Bible In One Year Day 314 (Luke 3 - 5, Proverbs 25: 27-28)

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Day 314: My Beloved Son 

Agape Bible Study 
Luke 3 - 5 

Time-line

• 587/6 BC: Last Davidic king taken by the Babylonians into exile.
• 587/6 " 164 BC: Judah is ruled in turn by the Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks.
• 167 " 164 BC: Revolt of the Maccabees.
• 162 " 63 BC: period of independence; rule by the Hasmonean kings who were descendants of the Maccabees.
• 63 BC: Roman General Pompey conquers Judah; Romans rename Judah the Roman Province of Judea; Judea is ruled by men chosen by Rome.
• 44 BC: Julius Caesar is assassinated; the Senate names a triumvirate of Caesar's great-nephew Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus to govern the Republic.
• 47-37 BC: Roman ally Herod, an Idumean, is appointed governor of the Galilee.
• 37 BC: Roman Senate appoints Herod king of the Jews.
• 31 BC: Antony and Cleopatra VII of Egypt defeated at the Battle of Actium by Octavian.
• 27 BC: Octavian is named Caesar Augustus and appointed ruler for life by the Roman Senate. It is the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire.
• 3/2 BC+: Jesus is born in Bethlehem.
• 1 BC* [4 BC]: King Herod dies and is succeeded by his son Archelaus; the rest of his kingdom is divided among surviving sons: Herod Philip becomes tetrarch of Gaulanitis, Trachonitis, Auranitis, Batanaea and Ituraea (dies 33/34 AD); Herod Antipas becomes tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (dies 39 AD).
• 6 AD: Archelaus is deposed by the Romans and Annas becomes the High Priest. After being deposed by Roman Prefect Valerius Gratus in 15 AD, Annas continues in power through his 5 sons and son-in-law Caiaphas who succeed each other in holding the office of high priest.
• 14 AD: Caesar Augustus dies and is succeeded by his step-son and heir Tiberius (dies 37 AD).
• 18 AD: Joseph Caiaphas appointed High Priest (deposed 36 AD).
• 26 AD: Pontius Pilate is appointed Prefect of Judea and serves until 36 AD.
• c. 28 AD?: Lysanias becomes tetrarch of Abilene (dies 37 AD).
• 28 AD+: John the Baptist and Jesus begin their ministries.

Chapter 3: John the Baptist's Ministry and the Baptism of Jesus

Luke 3:1-6 ~ John the Baptist is called to begin his ministry

Question: How does St. Luke historically situate the beginning of St. John the Baptist's ministry?
Answer: St. Luke first situates the beginning of St. John the Baptist's ministry during the reign of the political leaders and then during the rule of the religious leaders.

Question: How was it that John knew when to begin his ministry proclaiming repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah? Is 6:8; Jer 1:4; 2:1; Ez 1:2; 2:1-3; Ho 1:1; Joel 1:1; Jonah 1:1-2; etc.

Answer: God called John to begin his ministry as He had called his other prophets.

Luke further emphasis the nature of John's divine call by quoting from the book of the 8^th century BC prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 40:3-5, a passage quoted in part by the other Gospel writers (Mt 3:3; Mk 1:3 and Jn 1:23 all quote only Is 40:3) and which he relates to St. John's ministry. Matthew quotes verse three from the Isaiah text in its Greek Septuagint form (Mt 3:3) as does the Gospel of John (Jn 1:23): Only Luke quotes the entire passage of Isaiah 40:3-6 from the Hebrew text: A voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'

Preaching of St. John the Baptist - Francesco Ubertini 

Luke 3:7-20 ~ The preaching of John the Baptist

Question: Where was John preaching and baptizing? See Jn 1:28.
Answer: He was baptizing on the east side of the Jordan River.

Question: What two significant events took place on the east side of the Jordan River across from the west bank city of Jericho? See Num 22:1; 30:12; Josh 3:1; 2 Kng 2:1-14.
Answer:

1. The Israelites made their last camp at the end of their 40 year wilderness journey on the east side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. It was at this point on the east side of the Jordan that Joshua (Yehoshua) led the invasion of Canaan and the conquest of the Promised Land.
2. It was the site where the prophet Elijah was taken up into heaven.

