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| 1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, |
It came to pass – A period of about a year elapsed between the temptation in the wilderness and this scene on the Lake of Galilee. R3720:1
The people pressed – Hungry for the word of life. R3720:2
A different reception from his rejection in Nazareth. R3307:2
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| 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. |
Two ships – Peter and his brother Andrew were managing one of the boats, and James and his brother John another of the same partnership. R3720:2
Washing their nets – These fishermen, and perhaps others in the same vicinity, proceeded with their work while the Lord was preaching, no doubt giving earnest attention to his words at the same time. R3720:2
Preparing for the next night's fishing. R3720:2
Christ did not call idlers but workers into his ministry. R2246:1
Lake of Gennesaret – Sea of Galilee. R3307:2, 5554:3, 3720:2
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| 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. |
Thrust out a little – From which position he could the more easily address the large crowds on the shelving beach. R3720:2
Out of the ship – The voice carries remarkably well at this spot. R2627:2
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| 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
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Had left speaking – We wonder that more of our Lord's discourses have not been preserved for us. It is because that without the spirit of adoption, they could not understand spiritual things. R3307:2,3
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| 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. |
Have taken nothing – For some reason the fish were not in that quarter of the lake at that time. R3307:6
The net – The Gospel call of the Gospel age. (Matt. 13:47) R3308:5
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| 6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. |
Multitude of fishes – Symbol of men of all classes, suitable and unsuitable for the Kingdom. C214; R3308:5
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| 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. |
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| 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
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When – Peter's impulsiveness, by itself, is an attractive trait. R3308:1
Simon Peter – It was probably at an earlier interview that our Lord gave Simon this surname of Peter. R3307:6
Fell down – Recognizing that no ordinary human being could have produced such results under such circumstances. R3308:1
Depart from me – Peter's real sentiment was probably the reverse: "O Lord, although I am a sinful man, permit me to be near thee, that I may be blessed by contact with thee." R3308:1
He realized that he was in the presence of one possessed of more than human wisdom and power, and correspondingly he felt afraid. R3720:3
A sinful man – I recognize the great difference between us. R3308:1
A prayer which Jesus answered in making him one of the twelve. R3308:1
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| 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: |
He was astonished – This miracle was performed for the purpose of finally convincing Peter, Andrew, James and John respecting the Lord's relationship to the Father, and his power of control in respect to things temporal as well as things spiritual. R3720:3
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| 10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
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James...John...Simon – Men from the humbler walks of life. R1521:2,3
The three who seemed to have the zeal, energy and vim which the Lord appreciates. R3308:1
And Jesus – Who had doubtless performed the miracle for the purpose of fully convincing them of his control of things temporal as well as spiritual. R3720:3
Henceforth thou – Only four of all the multitude were specially chosen and called. R3720:5
They were already his disciples in a general sense of the word, followers, believers, but now the time had come for the Lord's selection of the twelve apostles who should be with him continually. R3307:6; F210
Catch men – For the Lord and his service; not for our personal profit or gain, not for sectarian upbuilding. R3308:4
The Lord does not invite at first to a full consecration, but rather gives instruction along the lines of justification, and after they have grown to some degree, the privilege of forsaking all to be his special disciples. R3720:5
Gathering them into the Gospel net, with a view to their ultimate glorification as new creatures in Christ. R3721:1
Not trying to get disciples into some sectarian bondage, but to catch men with the glorious hopes of the Gospel, to bring them into such relationship with the Lord that they would fully and gladly surrender their all to him. R3308:4
Fishing requires energy, tact, proper bait, and that the fishermen keep himself out of sight. These four things are requisites in the spiritual fishing in which the Lord privileges us to engage. R3308:3, 5555:3
The skillful fisherman catches the fish individually. Likewise, very much of the work of this age has been an individual work, accomplished by talking to people. R5555:1
Fishermen usually hide themselves, so that the fish will not see them, but the bait. So in drawing men to the truth, we should hide ourselves, and throw out as bait those features of God's Word which would apply to the one with whom we might be dealing. R5555:3
