Jesus was a Friend of publicans and sinners is often used by Christians to live like the world and fellowship with unbelievers and approve of sin. As soon as you confront a Christian with certain behavior, חטא, or friendship with the world, you often hear, “But Jesus was a Friend of publicans, prostitutes, וחוטאים, and had relationships with them. If He had relationships with them, we can also have relationships with unbelievers and accept and respect them for who they are and not judge them. אבל האם זה נכון, was Jesus a Friend of publicans, prostitutes, and sinners and did He have relationships with sinners according to the Bible?
John the baptist preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sin
Before Jesus came on stage, John the baptist was on stage. John the baptist was the forerunner of Jesus and prepared the way for the בואו של ישוע המשיח. John preached in the wilderness of Judea the baptism of repentance. הוא אמר, לחזור בתשובה (having a change of mind which issues in regret and a change of conduct), כי מלכות אלוהים בפתח.
John the baptist preached with such a formality, gravity and authority, which must be heeded and obeyed.
יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, all Judea and all the region round about Jordan went to John the baptist. They were baptized by John in the river the Jordan while making a public confession of their sins (מתיו 3:1-6).
יוחנן המטביל wasn’t afraid and intimidated by the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to his baptism. כנסיות הבשר האלה לא מצייתות לדבר ולא הולכות אחרי הרוח בסמכותו הרוחנית של ישוע המשיח ובכוחה של רוח הקודש, John confronted them with their conduct.
He called them a generation of vipers and called them to repentance so that they would bear fruit, which would meet the repentance. But they rejected the counsel of God, by refusing to be baptized.
John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and baptized the people that gave heed to his call (מתיו 3:1-12, לוק 3:9).
Among the people that gave heed to his call and were baptized were also publicans (that belonged to the house of Israel).
The publicans repented and asked John what they had to do
The publicans came to John and repented when they heard his message and קריאה לתשובה for the remission of sins and were baptized.
The publicans asked John, מה שהם היו צריכים לעשות. John answered them, that they should ask (exact) no more than that, which was appointed to them (לוק 3:12-13; 7:29-30).
These publicans repented of their sins and were baptized. Although they were still publicans, they didn’t belong to the unrepented publicans, שהיו חומדים, אוהבי כסף, שקרנים, cheaters and swindled people and continued their evil works, שהיו נגד רצון האל.
Jesus called the lost of the house of Israel to repentance
ישוע הגיע לארץ, while the Old Covenant was still in existence. He didn’t come in the first place for the Gentiles, but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel (מתיו 15:24).
Jesus came for God’s covenant people by natural birth and the carnal circumcision. The publicans, prostitutes, וחוטאים, who are mentioned in the Bible, belonged to the house of Israel.
Although they had the status of Gentiles, they were not Gentiles by nature. They deviated from the way of the Lord and entered a way, which was not according to the רצון האל.
The publicans, prostitutes and sinners did in the eyes of the Lord, and lived in חטא. They belonged to the poor and the lost of the house of Israel.
The coming of Jesus didn’t change anything about the message of God that was preached by all the prophets and John the baptist. Jesus preached the same message of the Kingdom and also called the people, שהשתייכו לבית ישראל, to repentance for the remission of sins.
Jesus didn’t go and fellowship with the Gentiles, but He went to the people of the house of Israel and preached the gospel to the poor. He healed the brokenhearted, preached deliverance to the captives, and recovered the sight to the blind, לשחרר את החבולים, and He preached the acceptable year of the Lord (לוק 4:18-19).
Did Jesus approve of sin?
Jesus didn’t approve of sin and didn’t fellowship with publicans and sinners, שהיה שייך לעם של אלוהים, אבל התמיד בחטא. He didn’t fellowship with the Gentiles either, as so many people assume and say. Because although Jesus died for the generation of fallen man, the mercy and grace of God came to the Gentiles after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and after the coming of the Holy Spirit (מתנהג 10).
Jesus didn’t fellowship with the publicans and sinners, שהשתייכו לבית ישראל, out of selfish reasons with the purpose to have relationships with them. He didn’t become a partaker of their works and adjust the laws and values of the Kingdom of God to their desires and will.
Neither did Jesus adjust His message to what the people wanted to hear.