It is likely that this was the site where John first began to offer baptism in repentance for sins, at the same site. John was blessed with the power and spirit of the 8^th century BC prophet Elijah and it would have been fitting for John his ministry at the same site where Elijah's ministry ended and his more powerful successor Elisha's ministry began. It is also where John will baptize Jesus (Yehoshua), one who is more powerful than John, who will then cross over from the east to the west side of the Jordan to begin His conquest against sin and death that will result in the conquest of Heaven, the true Promised Land for God's people.

John's preaching style was not gentle "today he might be compared to a "fire and brimstone" preacher.

Luke 3:21-22 ~ The baptism of Jesus

Jesus was without sin (2 Cor 5:21; CCC 602)
Question: John's baptism was one of repentance of sins (Lk 3:3). Why did Jesus submit to John's baptism if He was without sin? See Mt 3:13-15; Mk 10:38-39 and Lk 12:50 (Jesus speaking of His death); 22:37 and 23:32; Rom 5:8; 6:3-4; Mt 28:19-20; Jn 1:31; Acts 10:37-38, 43; 2 Cor 5:21; and CCC 438 and 535-6.
Answer: Jesus tells John that He must be baptized (Mt 3:13-15). By baptizing Jesus:

1. St. John the Baptist reveals the Messiah to Israel in a baptism of anointing by the Holy Spirit. (Jn 1:31; Acts 10:37-38)
2. Jesus is "fulfilling all righteousness" by submitting Himself to the Father's divine will. (Mt 3:15)
3. Jesus accepts His mission as God's suffering servant by allowing Himself to be counted among the sinners John baptizes, just as He will be counted among sinners at His death. (Lk 22:37 and 23:32; Rom 5:8; 2 Cor 5:21)
4. In doing this Jesus is already anticipating the "baptism" of His bloody death on the altar of the Cross for the remission of our sins. (Mt 10:38-39; Acts 2:38; 10:43)
5. He is also demonstrating what those who accept Him as Lord and Savior must do to be joined to His baptism of death and resurrection unto salvation. (Mt 28:19-20; Acts 2:38; 22:16)

The Gospel of Matthew provides more details of the event of Jesus' baptism (Mt 3:13-17), but all the accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke record the first evidence of the Most Holy Trinity in Sacred Scripture and salvation history.

Question: How is the Holy Trinity present at the baptism of Jesus?
Answer: The Trinity is present in the descent of God the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove upon God the Son and voice of God the Father from heaven proclaiming His pleasure in Jesus the Son.

Luke 3:23-38 ~ The genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth

Both Jesus and John began their ministries when they were thirty years old. John was six months older than Jesus (Lk 1:36), but John announced Jesus' pre-Incarnate existence when he told the crowd: He is the one of whom I said, A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me' (Jn 1:30). That their ministries began in their thirtieth year may be significant in that John, the son of the priest, began his ministry at the age a member of the tribe of Levi finished his instruction in the Law and Temple service and began his fulltime duties, and thirty was the age that David became King of Israel (Num 4:3; 2 Sam 5:4).Many of the names in Luke's extensive genealogy are also found in the Old Testament genealogical lists (see Gen chapters 5 and 11 and 1 Chr chapters1-3). There are 42 names in Matthew's list which are purposely arranged to yield three sets of 14 names to correspond to the gematria (the number 14) of David's name DVD in Hebrew (see the Matthew study Lesson 2). Luke's list has 77 names, a number signifying double spiritual perfection and fulfillment. More Davidic kings are in Matthew's list than in Luke's list (see * for Davidic kings of Judah).

Chapter 4: The Temptation of Christ

Luke 4:1-13 ~ The temptation of Jesus "the second Adam
Only the Gospels of Matthew and Luke have the details of Jesus' temptation by Satan. At the end of His ordeal of 40 days of fasting and prayer, Jesus was hungry like any man. Recognizing His physical weakness, Satan saw an opportune time to test Jesus. The Greek word diabolos (in the LXX and the New Testament) is usually translated "devil," but in Hebrew the word is satan, meaning "adversary" or "accuser" as in a court of law. An example of this imagery is found in the book of Job where "the satan" is standing in the heavenly court accusing the man Job (Job 1:1-8); and also the use of the word "accuser/satan" in Ps 109:6-7: Find a lying witness, an accuser [satan] to stand by his right hand, that he may be judged and found guilty, that his plea may be in vain. The most frequent use in the Old Testament, however, is in the metaphorical sense of an adversary (for example see 1 Sam 29:4) Every place the title "Satan" is found in the Old Testament it is preceded by the definite article "the;" the one exception is in 1 Chronicles 21:1 where it is a proper name.

