Questions
Would you rather associate with sinners or righteous people?
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved." - Matt. 9:9-17
Jesus challenged us to love everyone and that means sinners as well as the righteous.
It may be easier to love one than the other at times, but chances are all need loving from time to time.
We all do, regardless of what our personal lives are like at the time.
So, why the attack? Why do the Pharisees challenge the disciples of Jesus this way?
Notice it isn't a direct attack on Jesus, but an attempt to undermine the loyalty of his followers.
Why does your teacher do these things?
The disciples of John come to Jesus and ask him questions.
What the Pharisees are doing here is a direct attempt to cause the followers to doubt.
The Pharisees have no interest in the truth or the answer Jesus will give. Their questions are designed to try to change the opinions of the followers.
This approach is one people use today to try to get us to change our beliefs. Those who have no interest in the faith will challenge us with questions we feel compelled to answer.
Don't take the bait.
It is tempting to want to answer their questions, but look at what Jesus did. He explained to the followers who were confused by the questions. He didn't address the Pharisees directly.
There would have been no point. They were not going to be swayed.
As followers of Christ, we need to be confident in our faith, confident enough to see what others are trying to do when they ask us about things they have no interest in knowing.
Just a thought.
More to come...