Ġesù kien Ħabib tal-pubblikani u l-midinbin spiss jintuża mill-Insara biex jgħix bħad-dinja u jissieħeb ma’ dawk li ma jemmnux u japprova d-dnub. Hekk kif tikkonfronta lil Nisrani b’ċertu mġiba, dnub, or friendship with the world, you often hear, “But Jesus was a Friend of publicans, prostitutes, u midinbin, 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. Imma huwa veru, 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 il-miġja ta’ Ġesù Kristu. John preached in the wilderness of Judea the baptism of repentance. Qal, Jindem (having a change of mind which issues in regret and a change of conduct), għax is-Saltna ta’ Alla tinsab fil-qrib.
John the baptist preached with such a formality, gravity and authority, which must be heeded and obeyed.
Ġerusalemm, 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 (Mattew 3:1-6).
Ġwanni l-Battista wasn’t afraid and intimidated by the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to his baptism. Minflok, 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 (Mattew 3:1-12, Luqa 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 sejħa għall-indiema for the remission of sins and were baptized.
The publicans asked John, what they had to do. John answered them, that they should ask (exact) no more than that, which was appointed to them (Luqa 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, who were covetous, min iħobb il-flus, liars, cheaters and swindled people and continued their evil works, li kienu kontra r-rieda ta’ Alla.
Jesus called the lost of the house of Israel to repentance
Ġesù ġie fuq l-art, 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 (Mattew 15:24).
Jesus came for God’s covenant people by natural birth and the carnal circumcision. The publicans, prostitutes, u midinbin, 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 rieda ta’ Alla.
The publicans, prostitutes and sinners did in the eyes of the Lord, and lived in dnub. 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, li kien ta’ dar Israel, 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, biex tissettja fil-libertà minnhom li huma mbenġla, and He preached the acceptable year of the Lord (Luqa 4:18-19).
Did Jesus approve of sin?
Jesus didn’t approve of sin and didn’t fellowship with publicans and sinners, li kien tal-poplu ta’ Alla, but persevered in sin. 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 (Atti 10).
Jesus didn’t fellowship with the publicans and sinners, li kien ta’ dar Israel, 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 sejħilhom għall-indiema and commanded them, fost l-oħrajn, to sin no more (i.e. John 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, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican (Mattew 18:15-17)
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Mattew 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, inkluż id-dnub. Il-poplu, who say this, don’t know the Bible; il-Kelma. 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. F'dak il-mument, Ġesù kien 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 raġel karnali antik, billi tpoġġi l-laħam; dying of the flesh, so that the new man be raised from the dead.
Jesus is the Light of the world
Jesus is the Light of the world. Meta Ġesù mexa fuq din l-art, He testified that the works of the world are evil (John 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.
Nru, Jesus called the people who sinned to repentance. He commanded them to put away their sins. Ġesù qal: “mur u dnub aktar”.
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 ħabb lil Alla b’qalbhom kollha, moħħok, ruħ u saħħa (Dewteronomju 10:12, Mark 12:30).
Because if you love God with all your heart, ruħ, mind and strength, you will not persevere in sin, imma int se mibegħda dnub, eżatt bħal Alla, Ġesù u l-Ispirtu s-Santu, 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. Imma mhux kulħadd, because there were also many people, li emmen u nidem (John 7:7; 15:18).
This also happened among the publicans, prostitutes and other sinners, li kien ta’ dar Israel. When they met Jesus, who represented God and His Kingdom, they were confronted with their evil works and nidem of their sins on the basis of the words of Jesus and followed Jesus.
They were no longer sinners, but they believed, nidem, 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, u qallu, Follow Me. And he arose and followed Him. U ġara, dak, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, u huma marru warajh. 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, Qalilhom, They that are whole have no need of the physician, imma dawk li huma morda: Ġejt biex ma nsejjaħx lill-ġusti, imma midinbin għall-indiema (Mark 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, Follow Me. 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, tgħid, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; imma dawk li huma morda. Ġejt biex ma nsejjaħx lill-ġusti, imma midinbin għall-indiema (Luqa 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, u qallu, Follow Me. And he arose and followed Him.
U ġara, dak, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, u huma marru warajh. 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, Huwa qalilhom, They that are whole have no need of the physician, imma dawk li huma morda: Ġejt biex ma nsejjaħx lill-ġusti, imma midinbin għall-indiema (Mark 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 segwa Ġesù. 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 (Ġesù) lay with tax-collectors and sinners.