Question: Who is Satan? See Rev 12:7-9 and CCC 391-95 and 2852.
Answer: He is a created being who was once an angel but who is now the adversary of both God and man. Revelation 12:9 identifies Satan as the same serpent who tempted Adam and Eve into sin and became the "deceiver of the whole world."

Question: In Luke 4:3 Satan begins the test by asking Jesus to give proof that He is the "Son of God." Does this mean Satan knows Jesus is God's divine Son? What is meant by the title "Son of God"? Who else in the Old Testament bore this title? See Job 1:16; Ex 4:22; Wis 18:3; Dt 14:1; Mt 5:9, 45; Ps 2:7; 89:27/26; 2 Sam 7:8, 12-14; 1 Chr 17:13.
Answer: Satan is not certain that Jesus is the Messiah, therefore, he tests Jesus. "Son of God" was a title that was also assigned to:

• Angels of the heavenly host
• The children of Israel and their leaders
• King Solomon and the Davidic kings of Judah
• Righteous believers.

Later it is clear that the demons recognize Jesus' true identity as the divine Son of God (i.e. Mt 8:29; Mk 1:24; 5:7; Lk 4:34, 41; 8:28).

Question: How will Jesus describe His rank of divine sonship as different the others who bore the title previously in salvation history? See Mt 4:11; 7:21; 22:42-46; Mk 1:13; Jn 10:15, 29-30; 14:9-10, 20; 16:15.
Answer:

• Jesus calls God "My Father;" it is a claim not made previously by those who bore the title (Mt 7:21).
• Jesus claims Psalm 110:1 proves that the Messiah is more than David's son; He is a divine son (Mt 22:42-36).
• He is ranked above the angels (Mt 4:11; Mk 1:13).
• He claims to have God for His Father in an intimate way that others can not claim (Jn 10:15, 29-30; 14:9-10, 20; 16:15).

Question: What events will confirm Jesus' claim to the unique title "Son of God"?
Answer: The Resurrection and Ascension.

In His encounter with Satan, Jesus the Son of God is enacting both Adam's temptation by the Serpent in the Garden of Eden and Israel's temptations in the desert after leaving Egypt as God's "first-born son" among the nations of the earth (Ex 4:22-23). St. Paul called Jesus the "last Adam" (1 Cor 15:21-22, 45-47), and the Fathers of the Church called Him the "new Adam" and the "second Adam" (CCC 359 and 504).

Question: What comparisons can be made between the temptation of Adam, the son of God and the temptation of Jesus, the Son of God, and how does John's list of the world's temptations compare to Satan's testing of both Adam and Jesus? Quote the significant verses.

Answer:

The Temptations of the First and Second Adams Contrasted
Temptations	The first Adam Genesis 3:1-6	Jesus, the new Adam Luke 4:1-13
The devil's invitation to rebellion	"Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees...?"	The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God ...
Hunger, a desire of the flesh	The woman saw that the tree was good for food	... command this stone to become bread"
Enticement for the eyes:	pleasing to the eyes, and	Then he took him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world ... "All this will be yours if you worship me."
The pride of a pretentious life (power)	desirable for gaining wisdom	"If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here... He will command his angels concerning you ..."
Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2012 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Question: What comparisons can be made between the desert testing experiences of Jesus, the Son of God, and the Israelites, the sons of God, in their Exodus experience?
Answer:

Israel	Jesus
Israel is God's "first-born son" from among the nations of the earth (Ex 4:22-23)	Jesus is the Son of God (Lk 1:32)
The Israelites were baptized by passing through the waters of the Red Sea and then, accompanied by God's spirit in the pillar of cloud and fire, they went into the desert (Ex 13:21-22; 14:21-22; 15:22)	After Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, the Spirit of God led Jesus into the desert (Lk 4:1)
The Israelites were in the desert for 40 years where they suffered from hunger (Ex 16:2-3)	After 40 days in the desert, Jesus was hungry (Lk 4:2)
God tested Israel (Ex 16:4; Dt 8:2)	God allowed Satan to test Jesus (Lk 4:1-13)
The Israelites continually failed their tests of covenant obedience and loyalty, even to the point of worshiping a golden idol (Ex 32:1-6)	Jesus passed His tests. He remained faithful and obedient to God, and He refused to bow down to worship Satan (Lk 4:8)
Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2011 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Satan is Jesus' great adversary. Jesus describes the devil as "a murderer from the beginning" who "does not stand in truth because there is no truth in him" (Jn 8:44). Jesus' mission is not only to free mankind from bondage to sin and death but to "destroy the works of the devil"; the most heinous of the devil's works was to lead man to disobey God (1 Jn 3:8, CCC 394).