Jesus confronted God’s covenant people with their apostasy, sins and iniquities and קרא להם לחזור בתשובה and commanded them, בין היתר, לא לחטוא יותר (כְּלוֹמַר. ג'ון 5:14; 8:11)
The works of the (unrepented) publicans were evil and not good. Jesus confirmed that their conduct and works were not good in the following Scriptures:
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, לך ותגיד לו את אשמתו בינך לבינו בלבד: אם ישמע אותך, זכית באחיך. אבל אם לא ישמע אותך, ואז קח איתך עוד אחד או שניים, שבפי שניים או שלושה עדים ניתן לקבוע כל מילה. ואם יתעלם מלשמוע אותם, לספר זאת לכנסייה: אבל אם יתעלם מלשמוע את הכנסייה, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican (מתיו 18:15-17)
כי אם אתה אוהב את אלה שאוהבים אותך, איזה פרס יש לך? אפילו המוכסאים לא אותו דבר? ואם תצדיעו לאחיכם בלבד, מה אתה עושה יותר מאחרים? אפילו הממונים לא כך? לכן היו אתם מושלמים, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (מתיו 5:44-48)
Jesus is not a Humanist
Jesus didn’t allow and approve sin. Not even the evil works of the (unrepented) publicans. Jesus wasn’t a Humanist that tolerated, approved and justified everything, כולל חטא. האנשים, who say this, don’t know the Bible; המילה. They have created their own Jesus in their carnal mind, who looks exactly like themselves.
Jesus didn’t justify the evil works of the publicans and sinners. He didn’t have communion and fellowship with the publicans and sinners, who were not willing to repent and persevered in their sins.
That’s because sin is rebellion and disobedience to God and causes separation between God and man.
When Jesus took all the sin of humanity upon Himself, the Father left Him. באותו רגע, ישוע היה separated from His Father. Sin caused separation, and sin still causes separation, despite the coming of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption.
The work of redemption doesn’t involve accepting sin and unrighteousness. But the work of redemption contains the redemption of the איש גשמי זקן, על ידי הנחת הבשר; dying of the flesh, so that the new man be raised from the dead.
ישוע הוא האור של העולם
ישוע הוא האור של העולם. כאשר ישוע התהלך על כדור הארץ הזה, He testified that the works of the world are evil (ג'ון 7:7). Jesus confronted the people that walked in darkness with their sins and called them to repentance.
Jesus didn’t close His eyes. He didn’t say, “You are doing a good job, continue the way you live” or “You are circumcised and therefore you are saved, despite the works you do.” Neither did Jesus say, that God understood their evil works and accepted it.
לא, Jesus called the people who sinned to repentance. He commanded them to put away their sins. ישוע אמר: “לך ואל תחטא יותר”.
This means that in the Old Covenant, the carnal man already had the ability to sin no more.
They could do something about it, namely to resist sin and sin no more. But it was their choice. And their choice depended upon the first commandment, namely if they אהב את אלוהים בכל ליבם, דֵעָה, נשמה וכוח (ספר דברים 10:12, סִימָן 12:30).
Because if you love God with all your heart, נֶפֶשׁ, mind and strength, you will not persevere in sin, אבל אתה תעשה שִׂנאָה חטא, בדיוק כמו אלוהים, ישוע ורוח הקודש, and repent and remove the sins from your life.
When Jesus came and lived among the people, the light shown in the darkness.
The people of the house of Israel were confronted with their dark and defiled state and their evil works of unrighteousness. Because Jesus testified of their evil works and brought their works of darkness into the light, many hated Jesus. אבל לא כולם, because there were also many people, who believed and repented (ג'ון 7:7; 15:18).
This also happened among the publicans, prostitutes and other sinners, שהשתייכו לבית ישראל. When they met Jesus, who represented God and His Kingdom, they were confronted with their evil works and חזר בתשובה of their sins on the basis of the words of Jesus and followed Jesus.
They were no longer sinners, but they believed, חזר בתשובה, and were saved.
The call of Matthew the publican
As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, ואמר לו, עקוב אחריי. And he arose and followed Him. וזה קרה, זֶה, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, הוא אמר להם, They that are whole have no need of the physician, אבל הם חולים: באתי לא לקרוא לצדיקים, אלא חוטאים לתשובה (סִימָן 2:14-17)
After these things He went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He said unto him, עקוב אחריי. And he left all, rose up, and followed Him. 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. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, פִּתגָם, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; אבל הם חולים. באתי לא לקרוא לצדיקים, אלא חוטאים לתשובה (לוק 5:27-32)
And He went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, ואמר לו, עקוב אחריי. And he arose and followed Him.
