I have just read through a book by John MacArthur entitled The Jesus You Can't Ignore. MacArthur's focus is to look at the way Jesus primarily dealt with the professional scribes, religious people, and "self-righteous religious peddlers of plastic piety" (1). As he gets into the book, MacArthur notes that we often softened Jesus' message by only looking at those upon whom he had compassion, while dismissing those whom he confronted with the truth. Part of the benefit of MacArthur's book is that he situates the message of Jesus within the context of Jewish thinking during the time of Jesus. In looking at John 3 and the conversation with Nicodemus, MacArthur notest that "to a typical Pharisee, what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus would likely have come across as highly offensive....Let's face it: the idea that the entire human race is fallen and condemned is simply too harsh for most people's tastes. They would rather believe that most are fundamentally good" (62-63). The offense that Nicodemus, a leader into the community needed to be born of the Spirit was not a message that appealed to the Pharisees.
Part of the unique action of the Pharisees that MacArthur points out is their utter silence and withdrawal from the narrative after Jesus' specific statement in Mark 2:17. Jesus didn't come into this world for those who are healthy, but for those who are sick, not for the call of the righteous, but of sinners. The gospel narratives tell nothing of the Pharisees response. \
Lastly, if we take one or two points of application from this book it is this: Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his day with truth, truth that he was God's Son and truth that empty rituals and power do not elicit a deep faith. Secondly, the true of Jesus gives us reason to be bold to seek God's forgiving grace against hypocrisy and sinful patterns in our our own heart as well those around us, for we are not without fault.
Part of the unique action of the Pharisees that MacArthur points out is their utter silence and withdrawal from the narrative after Jesus' specific statement in Mark 2:17. Jesus didn't come into this world for those who are healthy, but for those who are sick, not for the call of the righteous, but of sinners. The gospel narratives tell nothing of the Pharisees response. \
Lastly, if we take one or two points of application from this book it is this: Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his day with truth, truth that he was God's Son and truth that empty rituals and power do not elicit a deep faith. Secondly, the true of Jesus gives us reason to be bold to seek God's forgiving grace against hypocrisy and sinful patterns in our our own heart as well those around us, for we are not without fault.
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