Matthew 9:9-13 - Desiring Mercy

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 (NIV)

Reread Hosea 6:6 and keep it in mind as we journey through this passage.

In this passage we see how Matthew comes to be a disciple of Christ.  Jesus approaches him and says, "Follow me."  That was enough for Matthew, and he invites Jesus over for dinner along with a few friends.  Of course, the local Pharisee were peeping through their curtains and the nosy neighbor police came out to condemn Jesus.  They could not wait to embarrass Jesus and stir up the disciples.  They lacked tack and discretion.  They purposefully and publicly challenged Christ.

Jesus lays out the simplicity of their argument in verses 12 and 13:

• Jesus had come to heal the sick not the well.  He was available to all but not many seemed to want Him unless they wanted something from Him.
• Jesus then quotes from Hosea 6:6.  God desires mercy not sacrifice.  The Pharisee were known for their "sacrifice" but not known for mercy!  They were very strict.  Here's the kicker - Jesus tells them to go learn the verse.  If they had known it, then they would have seen the second half of it - "acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings"!

Jesus directly challenges the Pharisee with Scripture (the same Scripture they purported to know so well).  Jesus teaching them a few things to remember.  First, He tells them to learn how to be merciful and to bring the "sinners" back into relationship with God.  Unfortunately, the Pharisee could not do this because it would contradict their stances on "holiness" (which was to avoid sinners at all costs!).  They were too good and too self-righteous to help others.  This was a sickness that blinded them from their own personal need of God.

Second,  if the Pharisee truly took Jesus at this task, then they would have realized they could not see God or acknowledge Him, even when He stood before them.  They were so cliquish that they lost all sense of who God is.  Their pride kept them from acknowledging their own sin, and it kept them from sitting with Jesus and hearing what He had to say.

Jesus was giving an example of how we are supposed to live - with the world and still not be of it.  You can do this by showing mercy and acknowledging the presence of God.  Reread Hosea 6:6 and looked at the example of Christ a little closer, then ask yourself: where am I acting in mercy and how do I acknowledge God?  A little self-revelation is good for the soul.  Desire mercy today.