The Servant Messiah 10
The Law and The Spirit - Luke 5:33 - 6:11
Messiah and his disciples were out of harmony with some of the religious practices of the day. On Mondays and Thursdays many of God’s people whited their faces to indicate that they were fasting. They paraded around the streets displaying their devotion to God. The question was asked: "Why do your disciples not fast?"
Religious life had been systematized into numerous individual practices signifying one’s righteousness. There were special times when prayers were to be said. The most sacred day, the Sabbath was kept by numerous and meticulous rules. The locus of religion was in keeping these regulations. Messiah was disheartened not so much that these observations were wrong, but they became and end in themselves. It made the center of religious life in the individual himself and made him proud and self-righteous in his achievements.Most disheartening of all it blocked the flow of compassion and forgiveness, producing in its place the spirit of contempt and critical rejection of one’s fellow man.
Messiah must somehow change this direction, touching the spiritual arteries that a new way might flow and flourish. Messiah sought to appeal to their understanding. When a new piece of material which is unshrunk is used as a patch on an old garment two reults occur. It stands out and doesn’t look right. Worse than this - the first time the material is washed the new cloth shrinks and tears the garment. This vivid parable may penetrate the Pharisaic understanding. The new way would stand out as quite different and its unique spirit would actually tear away the old structure of the old legalistic life. New wine cannot be put in old wineskins, for the fermentation process will burst the skins.
The last test case came on the Sabbath. The old religion set a trap by bringing a man with a withered hand. Would Messiah break the law and heal on the Sabbath? Messiah knew their intent and made an appeal to them: "Is compassion closed on the Sabbath? Is it right to do good? Is it right to save?" Regulations that block the flow of mercy should go. Religious practices that block love need a change.
Messiah and his disciples were out of harmony with some of the religious practices of the day. On Mondays and Thursdays many of God’s people whited their faces to indicate that they were fasting. They paraded around the streets displaying their devotion to God. The question was asked: "Why do your disciples not fast?"
Religious life had been systematized into numerous individual practices signifying one’s righteousness. There were special times when prayers were to be said. The most sacred day, the Sabbath was kept by numerous and meticulous rules. The locus of religion was in keeping these regulations. Messiah was disheartened not so much that these observations were wrong, but they became and end in themselves. It made the center of religious life in the individual himself and made him proud and self-righteous in his achievements.Most disheartening of all it blocked the flow of compassion and forgiveness, producing in its place the spirit of contempt and critical rejection of one’s fellow man.
Messiah must somehow change this direction, touching the spiritual arteries that a new way might flow and flourish. Messiah sought to appeal to their understanding. When a new piece of material which is unshrunk is used as a patch on an old garment two reults occur. It stands out and doesn’t look right. Worse than this - the first time the material is washed the new cloth shrinks and tears the garment. This vivid parable may penetrate the Pharisaic understanding. The new way would stand out as quite different and its unique spirit would actually tear away the old structure of the old legalistic life. New wine cannot be put in old wineskins, for the fermentation process will burst the skins.
The last test case came on the Sabbath. The old religion set a trap by bringing a man with a withered hand. Would Messiah break the law and heal on the Sabbath? Messiah knew their intent and made an appeal to them: "Is compassion closed on the Sabbath? Is it right to do good? Is it right to save?" Regulations that block the flow of mercy should go. Religious practices that block love need a change.
posted by Dr. James F. Hubbard at 3:19 PM
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