In Jesus' contest with Satan, the devil addressed Jesus three times. Jesus responded by quoting Scripture three times from Deuteronomy 8:3a, 6:13 and 6:16, using the formula "it is written" twice in verses 4 and 8. The devil quoted Scripture once from Psalm 91:10-12 and used the formula statement "it is written" once (verse 10).

• Test #1: the devil tempted the physically hungry Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by turning a stone into bread: 4 Jesus answered him, "It is written: One does not live by bread alone' (quoting from Dt 8:3a).
• Test #2: the devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offered them to Jesus if he would worship him. 8 Jesus said to him in reply, "It is written: You shall worship the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve'" (quoting from Dt 6:13).
• Test #3: the devil tempted Jesus again to prove he was the Son of God by throwing Himself down from the Temple's highest point to prove God would save him, quoting from Psalms 91:11-12. Jesus replied: "It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test'" (quoting from Dt 6:16).

Question: What do all of Jesus' quotations from Scripture have in common?
Answer: All Jesus' Scripture quotations are from the Book of Deuteronomy.

Chapter 4:14-44: The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

Luke 4:14-30 ~ The beginning of Jesus' Galilean ministry

Question: How does the summary statement in verses 14-15 characterize Jesus' Galilean ministry?
Answer:

1. Jesus' ministry is guided by the Spirit of God.
2. Teaching is the focus of His ministry.
3. Jesus' teaching was received and praised by "all the people," expressing Luke's theme of universality.

It is this same teaching that has been imparted to Theophilus, the man to whom Luke's Gospel is dedicated (Lk 1:4).

Luke 4:31-37 ~ Jesus' ministry in Capernaum

Jesus returned to Capernaum to continue His ministry, teaching in the Synagogue on the next Sabbath. According to Luke 7:5 the Capernaum Synagogue was built under the auspices a Roman centurion who loved the God of Israel and His people. The congregation was favorably disposed to Jesus because they recognized the authority of Jesus' teaching.

Question: What is ironic about Jesus' encounter with the people of Nazareth compared to His encounter with the demon?

Answer: The people of His own hometown did not recognize Jesus' as God's Anointed, but the demon recognized His true identity.

Luke 4:42-44 ~ Jesus leaves Capernaum

Daybreak would have been the day after the Saturday Sabbath, the first day of the week that we call Sunday (which began at sundown twelve hours earlier). Jesus went to a "deserted place" to pray, as He did sometimes during His ministry (Mt 14:13; 26:36; Mk 6:32; Lk 5:16). The crowds of people followed Him and tried to keep Him from leaving the vicinity of Capernaum. But He explained to them that His mission was to proclaim a Gospel that was not limited only to them.

Chapter 5: Jesus Calls His Apostles

Jesus continues His ministry in a combination of word and deeds. In Luke 5:1-6:11 there are six episodes that define Jesus' mission to the covenant people. His actions are defined by gratitude and controversy, liberation and acceptance.

Luke 5:1-11 ~ Jesus calls Galilean fisherman to be His disciples

The Sea of Galilee was known by several names including Lake Gennesaret and the Sea of Tiberias. It was the practice of Galilean fisherman to fish at night and to return to the shore at sunrise to unload the catch and to mend their nets. Jesus asked Simon for the use of his boat as a platform from which to address the large crowd. Mark 1:16-20 provides the information that Simon and his brother Andrew were in the fishing business and were partners with Zebedee and his sons James and John (Mt 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20).

Question: Was this the first time the Galilean fishermen had met Jesus? See Jn 1:35-51.
Answer: No, they first met Jesus when they had been baptized by John the Baptist in Perea on the east side of the Jordan River.

The vantage point of the boat provided a natural amphitheater from which to teach. Notice that, as was the custom, that Jesus sat down to teach. After His teaching, knowing that the fishermen had caught no fish the night before, Jesus told them to lower their nets into the water.

Question: What happened next and what is the cause of Simon's reaction?
Answer: So many fish were caught that they had to call the other boat to help with the catch. Simon recognized that a miracle had taken place and that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Coming face to face with God's Anointed he was suddenly conscious of his sins.

