Luke 5:31-35
Luke 5:31 (KJB)
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician;
but they that are sick.
Then Jesus overheard their question and responded quickly. He used the example
of if a person is healthy, why would they go to a doctor? Only when a person
becomes sick should they go see a doctor. The basic premise here is that those
who are sick need a doctor just as those who are sinners need a Savior. In other
words, everyone needs a Savior including the Pharisees.
Luke 5:32 (KJB)
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(Hosea 6:6 KJV) For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of
God more than burnt offerings. (Mat 9:13 KJV) But go ye and learn what that
meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance. The phrase “go ye and learn” found in
Matthew 9:13 was a not a rebuke but was a rabbinic expression for “go and
study.” Jesus was directing the Pharisees to the Hebrew Scriptures with which
they should have been familiar with. The Pharisees had placed ritual and
ceremony above everything, even to the excluding of having mercy upon someone.
The whole essence of the ministry of Jesus was to have mercy on the sinners who
became saved. He came to call them to repentance, that is, to salvation. In
Hosea 6:6, the Scripture was teaching that God had desired mercy rather than
cold sacrifices. God would rather His people show mercy to others, even without
a sacrifice to God. His people would be mirroring His attributes more with mercy
than a burnt sacrifice. The burnt sacrifice comes from the outside of man while
mercy comes from the heart of man. (Micah 6:8 KJV) He hath showed thee, O
man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? When Jesus speaks about not
calling the righteous, He may have those in mind who are already saved and He
may have implied that those who are “self-righteous” and do not think they need
a Savior.
Luke 5:33 (KJB)
And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make
prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
Apparently even after John was thrown into prison, some of his disciples had
stayed together in a group. (Mark 2:18 KJV) And the disciples of John and of
the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples
of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? This little
feast in Matthew’s house had probably been planned on a day of fasting when both
the Pharisees and the disciples of John would fast. The Pharisees would fast on
Monday and Thursday. So this even may have occurred on one of those days. The
disciples of John had approached Jesus directly on the question of fasting. They
wanted to know why they and the Pharisees fast but His disciples do not fast. It
is the difference between freedom in Christ and a religious system.
Luke 5:34 (KJB)
And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while
the bridegroom is with them?
They normal length of a Jewish wedding lasted seven days and during that time,
the guests were normally excused from the more serious religious obligations.
(Isa 54:5 KJV) For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his
name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall
he be called. The time for fasting in a preparatory sense has passed
because now is the time of fulfillment. Jesus will be the husband and the body
of believers will be the bride of Christ. This is why there is no mourning or
fasting on the part of the disciples because the time of fulfillment of all the
prophecies of the past has come.
Luke 5:35 (KJB)
But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and
then shall they fast in those days.
Jesus then states there will come a time when the disciples will fast. This will
be the time when He is taken from them for three days for the crucifixion until
the resurrection. During those days, there would be a time of mourning and
fasting. Fasting was never a part of any requirement. If a Christian fasted, it
was between them and God. During the years of the New Testament there would be
fasting by the church but not by requirement, it would be voluntary. (Acts
13:2-4 KJV) As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,
Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. {3} And
when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them
away. {4} So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia;
and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.