Fish are easily alarmed when they find out anyone wishes to take them, so humanity is shy of being captured by anything--especially if they suspect they may lose their liberties; and thus consecration appears to the world. R3308:4
However, the fishing business does not fully illustrate the matter, because all who are of the Lord's catch must be willingly his, else they will not remain caught, but be cast forth. R3308:4
The fishing of the next age will be different and on a much larger scale. R3308:5
They were to catch multitudes. R1716:1
The work of the Gospel age. R5555:1
All the fish have not yet been caught. R5555:3
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| 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. |
To land – Represents the harvest time of this age. R3308:5
They forsook all – They had been with the Lord for more or less about a year, yet had not until now reached the place where they were ready to forsake all. R3720:5
Mark 1:20 informs us that the boats were left in the care of Zebedee. Nor need we suppose that these four started away that same day. It may have taken time to make proper arrangements for the fish and the business interests of the partnership. R3720:6
Not all are called to a ministry requiring all their time; the majority the Lord evidently intends to instruct while they are about their ordinary business. These also, however, must forsake their boats and fishing tackle in the heart from the moment that a full consecration is made to the Lord. R3721:2, 3308:2
Similarly, we have duties and responsibilities in life which would be wrong to abruptly cast aside and ignore. R3721:1
Evidently retaining some sort of interest, however, as they had no difficulty in regaining possession of the boats when they re-embarked in the fishing business after our Lord's death. R3308:2
If we would be his disciples we must forsake all ambitions and hopes for wealth, name or fame, and not look back. R3721:4
Followed him – The opposite course from what Peter had suggested--that the Lord depart from them because he was perfect while they were poor, weak and imperfect through the fall. R3720:4
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| 12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. |
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| 13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean.
And immediately the leprosy departed from him. |
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| 14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
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Tell no man – The testimony of his Messiahship was to be hidden from the common people until the rulers of the Jewish church had been given a full opportunity to decide for or against Christ. C168
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| 15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. |
Fame abroad of him – Because of his miracles and teaching. R1735:3
As Messiah, with power and authority. R1743:1
Tending to his immediate advancement to the kingly office. R1754:3
As the fame of Jesus increased, the opposition to him became more and more pronounced, especially from the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees as they were brought into competition and unfavorable comparison with him as public teachers. R1735:3
To be healed – Healings today, when the agencies employed are not in opposition to the Lord, may be slight intimations to men that the times of restitution are at hand. Other manifestations of healing through agencies in subtle opposition to the Lord we can only regard as the efforts of Satan to offset the power of God. R1921:6
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| 16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. |
And prayed – Our Lord frequently spent whole nights in earnest prayer. R1865:5
Let no child of God hesitate to come to him often or to tarry long. R1865:3
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| 17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. |
Pharisees – When they found that he received sinners and ate with them, they hated him. R1460:1
Doctors of the law – Rabbis, scribes. R2583:2
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| 18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. |
Men brought – It might be questioned whether the faith was that of the palsied man, or that of his friends. We think the circumstances warrant the latter thought, that the sick man exercised faith and prompted his friends to help. R2583:5
In the present time some, like this paralytic, are not past feeling and yet are so helpless as to need the assistance of friends to bring them to the Lord. R2584:4
The chief business of every member of Christ, besides his own development, is to help others to the Redeemer. R3315:5
With a palsy – Representing a condition of sin in which the individual loses his power; in combination with this may come an insensibility of conscience, a deadness to all principles of righteousness, "past feeling." (Eph. 4:19) R2584:4
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| 19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. |
Upon the housetop – By the outside stairway customary in that country, the buildings being usually but one story in height. R2583:3
Let him down – We should not be readily stopped by impediments and obstacles but, like these, be ready and willing to take advantage of every proper circumstance and condition to place our friends near to the Lord and his power. R2584:4
Through the tiling – The extemporaneous device of plain peasants accustomed to opening their roofs and letting down grain, straw and other articles. R2583:3
