“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17 ESV).
Mark recorded that when the scribes of the Pharisees questioned why Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus answered with a vivid metaphor. He compared Himself to a physician and humanity to the sick. In doing so, He revealed both the true condition of the human heart and the purpose of His mission. The “well” were not truly healthy; they were those who believed themselves to be spiritually whole. The “righteous” were not genuinely righteous before God, but self-righteous—confident in their law-keeping and blind to their need. The “sinners,” however, were those who admitted their moral and spiritual disease.
The apostle Paul later affirmed this same mission when he wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15). Before meeting Christ, Paul believed he could see clearly. As a Pharisee, he trusted in his righteousness and zeal. Yet on the road to Damascus, the risen Lord struck him blind. In that physical blindness, Paul began to see his true spiritual condition. Only after Christ restored his sight did he truly understand grace. Mark showed that Jesus did not come to affirm self-perceived righteousness but to call needy sinners to Himself. As the true Physician, He exposes our blindness, diagnoses our sin, and brings healing sight.
We must ask ourselves whether we think we are well. If we trust in our morality, knowledge, or religious activity, we may be blind to our true condition. Like Paul, we may think we see clearly when we do not. We cannot heal our own hearts or open our own eyes. We must humble ourselves and admit our sin-sickness. When we confess our need, Jesus meets us with mercy. He does not turn away the sinner who comes honestly; He restores, forgives, and gives sight. Having been healed, we must also extend compassion to other needy sinners rather than standing in self-righteous judgment. Today, let us come to Jesus, the great physician, confessing our sin and receiving His forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we confess that apart from Christ we are spiritually blind and sick with sin. Forgive us for trusting in our own righteousness. Open our eyes to see our true need and Your abundant grace. Thank You for sending Jesus to save sinners like us. Heal us, restore our sight, and make us instruments of Your mercy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart” (Mark 3:5 ESV).
The Pharisees brought out the full range of emotion from our Lord Jesus. When He tried to show them the spirit of the Sabbath, they clung to the letter of the law, even that which they themselves had added to it. He asked them a simple question, one that begged a correct response. He asked whether the law permitted good on the Sabbath or evil? They wouldn’t reply. So, he put the man with the withered hand before the whole assembly in the synagogue and healed him. The man and his family rejoiced. But the Pharisees left angry, plotting with the Herodians, whom they normally hated, to plan the killing of Jesus.
This occasion caused conflicting emotions in Jesus. He was both angry and sad. Angry at the sinful pride that wouldn’t answer His question. And grieved at the hard hearts that wouldn’t listen.
Remember how the apostle Paul warned the Ephesian believers not to “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30) by their uncontrolled anger and lack of grace and reconciliation towards one another? It grieves the Spirit of Christ to see hard heartedness in His people.
What does Jesus see in your heart today? Is He grieved by your hard heart?
PRAYER: Lord, examine our hearts and reveal Your feelings about what You see in us. We repent of anything that does not cause You joy in us. Where we are stubborn, make us patient and willing. Where we are hard, make us tender and open. We would have hearts that beat with Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins” (Mark 2:22 ESV).
The Pharisees questioned Jesus as to why he and his disciples did not fast as they did. He answered with a double parable that illustrated the futility of trying to bind something new to something old. However, his answer had greater relevance than fasting. For the old garment and the old wineskin represented Judaism. And the new cloth patch and the new wine represented the newness of Christ’s presence and gospel, which would of necessity call for a new entity, namely, the Church.
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment and no one puts new wine in an old wineskin. So why would anyone want to live under the old covenant law, when Christ has set us free to live under the new covenant of grace?
As John wrote in his gospel, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we give thanks for Jesus who has given us new life through faith in Him. We also give thanks for the Church, which is the Bride of Christ. For we are the Church and we wait expectantly for Christ’s soon return to take us with Him to our heavenly home that He has prepared for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“Suppose you sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands. Even if you are unaware of what you have done, you are guilty and will be punished for your sin” (Leviticus 5:17 NLT).
Centuries before Roman law declared, “Ignorantia juris non excusat” (Ignorance of the law excuses not), God gave the same to Moses. The number and detail of Levitical law is overwhelming to read and no doubt, even more overwhelming to keep. A careful numbering of Levitical law brings the total to 613 commandments (248 positive “i.e. “Remember the Sabbath” + 365 negative “i.e. Thou shalt not kill”).
The majority of the commands (603) were given to further describe the keeping of the Decalogue (Literally, “Ten Words, or Ten Commandments). Yet, Jesus was able to summarize the whole into one word, namely, love: “Love God and love others as yourself” (Matt. 22:36-40).
