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Chapter 9
9, 10
. See
EGW comment on Luke 5:29
.
11 (
Isaiah 58:4
;
Luke 5:30
). Fasting in Pride Versus Eating
in Humility
—The Pharisees beheld Christ sitting and eating with
publicans and sinners. He was calm and self-possessed, kind, cour-
teous, and friendly; and while they could not but admire the picture
presented, it was so unlike their own course of action, they could
not endure the sight. The haughty Pharisees exalted themselves,
and disparaged those who had not been blessed with such privileges
and light as they themselves had had. They hated and despised the
publicans and sinners. Yet in the sight of God their guilt was the
greater. Heaven’s light was flashing across their pathway, saying,
“This is the way, walk ye in it”; but they had spurned the gift. Turn-
ing to the disciples of Christ they said, “Why eateth your Master with
publicans and sinners?” By this question they hoped to arouse the
prejudice which they knew had existed in the minds of the disciples,
and thus shake their weak faith. They aimed their arrows where they
would be most likely to bruise and wound.
Proud but foolish Pharisees, who fast for strife and debate, and
to smite with the fist of wickedness! Christ eats with publicans and
sinners that He may draw men to Himself. The world’s Redeemer
cannot honor the fasts observed by the Jewish nation. They fast
in pride and self-righteousness, while Christ eats in humility with
publicans and sinners.
Since the fall, the work of Satan has been accuse, and those who
refuse the light which God sends, pursue the same course today.
They lay open to others those things which they consider an offense.
Thus it was with the Pharisees. When they found something of
which they could accuse the disciples, they did not speak to those
whom they thought to be in error. They spoke to Christ of the things
which they thought to be so grievous in His disciples. When they
thought that Christ offended, they accused Him to the disciples. It
was their work to alienate hearts (
Manuscript 3, 1898
).
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