Simon's reaction is similar to the reaction of Isaiah when he came into the presence of the divine in Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah said: "Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" With the evidence of the miraculous catch of fish, Simon recognizes the vast difference between his human condition as a sinner and Jesus righteousness as the Holy One of God. It is exactly the same reaction each of us should have when we face Christ's representative, the priest, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Notice that Simon-Peter's epiphany and commissioning by Jesus is similar to Isaiah's experience of God and his commissioning in Isaiah 6:1-10. Simon-Peter also refers to Jesus as "Lord" (see Is 6:5 and Lk 5:8).

Isaiah 6:1-10	Luke 5:1-11
Isaiah's experience of epiphany: ... I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the Temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they veiled their faces, with two they veiled their feet, and with two they hovered aloft. "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD [YHWH] of hosts!" they cried one to the other. "All the earth is filled with his glory!" At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke (verses 1-3).	Simon-Peter's experience of epiphany: After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking (verses 1-4).
Isaiah's reaction: Then I said, "Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD [YHWH] of hosts!" (verse 5).	Simon-Peter's reaction: When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man" (verse 8).
Isaiah's reassurance: Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it. "See," he said, "now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged" (verses 6-7).	Simon-Peter's reassurance: Jesus said to Simon, "do not be afraid ... (verse 10b).
Isaiah's commissioning: Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am;" I said; "send me!" And he replied: "Go ... (verses 8-10).	Simon-Peter's commissioning: from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him (verse 10b).
Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2013 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.

Jesus' words "from now on" (also see Lk 1:48; 2:52; 22:18; Acts 18:6) emphasize the end of Simon's old life and the beginning of his new life as Simon-Peter, Simon "the Rock" (Jn 1:42). In his commissioning Jesus tells Simon that the miracle of the fish catch will be eclipsed by Simon's "catch" of the lives of men and women for Christ's Kingdom. The night of unproductive human work will be replaced by fruitful work in proclaiming the word under Jesus' authority. "Fishers of men" is a prophetic symbol for proclaiming the Gospel in God's economy of salvation. Simon's brother Andrew (unnamed in this episode but see the same event in Mt 4:18) and their partners James and John Zebedee will now become partners in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the beginning of Jesus' community of believers.The fishermen made the same choice Jesus asks each of us to make - to be willing to leave everything in our earthly lives behind to follow Him.

Luke 5:12-16 ~ The cleansing of a leper

Notice that the leper humbly addressed Jesus as "Lord," acknowledging Jesus' superior status and authority. The prophet Elisha also cleansed a leper (2 Kng 5:1-14). There is a reoccurring link between Elisha's ministry and Jesus. Elisha was the greater successor of the prophet Elijah just as Jesus is the greater successor of John the Baptist who came in the power and spirit of Elijah. Elisha cured the sick, healed lepers and even raised the dead.

Question: Why did the leper beg Jesus to "make me clean"? See Lev 13:9-11, 45-46.
Answer: If a person was diagnosed with a contagious skin disease, he or she was declared ritually unclean, could not live in the community and must wear torn clothing and shout out "unclean" whenever other people came near. The person believed in Jesus' power to heal him.

Such persons could not attend worship in the Temple or join with a congregation in a local Synagogue and anyone who came in contact with one so afflicted could also become ritually "unclean." The person was virtually ostracized from the community. In asking to be made "clean" the man was asking to be healed so he can rejoin his family and his community.

Question: What was ironic about the way in which Jesus healed the man?

Answer: Jesus touched the man, an action that would normally make a Jew "unclean," but not only was Jesus not affected by the man's state of impurity, He transferred His purity to the man who was then healed.

Luke 5:17-26 ~ The healing of a paralytic

That Jesus had the power to cast out demons and heal the sick did not automatically cause the people to believe He was the Messiah. Many of God's holy prophets had these spiritual gifts. Notice in this passage that paralysis is the focus in the beginning and in the end of the encounter (verses 18-19b and 24b-25). A comparison can be made between the man's condition and religious state of the Old Covenant people who "paralyzed" in the sense that sin has made them unable to fulfill their destiny to bring the pagan nations of the world to know and accept the God of Israel. Instead, their lack of faith has become a barrier just as the crowd is a barrier to the friends of the paralyzed man who are trying to reach Jesus to heal their friend.