וזה קרה, זֶה, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, אמרו לתלמידיו, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, הוא אומר להם, They that are whole have no need of the physician, אבל הם חולים: באתי לא לקרוא לצדיקים, אלא חוטאים לתשובה (סִימָן 2:13-17)
In these scriptures, we read about the call of Matthew (also called Levi). Matthew was a publican; a tax-collector, but when Jesus came and he heard His words, Matthew obeyed His words, and immediately left everything behind and עקב אחר ישוע. Matthew became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
When Jesus and His other disciples entered Matthew’s home and lay at the table with other tax-collectors and sinners, the scribes approached His disciples and asked Him, why their Master (יֵשׁוּעַ) lay with tax-collectors and sinners.
Jesus heard their question and answered, that He didn’t come to call the righteous, אלא חוטאים לתשובה.
לכן, Jesus didn’t compromise with the tax-collectors and sinners, He didn’t approve their works, but Jesus called them to repentance.
The repentance of Zacchaeus, the chief publican
Jesus entered and passed through Jericho And, לְהַבִּיט, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, ואמר לו, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, פִּתגָם, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner And Zacchaeus stood, ויאמר אל ה'; לְהַבִּיט, אָדוֹן, חצי מהסחורה שלי אני נותן לעניים; ואם לקחתי משהו מאיש בהאשמת שווא, אני משחזר אותו פי ארבע. ויאמר אליו ישוע, היום הזה הוא הישועה בואו לבית הזה, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. כי בן האדם בא לחפש ולהושיע את מה שאבד (לוק 19:1-10)
While Zacchaeus was sitting in a sycomore tree, Jesus called Zacchaeus. מִיָד, Zacchaeus gave heed to His call and did what Jesus commanded him. Zaccaeus climbed out of the tree and received Jesus in his home joyfully.
When the people saw this, they all began to murmur. Because how could Jesus be a guest and enter the home of a sinner?
Zacchaeus stood up and told Jesus, that he would give half of his goods to the poor. But that was not all! He also promised, that if he had taken any thing from any man by false accusation, that he would restore him fourfold.
Jesus saw his sincerity and repentance, and therefore salvation came to his house.
Jesus said again, that He came to save the lost. He knew the sheep, who belonged to the house of Israel and Zacchaeus was a lost sheep, who Jesus found and brought back to the flock (לוק 15:1-10)
The Pharisees and Sadducees
The majority of the Pharisees and Sadducees looked pious, god-fearing man, אבל במציאות, they were puffed up and full of pride. Although they had an extensive knowledge of the written Word of God, they didn’t know their God and didn’t recognize Jesus, בן האלוהים.
They didn’t know the will and the heart of God, and were not familiar with His ways. לכן, they didn’t have a heart of compassion for the lost of the house of Israel.
They didn’t confront them with their sins and didn’t call them to repentance out of God’s love. לא, they were sons of the devil and walked after his will in darkness,.
Because they were sons of the devil, they let them go and allowed them to keep living in sin. While in the meantime, they judged them for the same evil works of unrighteousness, which they also did in secret, כשאף אחד לא צפה.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were sense ruled and called Jesus a friend of publicans and sinners
The Son of man (יֵשׁוּעַ) came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners (מתיו 11:18)
Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him. And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, פִּתגָם, This man receives sinners, and eats with them (לוק 15:1-2)
The Pharisees and Sadducees saw Jesus as someone, who received sinners and ate with publicans and sinners. They called Jesus a Friend of publicans and sinners.
עם זאת, they were carnal and led by their senses. They didn’t know the heart of the publicans and sinners, but judged according to what they saw. They didn’t see publicans and sinners, who repented and had become righteous, but they considered them as publicans and sinners, who were still doing evil works.
זו הסיבה, they accused Jesus of being a Friend of publicans and sinners.
How is sin revealed?
In the first dispensation, God revealed sin to the carnal man by the law that represented the will of God. במחלקה השנייה, Jesus revealed sin to the carnal man by His presence and His words, which are in line with the law and the will of God. Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law and get rid of it, אלא לקיים את החוק. Jesus even adjusted some commandments of the law and made it harder, and added commandments.
במחלקה השלישית, בו אנו חיים, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and testifies of Jesus the Christ. During these three dispensations, the will of God has not changed but is still the same.
Although by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ the Old Covenant is replaced by a New Covenant, וה- עמדת האדם שנפל has been restored in Christ, על ידי הפיכה ליצירה חדשה; a new man in Christ, God’s will is still the same.
Jesus represented and testified of the will of God and called the people to repentance.
רוח הקודש, who lives in the new creations, still represents and testifies of the רצון האל and confronts people with their sins and calls them to repentance.
האם ישוע היה ידיד של מכסים?
Jesus didn’t call Himself a Friend of publicans, but the Pharisees and Sadducees called Jesus a Friend of publicans,. Just like they said about John, that he had and evil spirit. Which wasn’t true, אלא שקר. They based their opinion (that Jesus was a Friend of publicans and sinners), on the fact that they saw Jesus fellowshipping with publicans. But these publicans and sinners believed in Jesus Christ and had repented.
חוץ מזה, Jesus didn’t hang out and fellowship with them for selfish reasons.
Jesus didn’t initiate a friendship with the publicans and sinners and become a partaker of their evil works and justified their works. But Jesus called the publicans and sinners to repentance. Jesus hang out with former publicans and former sinners, who repented and removed their sins.
Jesus has never commanded His followers to compromise with the world, fellowship with unbelievers, build bridges with the world, and be united with the world.
As soon as someone approaches you regarding friendship with the world and the approval of sin and uses the pious lie, that Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners. You can destroy this lie, by telling them the truth of the Word, which is that Jesus indeed fellowshipped with publicans. אבל…
קוֹדֶם כֹּל, they belonged through natural birth to God’s covenant people but were deviated from God, and Jesus came to bring them back. שֵׁנִית, these publicans and sinners had repented and removed their sins.
Jesus came to call sinners of the house of Israel to repentance and not to become a partaker of the evil works of sinners and justify their works. Jesus was not a Promoter of sin אלא של צדקה.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Jesus before it hated you
זה כתוב: אם העולם שונא אותך, אתה יודע שזה שנא אותי לפני שזה שנא אותך. אם היית מהעולם, העולם יאהב את שלו: אבל בגלל שאתה לא מהעולם, אבל בחרתי בך מחוץ לעולם, לכן העולם שונא אותך. זכור את המילה שאמרתי לך, המשרת אינו גדול מאדונו. אם הם רדפו אותי, הם גם ירדפו אותך; אם הם שמרו על האמירה שלי, הם ישמרו גם על שלך. אבל כל הדברים האלה הם יעשו לך למען שמי, כי הם לא מכירים אותו ששלח אותי. אם לא הייתי בא ומדבר אליהם, הם לא חטאו: אבל עכשיו אין להם שום קלוק על חטאם. מי ששונא אותי שונא גם את אבי. אם לא הייתי עושה ביניהם את העבודות שאף אחד אחר לא עשה, הם לא חטאו: אֲבָל עַתָּה רְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם וְשָׂנְאוּ אוֹתִי וְאֶת אָבִי. אבל זה קורה, למען יתקיים המילה הכתובה בתורתם, הם שנאו אותי בלי סיבה (ג'ון 15:18-25)
The world hated and still hates Jesus, because the Word testified of their evil works. The people that belong to Jesus and are born of God, will be hated by the world. Because the world only loves those, who belong to the world and do her evil works.
If you don’t belong to the world anymore, and not be a partaker of her works, אתה תישנא על ידי העולם.
That’s because the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, Who testifies of the evil works of the world.
Jesus commanded us to live a holy life according to God’s will (שהוא גם רצונו של ישוע), ולייצג, להטיף ולהביא את מלכות אלוהים עלי אדמות.
That also includes the preaching of the cross and the call to repentance and the putting away of sins, so that the lost will be saved.
Jesus didn’t say to have fellowship with the world (חוטאים), be a partaker of their works and live the way the world lives in sin. But Jesus said to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and to call them to repentance and teach them all things that Jesus taught (סִימָן 16:15)
But as long as Christians believe the lie, that it doesn’t matter how you live and that you are allowed to live in sin, and as a result of this lie, they don’t remove the sins from their lives, how can they preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and call sinners to repentance and the removing of sins?
How can Christians be a witness and call the people to repentance if they have not repented themselves?
How can Christians be a witness of Jesus Christ and call the people who live in sin to repentance if they have not repented themselves? And how can they expect from others, what they don’t do themselves? That’s why the preaching of repentance and the removing of sins is hardly preached anymore.
Christians are more focused on gaining as much knowledge as possible, חוויות על טבעיות, walking in the supernatural, נבואות, חזיונות, signs and wonders and rather preach or hear self help or motivational sermons about שגשוג, gaining wealth and become successful in this world.
עם זאת, with these sermons, you won’t enter the gates of heaven, because without sanctification no one will see the Lord (עברים 12:14).
That’s why it’s time to expose all those pious lies, that are wrapped in half-truths, with the truth of the Word and remove them and preach the Word of God, so that many souls will be saved from destruction.
'היה מלח הארץ’
