Lesson#17

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #17
THE PARABLE OF THE PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK (MAT 9:10-13)

MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 53:5 OR 1PETER 2:24

THE PARABLE OF THE PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK (MAT 9:10-13)

READ MAT 9:1-13 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE.

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS OR PRINCIPLES IN THESE VERSES:

=1= JESUS FORGAVE A MAN’S SIN AND HE WAS HEALED. (2,5-7)
=2= THE RELIGIOUS TEACHERS SAID THAT HE WAS BLASPHEMING BECAUSE ONLY GOD COULD FORGIVE SINS. (3)
=3= JESUS WAS CRITICIZED FOR EATING WITH TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS. (10-11)
=4= ONLY THOSE WHO ARE SICK NEED A DOCTOR. (12)
=5= GOD DESIRES MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE. (13)

READ HOS 6:6

IF GOD FIRST INITIATED SACRIFICE BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW, WHY DOES JESUS SAY THIS?

GOD WANTS A RIGHT ATTITUDE OF THE HEART, NOT JUST OUTWARD RITUAL OR CEREMONIAL LAW.

READ 1SAM 15:22-23

WHAT WAS THE HEART ATTITUDE OF THOSE CRITICIZING JESUS?

THEY HAD AN ATTITUDE OF SPIRITUAL PRIDE, WHICH AMOUNTS TO A CONDEMNATION OF THOSE THEY THOUGHT WERE UNWORTHY.

THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF THE PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK:

JESUS CAME TO MINISTER TO THOSE WHO RECOGNIZED THEIR SIN AND THEIR NEED OF SALVATION.

WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN BY "A PHYSICIAN"?

REMEMBER THE MEMORY VERSE FROM ISA 53:5 SAYS THAT WITH THE STRIPES OF JESUS’ SUFFERING, WE ARE HEALED.

THE HEBREW WORD FOR "SAVED" MEANS = A TOTAL WELL-BEING IN BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.

THEREFORE, THE ATONEMENT THAT JESUS PURCHASED FOR US ON THE CROSS INCLUDES EVERYTHING THAT MAN NEEDS IN THIS LIFE FOR TOTAL WELL BEING IN HIS BODY, HIS SOUL, AND HIS SPIRIT.

THIS INCLUDES PHYSICAL HEALING.
THIS INCLUDES SPIRITUAL FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION.

REMEMBER THE CONTEXT IN THE PASSAGE THAT WE READ WHERE PHYSICAL HEALING AND SPIRITUAL HEALING ARE ACCOMPLISHED BY ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST.
JESUS IS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN WHO CAME TO MINISTER TO THOSE WHO RECOGNIZED THEIR NEED OF HIM AS A SAVIOR.

WHO ARE THOSE WHO ARE WELL?

IN REALITY THERE IS NO ONE WHO IS "WELL".

HOWEVER, THE PHARISEES THOUGHT THEY WERE "WELL". THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE NOR ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SIN.

THEREFORE, JESUS DID NOT COME TO CALL THEM. HE CAME TO CALL THOSE WHO RECOGNIZED THEIR NEED OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS OF SIN.

WHO ARE THOSE WHO ARE SICK?

EVERY HUMAN BEING IS SICK.

READ ROM 3:23

ALL PEOPLE ARE SINNERS WHO NEED HEALING FROM SIN.

WHY DID JESUS USE THE ILLUSTRATION OF A PHYSICIAN?

EVERY PERSON MUST COME TO THE POINT OF DECISION FOR HIMSELF:

