"And He went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed Him. And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, He said unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they came and said unto Him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. No man also sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up takes away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine bursts the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles." (Mark 2:13-22)
This lesson shows the marked contrast between the religion of Jesus Christ and the societies which men form.
True and False Ways of Building
All the so-called "benevolent societies" demand that one who joins shall have a "good character," that is, he must be of the same class as those who already constitute the society. "The Church" itself, not any particular organization, but the great body of "organized Christianity," has been largely permeated by this spirit.
As a legacy from the Papacy, which has never yet been thoroughly eradicated from the minds of any body of Christians, the idea obtains to a great extent, that the church exists for its own sake, and that its chief duty is to guard its own reputation. Accordingly the tendency is to build up walls, and to guard them diligently, lest someone come in, who will bring discredit upon "the name."
To the extent that this state of things exists, the members of the church, and especially the leaders, are more intent upon building up and strengthening the organization, than in saving souls and diffusing the knowledge of Christ in the earth.
So it was with the Jewish church in the days of Christ. Accordingly the Jewish leaders were by the very nature of the case in opposition to Him. His manner of work was so entirely different from theirs, that they regarded Him as an anarchist, as one dangerous to society, in that, as they supposed, He would destroy all law and order and established customs.
In this the Jews were altogether at fault, for Jesus did not, and does not work to overturn any institution or custom, except as the building up of truth crowds out error. He would simply build on the right foundation, but the building which He erects, as well as the method of building, is so contrary to purely human ideas, that to men it seems like a work of destruction.
He worked in the church as it was, as well as in the world, not to found another organization, but to leaven the mass. The work of Christ and the apostles was not to "raise up churches," but to save sinners, to call souls out from the bondage of human tradition and error.
Separated to Serve
Their disciples, like Christ and the apostles themselves, were to remain among their former associations as long as those old associations would tolerate the new life. The unwillingness of the old body, the purely human organization, to receive truth in a living form, naturally resulted in the forming of new congregations.
As the followers of Christ were cast out from the old organization, that would not tolerate growth, they naturally were brought together by similarity of belief and practice, and it was natural enough, and nothing wrong, that these new congregations should receive some distinguishing name, for convenience in referring to them.
But it was never the design of the Lord, nor of the apostles, that these new congregations should be devoted to themselves, to building themselves up, and making a name. They were to be lights to the world, leaven, instilling the principles of the Gospel of Christ, into the mass of mankind, intent only on making known the name of their Lord and Master.
From the acts of Christ himself we are to learn what should be the work of His church--His called-out people--till the end of time.
False and True Authority
The scribes and Pharisees, like the clergy of more modern times, were a class. Their relation to the common people was quite aptly indicated by the position they took while teaching,--a stand high above the people. They could preach to the people from behind a barrier, but they would not condescend to mingle with them. The desk behind which they stood while preaching was typical of the barrier which existed between them and the people, even when they came in contact with any of them.
Their lack of real ability was covered up by an assumption of dignity. They were very jealous for their "rights" and privileges, and could not understand Christ's easy familiarity with all classes. There was no barrier between Him and them, yet everyone instinctively knew that He was infinitely above them in character.
In His intercourse with the people, He had no need to be on His guard to maintain His dignity, for He had the true dignity of moral worth, which cannot be compromised.
When the scribes and Pharisees saw Jesus sitting at table with many belonging to the despised "masses," they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?" (Mark 2:16)
To their narrow comprehension, this showed a lack of the first qualifications of a Rabbi. Jesus heard the question, and answered it himself. Turning to them, He said, "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mark 2:17) "[He] came not to be ministered unto, but to minister;" (Matthew 20:28) not to build up a reputation, but to save people of no reputation; not to make a name for himself, but to make known the name of the loving Father of all, to His ignorant children.
He came to save the lost, and He necessarily had to go where the lost were. He could not, in pursuance of His mission, spend His time talking to a congregation of people who thought themselves already in good condition, but He must labor for those who felt and acknowledged their need; and as He could supply that which they really needed, He never had any difficulty in securing a congregation.
The Law Reveals Our Need
Here comes in the use of the ten commandments, the preaching of the law. The law cannot justify, "for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)
All it can do is to make known to men their sinful state. "The law works wrath." (Romans 4:15)
It speaks with the thunders of Sinai, awakening men to a knowledge of "the wrath of God, [which comes] upon the children of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:6)
There can be no preaching of the Gospel without it; for since the Gospel is the good news of the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, it is necessary that people be shown their need of salvation, and also the righteousness of the law, to the obedience of which God wishes to save them.
They that are whole need not a physician; there are none who are really whole; but there are many who think that they are, and they must be convinced that they are sick, before they will accept the services of the Great Physician. Thus, "The law is a tutor, to bring men to Christ, that they may be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24)
New and Old Wine Skins
There is a very important lesson for us in the statements about the new and old cloth, and the new and old bottles. Let the student remember that the bottles used in those days, even as today in many parts of the East, were made of skins, and not of glass. "Wine skins" is the word used in the Revised Version, and this is what is meant.
Old, withered skins would not stand the strain of new wine, but would be burst by the process of fermentation. The "new cloth" referred to is, as the margin indicates, "raw, or unwrought cloth," which would shrink, and thus make the hole upon which it was patched larger than it was before. Now read: "No man also sows a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up takes away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man puts new wine into old bottles: else the new wine bursts the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles." (Mark 2:21-22)
Notice that Jesus speaks about putting new cloth into old garments. Of course no one would think of putting old cloth into new garments, for there is no necessity for patching new garments. Notice also that Jesus stops with the statement that: "New wine must be put into new bottles." (Mark 2:22)
He does not go on to say that old wine must be put into old bottles. What is the reason for this? Evidently this, that He would teach that His Gospel makes everything new. "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
He has no use for old bottles; all must be new. The fresh wine of the Gospel could not be carried in the old bottles of Pharisaism and pride. Not that there was no hope for the professional teachers of the law; but they must be made over entirely new. This Jesus could do.
Moreover, there can be no patchwork in the Gospel of Christ. It is useless to try to patch the teaching of Christ upon an old, formal profession, or upon an ungodly life. Being converted is something more than merely turning round, and "trying to live a different life." It is being made over entirely new.
Jesus could not use the scribes and the Pharisees, to carry His Gospel, because they thought themselves all right. They were self-sufficient, and were not willing to acknowledge that they were nothing in themselves. "Before honor is humility." (Proverbs 15:33) "His heart that is lifted up is not upright in him." (Habakkuk 2:4)
Confessing Our Need
"My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory." (Philippians 4:19)
But the need must be felt and acknowledged, before the help can be appreciated. Therefore never be afraid to confess your lack. The greatest hindrance in the world to progress is the unwillingness to admit mistakes.
To learn, implies that one does not already know as much as he ought; and the dread that people will find this out, effectually prevents many from accepting new and saving truth. So it is that many, very many, are prevented by their pride from accepting Christ; they are not willing specifically and definitely to acknowledge themselves to be sinners. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15)
Let everyone be ready always to say, "of whom I am chief," (1 Timothy 1:15) and his salvation is assured.--Present Truth, March 8, 1900--International Sunday School Lesson for March 18--Original title: Help for Those Who Need. Jesus at Matthew's House--Timeline: IV-10 (Call of Levi Matthew), 28 (Matthew's Feast), 29 (The Question About Fasting)--Mark 2:13-22.