Whether it’s one, ten or 613, the Bible says that none of us can keep the law without sin (Rom. 3:23). Claiming ignorance of God’s law does not excuse us. Only an appropriate sacrifice will satisfy. Thankfully, the complex law and sacrificial system were satisfied in one person, Jesus Christ. He has kept the law and offered Himself as the unblemished sacrifice for our sin, those we committed knowingly and unknowingly. He bore our sin and guilt that we might receive His righteousness!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we are thankful that though we may be ignorant of all the law, we know Jesus. And knowing Him, being in relationship with Him by faith, Your law is fully satisfied. For we have received His righteousness and He lives in us to lead and empower us to do good. Thanks be to God! In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Pharisees brought out the full range of emotion from our Lord Jesus. When He tried to show them the spirit of the Sabbath, they clung to the letter of the law, even that which they themselves had added to it. He asked them a simple question, one that begged a correct response. He asked whether the law permitted good on the Sabbath or evil? They wouldn’t reply. So, he put the man with the withered hand before the whole assembly in the synagogue and healed him. The man and his family rejoiced. But the Pharisees left angry, plotting with the Herodians, whom they normally hated, to plan the killing of Jesus.
This occasion caused conflicting emotions in Jesus. He was both angry and sad. Angry at the sinful pride that wouldn’t answer His question. And sad at the hard hearts that wouldn’t listen.
What does Jesus see in your heart today?
PRAYER: Lord, examine our hearts and reveal Your feelings about what You see in us. We repent of anything that does not cause You joy in us. Where we are stubborn, make us patient and willing. Where we are hard, make us tender and open. We would have hearts that beat with Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Pharisees brought out the full range of emotion from our Lord Jesus. When He tried to show them the spirit of the Sabbath, they clung to the letter of the law, even that which they themselves had added to it. He asked them a simple question, one that begged a correct response. He asked whether the law permitted good on the Sabbath or evil? They wouldn’t reply. So, he put the man with the withered hand before the whole assembly in the synagogue and healed him. The man and his family rejoiced, but the Pharisees left angry, plotting with the Herodians, whom they normally hated, to plot the killing of Jesus.
This scene caused conflicting emotions in Jesus. He was both angry and sad. Angry at the sinful pride that wouldn’t answer His question. And sad at the hard hearts that wouldn’t listen.
PRAYER: Lord, examine our hearts and reveal Your feelings about what You see in us. We repent of anything that does not cause You joy in us. Where we are stubborn, make us patient and willing. Where we are hard, make us tender and open. We would have hearts that beat with Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Pharisees questioned Jesus as to why he and his disciples did not fast as they did. He answered with a double parable that illustrated the futility of trying to bind something new to something old. However, his answer had greater relevance than fasting. For the old garment and the old wineskin represented Judaism. And the new cloth patch and the new wine represented the newness of Christ’s presence and gospel, which would of necessity call for a new entity, namely, the Church.
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment and no one puts new wine in and old wineskin. So why would anyone want to live under the old covenant law, when Christ has set us free to live under the new covenant of grace?
As John wrote in his gospel, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we give thanks for Jesus who has given us new life through faith in Him. We also give thanks for the Church, which is the Bride of Christ. For we are the Church and we wait expectantly for Christ’s soon return to take us with Him to our heavenly home that He has prepared for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Pharisees brought out the full range of emotion from our Lord Jesus. When He tried to show them the spirit of the Sabbath, they clung to the letter of the law, even that which they themselves had added to it. He asked them a simple question, one that begged a correct response. He asked whether the law permitted good on the Sabbath or evil? They wouldn’t reply. So, he put the man with the withered hand before the whole assembly in the synagogue and healed him. The man and his family rejoiced, but the Pharisees left angry, plotting with the Herodians, whom they normally hated, to plot the killing of Jesus.
This scene caused conflicting emotions in Jesus. He was both angry and sad. Angry at the sinful pride that wouldn’t answer His question. And sad at the hard hearts that wouldn’t listen.
PRAYER: Lord, examine our hearts and reveal Your feelings about what You see in us. We repent of anything that does not cause You joy in us. Where we are stubborn, make us patient and willing. Where we are hard, make us tender and open. We would have hearts that beat with Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The quality of the love of God is unfailing and its quantity is as vast as the heavens. David knew and wrote of the love of God. Yet, its highest expression is found in Christ. For He is the apex of God’s love expressed. He is the demonstration of God’s love for all to see. As the apostle Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
Centuries before Roman law declared, “Ignorantia juris non excusat” (Ignorance of the law excuses not), God gave the same to Moses. The number and detail of Levitical law is overwhelming to read and no doubt, even more overwhelming to keep. A careful numbering of Levitical law brings the total to 613 commandments (248 positive “i.e. “Remember the Sabbath” + 365 negative “i.e. Thou shalt not kill”). The majority of the commands (603) were given to further describe the keeping of the Decalogue (Literally, “Ten Words” or Ten Commandments). Yet, Jesus was able to summarize the whole into one word, namely, love: “Love God and love others as yourself” (Matt. 22:36-40).
Whether it’s one, ten or 613, the Bible says that none of us can keep the law without sin (Rom. 3:23). Claiming ignorance of God’s law does not excuse us. Only an appropriate sacrifice will satisfy. Thankfully, the complex law and sacrificial system were satisfied in one person, Jesus Christ. He has kept the law and offered Himself as the unblemished sacrifice for our sin, those we committed knowingly and unknowingly. He bore our sin and guilt that we might receive His righteousness!