Luke 5:27-32 ~ The call of Levi (Matthew)

Levi is traditionally identified as St. Matthew, the tax collector (Mt 9:9; 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15; Acts 1:13). Like the fishermen, Levi-Matthew demonstrates his genuine repentance by turning away from his old life to follow the Christ. To celebrate the new direction in his life, he gives a farewell banquet for his friends and associates. His actions recalls Elisha's farewell feast for his friends and family after his call to follow the prophet Elijah (1 Kng 19:19-21). Jesus was probably the chief guest at the banquet. The Pharisees and scribes, who were not at the dinner, criticized Jesus to His disciples.

Question: What two charges did the Pharisees make against Jesus?
Answer:
1. Jesus ate with tax collectors and other sinners;
2. Jesus did not teach His disciples to fast.

The religiously strict Pharisees considered it a scandal that Jesus ate with known sinners like tax-collectors. The men who collected the taxes for the Romans made a good living, usually by overcharging the tax rate. They were considered to be dishonest men who abused their authority (see the story of Zacchaeus (Lk 19:2-10).

Luke 5:31-32 Jesus said to them in reply, "Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. 32 I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but the sinners."

Question: How does Jesus portray the tax collectors and sinners and how does He describe Himself to the Pharisees?
Answer: In this passage, Jesus is speaking of "healing" as the restoration of a relationship with God. He is the physician and they are the sick who need healing. The spiritually healthy do not need His healing.

Luke 5:33-38 ~ A question about fasting

The practice of fasting was seen as an expression of humility before God, of mourning, repentance and of spiritual purification:

• Psalms 35:13: Yet when they were ill, put on sackcloth, afflicted myself with fasting, sobbed my prayers upon my bosom.
• Psalms 69:10: Because zeal for your house consumes me, I am scorned by those who scorn you. I have wept and fasted, but this led only to scorn.
• Nehemiah 9:1-3: ... the Israelites gathered together fasting and in sackcloth, their heads covered with dust ... then stood forward and confessed their sins and the guilty deeds of their fathers.

Jesus does not reject fasting and the Church of the New Covenant will practice fasting and prayer (Acts 10:30; 14:23; 27:33; 1 Cor 7:5). However, He teaches that the present time is not the time for fasting.

Question: Why does Jesus reject fasting at the time of His proclamation of the Kingdom?
Answer: He gives two reasons:

1. He compares His divine visitation to the celebration of a wedding in the coming of the bridegroom, identifying Himself as the Bridegroom. It is therefore a time for feastiang and not fasting.
2. When the time comes that He will be taken away it will be the appropriate time to fast.

+++ 
A Daily Defense 

DAY 314 Omitting Doubted Books

CHALLENGE: “If the deuterocanonical books were doubted by some early on, shouldn’t we err on the side of caution and omit them rather than risk adding to the word of God?”

DEFENSE: This is based on a faulty premise that would lead to dramatic consequences.

First, the deuterocanonicals weren’t the only doubted books of the Old Testament. At least five additional books were disputed in the Pharisee tradition but later included in the canon of modern rabbinic Judaism (see Day 255). These books—Esther, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Ezekiel—are sometimes referred to as the Old Testament antilegomena (Greek, “spoken against”). Applying the above principle would result in their also being taken out of the Bible.

Second, some Jews (the Sadducees), only accepted the Torah as Scripture, meaning the other protocanonical books were disputed by some Jewish authorities. Thus the principle could lead to the truncation of the Old Testament to just its first five books.

Third, the New Testament would not remain untouched, for some New Testament books were also disputed in the early Christian community. Eusebius famously labeled James, 2 Peter, 2–3 John, Jude, and potentially Revelation as antilegomena (Church History 3:25). We also know from other sources that Hebrews was also doubted. The principle under consideration would thus truncate the New Testament canon.

Fourth, the principle is faulty, and not just because it would truncate the canon. It is also faulty because omitting a doubted book is not “erring on the side of caution.” In doubtful cases, one would assume risk either way. Including a doubtful book would entail the risk of “adding to the word of God,” while excluding it would entail the risk of “subtracting from the word of God.” The book of Revelation contains a warning against either adding to or taking away from the words of that book (Rev. 22:18–19), and that principle can be extended to the canon as a whole. 

Finally, the principle is faulty because we are not in the position of early Jews or Christians having to decide which books belong in the Bible. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth (John 16:13), and the Spirit has led the Church to recognize the books of Scripture. This is not an individual decision but a divinely guided historical process.

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist