A Short Thought On Luke 5:29-32

Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them. Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?"

Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
- Luke 5:29-32 (WEB)
As with us today, the Jews recognized eating and drinking together as a form of fellowship. The scribes and Pharisees thought Jesus had lowered His standards by having a good time with a bunch of sinners and tax collectors. But the real reason Jesus was eating with them was lead them to repentance. That was His purpose. Fellowship with them was just a means to that end.
...but then again, godly repentance leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10), and salvation leads to true fellowship with God (1 John 1:1-3). Jesus ate and drank with sinners so that He might eat and drink with them in the kingdom of heaven.
 
I also believe this scripture shows yet another another example of humility by Christ. As we see in modern Israel, there is much racism and prejudice by the Jews and their elitist mentality. We call this 'Zionism' and it has somehow become the standard in the Judeo-Christian relationship; when really it is anti-Christ like behavior. But when you bring it up in conversation you are automatically labeled an 'anti-Semite'

God hates hypocrisy; it is evident when Christ addresses the Pharisees and Jews in the temple. He was giving them an example to follow; yet even Peter had a hard time from breaking away from the Jewish traditional elitist thinking. So much so Paul rebuked him for being a hypocrite and God gave him a vision about the situation.

'For ALL have sinned and come short'; not just the Gentiles ('goyim'); but the 'Jews' as well. God chose the Hebrews to be an example of His Grace & Love-they failed. So He came to correct the situation and those that believed followed in His namesake known as the "Christians".

Christ gave them an example to follow in reaching /ministering to the lost-yet they saw this as something that was beneath them. This is another portion of the Gospel that shows us that we are supposed to be 'the light of the world', 'the salt of the earth', 'Ambassadors' for Christ. We are to be in the world but not of the world-the doctrine of separation is not about isolation-it is about showing the lost there is hope; there is another path other than the broad path the world has to offer towrads destruction.

This is why it is so important that we live our lives as close to 'Holy' as possible. Our lives are supposed to be an open book-exposed in the light. Because we know that the things done in the darkness are wicked.

People want the "fire insurance" but also want to continue living the same lives the lived before salvation-that is not what the Bible teaches.
 
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