Luke the beloved physician shared how Jesus, “went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”, and in chapter five and verse thirty-three of his book Luke shares how the religious leaders asked Jesus, “Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees?” where we read:
And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers,
and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but yours eat and drink?
The verse reads, “And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, ...” Luke began with the words, “and they said unto him” or “and the scribes and Pharisees uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked Jesus”, “Why do the disciples of John” which means “for what reason and cause do the pupils, students and attendants of John whose name means Jehovah is a gracious giver and refers to John the Baptist” “fast often” or “abstain as a religious exercise from food and drink frequently, vigorously and recurring diligently”, “and make prayers” which means “and prepare, produce, render and constitute supplications, penury, entreating, requests and petitions”. Luke shared how the “religious leaders” wanted Jesus to answer their question concerning the “spiritual practices” of “fasting” and “praying” on a regular basis.
The verse continues, “... and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but yours eat and drink?” Luke added the words, “and likewise” which means “and like, in the same manner and way” “the disciples” or “the pupils, students and attendants” “of the Pharisees” which means “belonging to the sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to Old Testament books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life”; “but yours eat and drink” or “however, moreover and yours, Jesus' disciples, consume and devour food as well as imbibing”? Luke shared how the “religious leaders” included the “disciples” of the Pharisees in their question as they wondered why “John's disciples” and the “disciples” belonging to themselves “fast often and make prayers”, but Jesus' “disciples” did not do as they did.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we can sense the idea of a “superior” way these “religious leaders” thought they were observing “fasting and praying” verses the way Jesus' disciples were following them. Because they thought themselves more “righteous” than others, they abstained from “eating and drinking” with sinners, and they could not understand why they “fasted often and made prayers” when Jesus' disciples did not. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to manifest Himself (“For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;” 1 John 1:2), and those who yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” will not only know the forgiveness of their sins, but also begin to follow Him and His ways in “spiritual practices”. Jesus will answer these “religious leaders'” question in the next verse, but let us be mindful that Jesus knew and knows when people are to “eat and drink” and when they are not, and those who are wise will look to Him for the proper time and way to observe spiritual practices in their lives.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus asks the religious leaders, “can you make the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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