Mark 2:13-17
The story told in the text above, brings us an account of how Levi, a tax collector, became a follower of Jesus. (People hated tax collectors for taking their money; they considered this profession a very sinful one). The story then tells us that Jesus took part in a meal at the house of His new disciple, Levi. For Levi, this was a very important visit. It was so important that he called his friends over to share this special opportunity with them.
However, even though this was a joyful moment for Levi and his guests, the scribes and Pharisees were also there, taking advantage of the occasion to criticize Jesus for eating and drinking with tax collectors and “sinners”; which, according to them, this was something Jesus should not do (v 16). They said this to Jesus’ disciples; note that they had no courage to say such a thing to Jesus directly. But Jesus heard it, and when He heard this being said to His disciples, He said to the scribes and Pharisees: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (v 17).
The scribes and Pharisees considered themselves to be closer to God than everyone else; they believed that they were more righteous and dissatisfied God on a lesser scale, and therefore, in their minds, they were the “best” class of people. However, they measured themselves with the wrong criteria.
The Bible is clear to us when it says that there is no one just on this earth. The Apostle Paul emphasized this reality when he wrote to the Rome community (Romans 3:10). We are not good at God’s site: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We only seem to be “just” because we make our own measuring stick and we measure ourselves with it. Yet, we need to measure ourselves to God’s standards; we will then understand how far away we have deviated from Him.
But thankfully, because of His grace and mercy, there is good news and hope: Jesus came into this world to give eternal life to people who dissatisfy and offend God. We need to do as Levi did: get up and follow Jesus! This way, we will have a life according to God’s criteria, not our own.
In living a life with God, the criteria that counts is His!
- Accept Jesus Christ into your life and let us know you have made this decision.
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