Back Home in Capernaum

BY NOW Jesus’ fame has spread far and wide, and many people travel to the out-of-the-way places where he is staying. After some days, however, he returns to Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee. Quickly the news spreads through the city that he is back home, and many come to the house where he is. Pharisees and Law teachers come from as far away as Jerusalem.

The crowd is so great that they jam the doorway, and there is no room for anyone else to get inside. The stage is set for a truly remarkable event. What occurs on this occasion is of vital importance, for it helps us to appreciate that Jesus has the power to remove the cause of human suffering and restore health to all whom he chooses.

While Jesus is teaching the crowd, four men bring to the house a paralyzed man on a cot. They want Jesus to heal their friend, but because of the crowd, they cannot get inside. How disappointing! Yet they do not give up. They climb up on the flat roof, make a hole in it, and lower the cot with the paralyzed man on it down next to Jesus.

Is Jesus angry because of the interruption? Not at all! Rather, he is deeply impressed by their faith. He says to the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven.” But can Jesus actually forgive sins? The scribes and the Pharisees do not think so. They reason in their hearts: “Why is this man talking in this manner? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins except one, God?”

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus says to them: “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and pick up your cot and walk’?”

Then, Jesus allows the crowd, including his critics, to see a remarkable demonstration that will reveal he has authority to forgive sins on earth and that he is indeed the greatest man who ever lived. He turns to the paralytic and commands: “Get up, pick up your cot, and go to your home.” And he immediately does, walking out with his cot in front of all of them! In amazement the people glorify God and exclaim: “We never saw the like of it”!

Did you notice that Jesus mentions sins in connection with sickness and that forgiveness of sins is related to the gaining of physical health? The Bible explains that our first parent, Adam, sinned and that all of us have inherited the consequences of that sin, namely, sickness and death. But under the rule of God’s Kingdom, Jesus will forgive the sins of all who love God and serve Him, and then all sickness will be removed. How fine that will be! Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26; Matthew 9:1-8; Romans 5:12, 17-19.

The Calling of Matthew

SHORTLY after healing the paralytic, Jesus goes out from Capernaum to the Sea of Galilee. Again crowds of people come to him, and he begins teaching them. As he walks on, he sees Matthew, who is also called Levi, sitting at the tax office. “Be my follower,” is Jesus’ invitation.

Likely, Matthew is already familiar with Jesus’ teachings, even as were Peter, Andrew, James, and John when they were called. And like them, Matthew immediately responds to the invitation. He gets up, leaves his responsibilities as a tax collector behind, and follows Jesus.

Later, perhaps to celebrate the receiving of his call, Matthew holds a big reception feast in his house. In addition to Jesus and His disciples, former associates of Matthew are present. These men are generally despised by their fellow Jews because they collect taxes for the hated Roman authorities. Moreover, they often dishonestly exact more money from the people than the regular tax rate.

Observing Jesus at the feast with such persons, the Pharisees ask his disciples: “Why is it that your teacher eats with tax collectors and sinners?” Overhearing the question, Jesus answers the Pharisees: “Persons in health do not need a physician, but the ailing do. Go, then, and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.”

Apparently, Matthew has invited these tax collectors to his home so that they can listen to Jesus and receive spiritual healing. So Jesus associates with them to help them attain a healthy relationship with God. Jesus does not despise such ones, as do the self-righteous Pharisees. Rather, moved with compassion he, in effect, serves as a spiritual physician to them.

Thus Jesus’ exercise of mercy toward sinners is not a condoning of their sins but an expression of the same tender feelings he manifested toward the physically ill. Recall, for example, when he compassionately reached out and touched the leper, saying: “I want to. Be made clean.” May we likewise show mercy by helping persons in need, especially assisting them in a spiritual way. Matthew 8:3; 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32.

Questioned About Fasting

ALMOST a year has gone by since Jesus attended the Passover of 30 C.E. By now, John the Baptist has been imprisoned for several months. Although he wanted his disciples to become followers of Christ, not all of them have.

Now some of these disciples of the imprisoned John come to Jesus and ask: “Why is it that we and the Pharisees practice fasting but your disciples do not fast?” The Pharisees practice fasting twice a week as a ritual of their religion. And John’s disciples perhaps follow a similar custom. It may also be that they are fasting to mourn John’s imprisonment and wonder why Jesus’ disciples do not join them in this expression of grief.

In answer Jesus explains: “The friends of the bridegroom have no reason to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, do they? But days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

John’s disciples should recall that John himself spoke of Jesus as the Bridegroom. So while Jesus is present, John would not consider it appropriate to fast, and neither do Jesus’ disciples. Later, when Jesus dies, his disciples do mourn and fast. But when he is resurrected and ascends to heaven, they have no further cause for mournful fasting.

Next, Jesus gives these illustrations: “Nobody sews a patch of unshrunk cloth upon an old outer garment; for its full strength would pull from the outer garment and the tear would become worse. Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins; but if they do, then the wineskins burst and the wine spills out and the wineskins are ruined. But people put new wine into new wineskins.” What do these illustrations have to do with fasting?

Jesus was helping the disciples of John the Baptist to appreciate that no one should expect his followers to conform to the old practices of Judaism, such as ritual fasting. He did not come to patch up and prolong old worn-out systems of worship that were ready to be discarded. Christianity would not be made to conform to the Judaism of the day with its traditions of men. No, it would not be as a new patch on an old garment or as new wine in an old wineskin. Matthew 9:14-17; Mark 2:18-22; Luke 5:33-39; John 3:27-29.