansing are very important to the Jews. Even today you will see the Hassidim Jews retaining many of the same rituals. Jesus and his disciples ignored these rituals, bring them into conflict with local religious leaders.
Jesus indicated where he was going using the "new wine in old wineskins" illustration. In terms of the day Jesus was a radical liberal.
That raised the question: How radical is our Christianity? I don't mean how radical are our doctrines. But is our practice of Christianity radical in the same way as Jesus' actions?
In Jesus's story of the old and new cloth and wineskins, perhaps He was alluding to the old and new covenants, which He had not yet introduced, and was introducing the dispensation of grace?
Regarding Jesus's teaching of scripture, one should note that Paul spoke of the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.Taking it further, we should could note that there are two types of Believers in the church. Those who are of the flesh with the spirit in them,and those who are spiritual living in the flesh!
There are so many situations and conditions that I can go through without demonstrating empathy. The best place to practice this is at home! When I can see the need for empathy in my own house, I may be ready to practice this outside of it. Social relationship features have to be developed in the family circle first.
Indeed, my brother Maurice Ashton.
Jesus was an enigma to the religious ruling class. They saw Him as a radical liberal while the people saw Jesus as a radical conservative who was liberal in dispensing God's Grace to sinners. How do people see us? Where do we find ourselves on the spectrum of law/grace? Do we have friends that are "sinners", our mission field, or do we only have friends that are "saints", the church people, who in actuality are likewise sinners themselves? Do we fast like the Pharisees, to be noticed, or do we fast without announcing and grimacing to the world? The heart is the heart of the matter. Why do we do what we do? How do we treat those that sin differently than ourselves?
Oh, to be like Jesus! Reminds me of the hymn, "Be like Jesus".
Jesus was seen as a radical by the religious leaders of his day because he called sinners to follow him. The self righteous Pharisees were isolationists against "sinners", afraid that the sinner's "cooties" would rub off on them and defile them. Jesus embraced sinners unafraid of their "cooties", but hoping that His righteousness would rub off on them, and it did. Matthew Levi and Zaccheus were two despised tax collectors whose lives were changed by Jesus' friendship. Are the lives of "sinners" in our circle of influence changed by our presence in their lives? Jesus loved the sinner while hating the sin, a lesson that we as God's ambassadors must learn. Jesus was a Liberal/Conservative! He was Conservative against sin, "go and leave your life of sin"; "sin no more lest a greater thing befall you". Yet he was liberal in dispensing God's Grace to those in desperate need of it. To those drowning in sin do we throw them a life preserver, jump in to save them,or throw them an anchor and watch them disappear beneath the surface?
It would indeed be incongruent to be fasting at a wedding celebration. Jesus understood that they didn't get it, yet tried to prepare them for the time of fasting that would come. When Jesus returns for His Bride, the church, you and me, without spot or wrinkle, when trauma and drama are no more, then true celebrating
will happen. That is why the marriage supper of the Lamb in Heaven will be such an incredible banquet. The invitation is extended to all through Christ's Ambassadors. May we be faithful in delivering the invitation.
John 8:35-36 – Jesus' saying: ”A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” was intriquing and comforting to me. By accepting Jesus, I found the spiritual family I wanted to be part of, hoping that spiritual 'equality' in God's eyes would ‘set me free’ from negative, pre-conceived notions or prejudices about me by others.
The Gospel calls us 'to love God and one another'. But this is not an easy task as it requires us to continuously overcome our tendencies to judge one another. Though, once committed to walking by faith, expressing kindness toward each other eventually becomes our new nature.
I encourage everyone to read Paul’s letter to the Galatians - Gal.1:1-24. He shares his own experience, speaking to how he has been freed from the pressures of convincing others of his 'worthyness' to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, having set out on his own to preach the Good News.
His integrity as an apostle was still questioned by the ‘home’-church in Jerusalem, when he ‘marveled that they were so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ’ by someone preaching another gospel: ‘which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ’ – Gal.1:6-7; he loved his fellow brethren in Christ!
By God's Grace, like Paul, all who believe have been set free from the shackles of man’s prejudices. We ought not pressure or be pressured by others into establishing 'credentials' - Gal.1:11-12. By God's Grace, believing and living according to the Gospel of Christ by faith, we have entered a new life – the life of a son or daughter of our heavenly Father – Heb.12:1; 3.