Demonstrating a persevering, trusting faith in Christ. R1921:2
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| 20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
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And when he – Jesus, acting as the special agent and representative of the Father. R3729:2
Saw their faith – The faith of the sick man and those interested in him. R1921:2
So far from feeling offended at the intrusion, he overlooked these because of the quality he so much admires--faith. We also should overlook rudeness, especially where there is evidence of sincerity of heart. R2583:4
Thy sins are forgiven – Evidently an unlooked-for answer. R1921:2
Forgiveness of sins is the first essential step toward acceptable Christianity. Some are inclined to put doctrine instead of faith and repentance, but this will not do. R2584:5
"Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world," said John. (John 1:29) R1921:5
While the forgiveness of sins is an assurance that the healing, or removal of the penalty of sin, will surely follow, it does not signify that the recovery from the penalty will immediately follow. R1921:5
Similar forgiveness of sins may be declared by members of the Body of Christ to all who come unto God in his appointed way. R3315:2
The Gospel Church receives forgiveness of sins in this age, and will be "delivered from the bondage of corruption" (Rom. 8:21) at the dawn of the Millennium. R1921:5
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| 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? |
Who is this – The question was a very proper one, and they are not to be blamed for making the enquiry. R2583:6
Who can forgive sins – Our Lord's authority to pronounce the forgiveness of sins was in virtue of his having sacrificed his humanity; while he, as a new creature, was a priest of the new order, fully empowered to forgive sins. R2584:2
God never gave power to bishops, priests or ministers of any denomination to forgive sins. Nor did Jesus give authority to the apostles to forgive sins. They might preach forgiveness, but only in his name. HG737:5
But God alone – The divinely appointed way for the cancellation of sins was by means of the ransom as the legal settlement of the penalty, and faith in Christ the Redeemer. R1921:3
Though the ransom price had not yet been actually given, the Lamb for sacrifice had already been presented by our Lord at his baptism, and had been accepted of God and was on the altar of sacrifice. R1921:3
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| 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
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Perceived their thoughts – Even though their murmuring words did not reach his ears. R1921:2
He answering – Not wishing that the miracle would detract from the preaching which it interrupted, but, on the contrary, should impress it as well as illustrate it. R2583:5
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| 23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
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Whether is easier – Equally easy, for both the authority and the power are committed unto Jehovah's Anointed. R1921:5
The same divine authority that was necessary to the forgiveness of sins was also necessary to the healing. If the forgiveness of sins was blasphemy, so also was the healing. R1921:3
Thy sins be forgiven – In every instance the healing of the soul from the sickness and condemnation of sin should be placed first, as the highest and most important thing, far outranking physical conditions and blessings. R2584:1
There was a provision in the Jewish law for the forgiveness of sins, through the offering of special sin offerings. The paralytic evidently brought to the Lord the sacrifice appropriate to the new dispensation, "a broken and a contrite heart." (Psa. 51:17) R2584:2
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| 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins,
(he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
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Unto the sick – Healing did not follow as a result of the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins was one thing and the healing was another. R1921:3
Arise – Thus our Lord called attention to his miracles of healing as the divine testimonials of his claims to be the Son of God, the long-looked-for Messiah of Israel. R1921:5
All our Lord's healings were both instantaneous and complete, showing the fullness of his authority and power. R1921:6
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| 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. |
He arose – A proof, not only of our Lord's healing power, but also of his power to forgive sins. R2583:6
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| 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. |
Filled with fear – Reverence, a fear in the sense of respect for the God whose love, sympathy and compassion had been so wonderfully manifested. R2583:6
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| 27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
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Saw a publican – Probably Matthew had not only knowledge of our Lord, but also faith in him, as the Messiah. Not until now, however, had Jesus invited him to become one of his immediate disciples; not until now, therefore, could Matthew essay to become such. R2591:1, 2260:1
Named Levi – As Simon's name was changed by the Lord to Peter, so Levi's name was changed to Matthew, which signifies "the gift of God." R2591:1, 2260:3
The receipt of custom – A revenue collector. R2590:6, 2260:2
