Redemptive Love in Action

MEMORY VERSE: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” —Galatians 6:2

MARK 2:16, 17

IN THE eyes of the scribes and Pharisees the “sinners” and “publicans” of Jesus’ day were not respectable people, but virtually outcasts from the Israelites in general. One reason was that they were willing, for a price, to serve the Roman government to which Israel was subject. Probably the viewpoint of the Israelites generally would not have been so severe had it not been for their religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees.

These religious rulers were ever on the alert to find some occasion against Jesus, and they thought that they had a good case when they discovered that he ate with the sinners and publicans whom they so bitterly despised. They went to Jesus’ disciples and asked them why their Master did this, but Jesus overheard their question and answered them directly himself.

Jesus’ reply was, “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.” (vs. 17) Jesus used the word “righteous” here in an accommodated sense. Actually there are none who are righteous. Sin and death reigns in all. Those of Israel who were sincere in their efforts to keep God’s law and thus revealed their desire of heart to be pleasing to him, were indeed more pleasing to him by far than the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, but still, apart from the merit of Christ’s redeeming blood, they were not worthy of life.

Perhaps there was a note of sarcasm in Jesus’ reference to the “righteous” so far as his indication that it applied to the scribes and Pharisees was concerned. They claimed indeed to be righteous, but the Master did not accept that claim. He knew that actually the majority of them were outside the pale of God’s favor. There were sincere ones among them, but these were not opposing Jesus as the others were.

Evidently Jesus saw that among the sinners and publicans there was more likelihood of finding those with at least honest hearts who would respond to his message. He knew also that he could not reach these by holding aloof from them, so apparently he ate and drank with them whenever the circumstances warranted. The results of this course indicate that he was doing the right thing. They were not all converted to his message, but he did find individuals who responded and who rendered faithful service in the Gospel call. Matthew was one of these, as was also Zacchaeus. These, and others, appreciated what Jesus, the Good Physician was able to do for them.

GALATIANS 5:25, 26; 6:1-3

Christians profess to live in the Spirit, and these should indeed walk in the Spirit. In other words, Christians should live up to their professions. (vs. 25) “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” (vs. 26) If a brother has made a mistake, seek to help him, doing it in the spirit of meekness, “considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”—vs. 1

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man thinketh himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” (vss. 2,3) The “burdens” here referred to are apparently the trials associated with being “overtaken in a fault.” In cases like this we should use every opportunity to encourage and comfort the brethren.

“Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone” Phillips’ translation reads: “Let every man learn to assess properly the value of his own work and he then can be glad when he has done something worth doing without depending on the approval of others.” The next verse Phillips translates: “For every man must shoulder his own pack.”

It is a Christian privilege to help others. This is indeed love in action. On the other hand, we should realize that we have to “shoulder our own pack.” We cannot expect the brethren to do for us what we can do, with the Lord’s help, for ourselves. We have loads which we should not expect others to carry for us.

QUESTIONS

Explain Jesus’ reply as to why he ate with sinners and publicans.

Should we expect others to carry our load for us?

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