Jesus heard their question and answered, that He didn’t come to call the righteous, imma midinbin għall-indiema.
Għalhekk, 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, ara, 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, u qallu, 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, tgħid, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner And Zacchaeus stood, u qal lill-Mulej; Ara, Mulej, nofs il-ġid tiegħi nagħti lill-foqra; u jekk ħadt xi ħaġa mingħand xi bniedem b’akkuża falza, Nirrestawrah erba’ darbiet. U Ġesù qallu, Dan il-jum huwa s-salvazzjoni ġejjin għal din id-dar, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. Għax Bin il-bniedem ġie biex ifittex u jsalva dak li kien mitluf (Luqa 19:1-10)
While Zacchaeus was sitting in a sycomore tree, Jesus called Zacchaeus. Immedjatament, 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 (Luqa 15:1-10)
The Pharisees and Sadducees
The majority of the Pharisees and Sadducees looked pious, god-fearing man, Imma fir-realtà, 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, l-Iben ta’ Alla.
They didn’t know the will and the heart of God, and were not familiar with His ways. Għalhekk, 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. Nru, 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, when nobody was watching.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were sense ruled and called Jesus a friend of publicans and sinners
The Son of man (Ġesù) came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners (Mattew 11:18)
Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him. And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, tgħid, This man receives sinners, and eats with them (Luqa 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.
Madankollu, 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.
Huwa għalhekk li, 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. In the second dispensation, 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, imma biex twettaq il-liġi. Jesus even adjusted some commandments of the law and made it harder, and added commandments.
In the third dispensation, in which we live, 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, u l- pożizzjoni ta’ bniedem waqa’ has been restored in Christ, billi ssir ħolqien ġdid; bniedem ġdid fi Kristu, God’s will is still the same.
Jesus represented and testified of the will of God and called the people to repentance.
L-Ispirtu s-Santu, who lives in the new creations, still represents and testifies of the rieda ta’ Alla and confronts people with their sins and calls them to repentance.
Ġesù kien ħabib tal-pubblikani?
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, imma gidba. 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.
Minbarra dan, 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. Iżda…
L-ewwelnett, they belonged through natural birth to God’s covenant people but were deviated from God, and Jesus came to bring them back. It-tieni, 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 but of righteousness.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Jesus before it hated you
Huwa miktub: Jekk id-dinja jobogħduk, intom tafu li kienet tobgħod Lili qabel ma kienet tobgħodkom. Kieku kont tad-dinja, Id-dinja kienet tħobb tiegħu: imma għax intom m’intix tad-dinja, Imma għażiltlek barra mid-dinja, Għalhekk id-dinja jobgħodkom. Ftakar il-kelma li għidtlek, Il-qaddej mhux ikbar mill-Mulej tiegħu. Jekk ippersegwitawni, Huma wkoll jippersegwitawk; Jekk żammew il-qal tiegħi, Huma jżommu tiegħek ukoll. Imma dawn l-affarijiet kollha se jagħmlulek minħabba Ismi, għax ma jafux lil Dak li bagħatni. Kieku ma ġejtx u kellimthom, ma kellhomx dnub: imma issa m’għandhom l-ebda skop għad-dnub tagħhom. Min jobgħodni jobgħod lil Missieri wkoll. Kieku ma għamiltx fosthom ix-xogħlijiet li ħadd ma għamel, ma kellhomx dnub: imma issa t-tnejn li huma raw u jobogħdu kemm Lili kif ukoll lil Missieri. Imma dan iseħħ, biex titwettaq il-kelma li hi miktuba fil-liġi tagħhom, Huma jobgħodu Me mingħajr kawża (John 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, inti tkun mibgħuda mid-dinja.
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 (li hija wkoll ir-rieda ta’ Ġesù), u li tirrappreżenta, ippriedka u ġġib is-Saltna ta’ Alla fuq l-art.
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 (midinbin), 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 (Mark 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, esperjenzi sopranaturali, walking in the supernatural, profeziji, viżjonijiet, signs and wonders and rather preach or hear self help or motivational sermons about prosperità, gaining wealth and become successful in this world.
Madankollu, with these sermons, you won’t enter the gates of heaven, because without sanctification no one will see the Lord (Lhud 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.
‘Kun il-melħ tal-art’