GOING TO THE DOCTOR	TURNING TO JESUS CHRIST
EVERY PERSON MUST COME TO THE POINT OF DECISION WHEN HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE IS SICK, AND HE DESIRES RELIEF FROM THAT WHICH AILS HIM. IT IS A PERSONAL DECISION.	EVERY PERSON MUST COME TO THE POINT OF DECISION WHEN HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE IS A SINNER, AND HE DESIRES RELIEF FROM HIS SIN. IT IS A PERSONAL DECISION.
NOT ALL PEOPLE READILY GO TO THE DOCTOR. SOME PEOPLE RUN TO THE DOCTOR AT THE SLIGHTEST PAIN. OTHERS WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE ON THEIR DEATHBED BEFORE THEY GO TO THE DOCTOR.	NOT ALL PEOPLE READILY TURN TO JESUS AS THEIR SAVIOR. SOME PEOPLE TURN EASILY TO JESUS AS A RESULT OF A VERY SENSITIVE CONSCIENCE. OTHER PEOPLE WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE ON THEIR DEATHBED BEFORE THEY TURN TO CHRIST.
A PERSONAL PHYSICIAN IS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE WORKING OF YOUR BODY VERY WELL AND KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED.	JESUS IS PERSONALLY ACQUAINTED WITH YOUR NEEDS BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT. HE KNOWS EVERYTHING YOU NEED.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN HIM TO MAKE YOU WELL.	WHEN YOU TURN TO JESUS, YOU PUT YOUR FAITH IN HIM TO FORGIVE YOU OF YOUR SINS.

WHY DO YOU THINK JESUS USED A PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK TO REFER TO SALVATION?

SICKNESS	SALVATION
THE END OF UNATTENDED SICKNESS IS DEATH	THE END OF SIN IF UNATTENDED IS DEATH ROM 6:23
SICKNESS IS A PHYSICAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ATTENTION.	SIN IS A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ATTENTION.

SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:

IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE, THE PHARISEES CRITICIZED JESUS FOR SOCIALIZING WITH TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS.

DISCUSSION: SINCE JESUS IS OUR SAVIOR AND OUR EXAMPLE, HOW SHOULD WE MINISTER THE ASPECT OF JESUS AS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN TO OTHER PEOPLE IN NEED?

DISCUSSION: HOW FAR DO WE GO IN SOCIALIZING WITH SINNERS? WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE SO AS TO BE IN THE WORLD BUT NOT PART OF IT?

IF WHAT WE DO IN BEING WITH SINNERS CONFIRMS THEM IN THEIR SIN, IT IS WRONG.
IF WHAT WE DO IN BEING WITH SINNERS HELPS TO LIFT THEM OUT OF THEIR SIN, IT IS PROPER.

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE GUESTS (MAT 9:14-15)
THE PARABLE OF OLD GARMENTS AND OLD BOTTLES (MAT 9:16-17)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE PHYSICIAN AND THE SICK (MAT 9:10-13)

ANALYZE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH NON-BELIEVERS. DOES WHAT YOU DO IN FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM CONFIRM THEM IN THEIR SIN OR HELP TO LIFT THEM OUT OF IT?

PRAY ABOUT THESE RELATIONSHIPS THIS WEEK AND ASK GOD TO GUIDE YOU IN THEM SO AS TO LEAD THEM TO THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, JESUS CHRIST.

PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE GUESTS (MAT 9:14-15) AND THE PARABLE OF OLD GARMENTS AND OLD BOTTLES (MAT 9:16-17)

READ MAT 9:9-34 AND MAT 25:6 FOR CONTEXT OF THESE TWO PARABLES.

THE PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE GUESTS (MAT 9:14-15)

READ JOH 3:29 FOR BACKGROUND.
IF YOU HAVE THE NOTES FROM LESSON #06 REVIEW JOHN THE BAPTIST’S PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND HIS FRIEND.
WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE GUESTS. (MAT 9:14-15)

WHO ARE THE GUESTS?

WHO IS THE BRIDEGROOM?

WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN, "THE BRIDEGROOM WILL BE TAKEN FROM THEM"?

THE PARABLE OF OLD GARMENTS AND OLD BOTTLES (MAT 9:16-17)

TO WHOM DID JESUS SPEAK THE PARABLE?

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE OF OLD GARMENTS AND OLD BOTTLES (MAT 9:16-17)?

WHAT DOES THE "PATCH OF UNSHRUNK CLOTH" REPRESENT?

WHAT DOES THE OLD GARMENT REPRESENT?

WHAT DOES THE "NEW WINE" REPRESENT? (REMEMBER WHAT WINE REPRESENTS IN SCRIPTURE! READ ACT 2:13)

WHAT DO THE "OLD WINESKINS" REPRESENT?

WHAT DO THE "NEW WINESKINS" REPRESENT?

MEMORY VERSE: HEB 8:13