Receipt of custom – An occupation despised by the average Jew as being unpatriotic. R2591:1
Follow me – Our Lord's choice of a publican to be one of the favored apostles indicates the impartiality of his selections; and implies that Matthew could not have been one of the dishonest publicans. It also showed that he passed by no Israelite indeed merely because there was prejudice amongst the people against him or his class. R2260:2
The influence of the fact that our Lord would accept a publican to be his disciple was far-reaching, and no doubt inspired an interest in our Lord amongst the degraded and outcast classes. R2260:3
While the Lord called each apostle individually, there was also a special occasion upon which he dedicated them to their office as apostles. R1521:2
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| 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him. |
He left all – Not that he left his money-drawer open and his accounts with the Roman government unsettled, to immediately follow the Master. It may have taken days or weeks to straighten his affairs and enable him to respond to the Lord's call. R2591:1
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| 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. |
A great feast – Probably several weeks after Matthew's call. R2591:5
As a man of influence he responded to the Lord's call by consecrating himself and his all, and set about to use these to draw others to the Savior by announcing his devotion under such favorable circumstances as might possibly win some. R2591:2
Each should seek to exert his influence where it is greatest, amongst those with whom he is acquainted and who are acquainted with him. R2591:3
From the connection of the narrative it is supposed that it was on one of the regular fast days of the Pharisees. R2591:5
In his own house – Hospitality should be used as a channel for the advancement of the truth. The homes of those who have consecrated themselves to the Lord should be consecrated homes, in which the first consideration should be the service of the Master. R2591:3
Of publicans – Publicans were counted unpatriotic, disloyal to their own nation, in that they accepted the service of an alien government, and made use of their knowledge of their country and people in assisting to collect revenues deemed unjust. R2591:1
Of others – Publicans, ostracized not because they were wicked, but because their business was disesteemed, were forced to have most of their social intercourse with the non-religious, called "sinners". R2591:2
Being cast off from the sympathies and friendship of the Jews in general, they were naturally less influenced by their prejudices and hence more ready to receive the truth. R1783:3
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| 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? |
Why do you eat – The objection was not that our Lord should not teach the publicans and sinners, but that he should not eat with them, which implied a social equality. R2591:5
Our Lord's strict observance of the Law no doubt made him at first a favorite with the Pharisees. But when they found that he received sinners, they began to realize that his righteousness was of a different sort from theirs and, as darkness is opposed to light, they hated him. R1459:6
They should have had the yearning compassion which would have delighted to lift them out of sin and brought them nearer to the Lord and nearer to righteous influences. R2592:1
With publicans – They were classed with sinners and harlots in New Testament usage. The Hebrew Talmud classes them with murderers and thieves, and regards their repentance as impossible. R2260:2
Sinners – Not necessarily vile persons and evil-doers, but rather persons who did not profess nor attempt the holiness claimed by the Pharisees, persons who did not claim to be absolute keepers of the divine law. R2591:2
One class of Jews at that time was designated the holy people, Pharisees, and another class was designated as not professing absolute holiness, sinners. R2591:3
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| 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
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They that are whole – Not that the Pharisees were not sick, and that they did not need our Lord's ministry. The fact was, that not admitting they were sin-sick, they were not disposed to receive his good medicine of doctrine. R2591:6
A physician – The physician had a right to go and mingle with those whom he sought to relieve, and might mingle with them in whatever manner he saw to be expedient for their cure. R2591:6
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| 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
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The righteous – Anyone who considered himself to be righteous would be beyond the call of repentance. R2591:6
But sinners – His call to the Kingdom was not a call of the righteous, but of those who realized themselves to be imperfect. R2260:4
In God's sight the publicans had the better standing, because of his acknowledgment of imperfections and his petition for mercy. R2591:6
Humility and the realization of the need of a Savior are essential to all who would come to the Father through Christ and his atonement. R2260:5
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| 33 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? |
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| 34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
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Fast – Fasting is a concomitant of mourning and sorrow. R2260:5
A very plain diet for a season, if not total abstinence. R2260:6
The bridegroom – Jesus, personally, is the Bridegroom, and not Jesus and the overcomers. R398:4
Is with them – Cheering their hearts, refreshing and strengthening them, opening the eyes of their understanding, and giving them hearing ears to appreciate the divine favor that was coming unto them. R2592:1
Now, in the Lord's second Presence, we might say that the feast has begun again. R2592:2
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| 35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
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Then shall they fast – Throughout the Gospel age the Lord's people have frequently felt called upon, in time of darkness and adversity, to seek a very close approach to the Lord by humbling of the flesh, and have found fasting a valuable means to this end. R2592:2
Fasting has a typical significance. It means self-denial. When the Master was with his people it required little self-denial to be his follower. But later on, when he got into the toils of his enemies, it required self-denial to confess and follow him. R2592:2
Throughout the Gospel age none could be a follower of the Lamb without self-denial, fasting, refusing the desires and appetites of the flesh--sacrificing some and mortifying others in the interest of spiritual development. R2592:2
Fasting is proper enough when intelligently done and from a right motive, specially commendable to the Lord's people at times when they find themselves lacking in spirituality and exposed to severe temptations. By impoverishing the physical force and vitality, to may assist the full-blooded and impulsive to self-control in every direction. R2260:5
Discipline the body by abstaining from delicacies and relishes. R3659:5
Very plain diet or total abstinence from food is occasionally desirable to many of the Lord's people. R2260:5
Fasting is worse than useless when done as a formality or ceremony. R2260:5
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| 36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
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A parable – Given to emphasize that before the blessing could come to natural Israel, spiritual Israel must be selected. R4987:5
No man putteth – Combining Christianity with Judaism would have been disastrous to both for they are opposites--the one demanding absolute righteousness, impossible for sinners; the other demanding that the impossibility of personal righteousness be acknowledged and that faith be the only condition of forgiveness and mercy. R2592:4
Perhaps the first intimation our Lord had given of the fact that Israel as a nation would not be found worthy of the Kingdom and would be rejected. R2260:6
A new garment – The fuller light of truth due at the first and second advents of the Lord. C160
An imputed righteousness according to faith, based upon the merits of his own sacrifice for sins. R2592:4
Upon an old – An old sect or organization; Judaism. C160; R4987:5
The impossible righteousness required by the law. R2592:4
Maketh a rent – Would only make the weakness more noticeable. C160; R4987:5
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| 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
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And no man – Similarly now, we perceive the impossibility of putting the new wine which the Master is now providing into the old wine-skins of sectarianism. R2592:5
Putteth new wine – Which has not finished its fermentation. R4987:5, 509:5
New doctrines. R2592:5
Into old bottles – Wineskins, whose elasticity had been exhausted. C160; R4987:5, 509:5
Old systems; Judaism. C160; R2134:2
Burst the bottles – New wine, put into such skins, in fermenting would stretch them to almost bursting point. Such skins could never be used again for new wine because, the elasticity having gone out of them, the new wine, in fermenting, would surely burst them. R2592:5
Showing that the wine in use at that time did ferment, and that therefore the wine used at the last supper was probably fermented. R509:5
By the fermentation process of trials, disciplines and testings. R4987:5
Rending them asunder by new truths which are out of harmony with sectarian pride, errors, traditions and superstitions of which these systems are built. C160
And be spilled – Left stranded, hampered by all the old errors of the sect and held responsible for its past record by the world in general. C160
Not only the Jewish nation would have been convulsed and wrecked by the spirit of the new teachings, but also the doctrines themselves would have gone down with the wreck of the nation. R2592:5
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| 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
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Into new bottles – New wineskins that will be able to stand the stress of the fermentation sure to come--trials, disciplines, testings. R4987:5
Our Lord's work was not like that of John the Baptist, not a work of reformation, patching up the Jewish system and arrangement. R2592:4
He was making an entirely new institution, gathering out a church, which would not be a Jewish church, nor a Reformed Jewish church, but a wholly different institution, a Christian church. R2592:4
God is now, as in the end of the Jewish age, calling out of the whole system such as are Israelites indeed, that they may receive at his hands the new wine, doctrine, of the new dispensation just at hand. R2592:6
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| 39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
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