Luke 5,27-39
27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.”
28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.
30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
A Question About Fasting
33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.”
34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.
37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.
38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.
39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Hello everyone, I am Kiki. The Chinese name of our second phase of the program is “读经大讲堂”. The English name is “Bible Study”.
We will adopt a relaxed and enjoyable learning mode to take you into a new learning world. Each time I will make a personal summary and analysis from the perspective of a learner, and then Sister Ingrid will help me conduct in-depth learning and problem discussions with everybody.
I hope that such an interesting and interactive process can bring a new knowledge experience to you all. The following is my interview with Sister Ingrid on related issues. Today is the ninth lecture on the Gospel of Luke.
Everyone is welcome to leave a message in the comment area for discussion!
2. My summary of Luke ninth-time study:
Well, everybody! Firstly, here is my personal study summary for today.
One day, Jesus saw a man named Levi, who was a tax collector. Most people didn’t like tax collectors because they worked for the government and often took extra money.
But Jesus just said to Levi, “Follow me,” and Levi immediately left everything and followed Him.
Later, Levi threw a big dinner party for Jesus, and many other tax collectors and “sinners” were there too. The religious leaders (called Pharisees) were not happy and questioned Jesus’ followers because He would hang out with people like that.
Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I came to help sinners, not those who think they’re already good.”
Then some people asked Jesus why His followers didn’t fast like the Pharisees and John the Baptist’s followers.
Jesus replied using examples. He said you don’t fast at a wedding when the groom is still there—basically saying that while He was with them, it was a time for joy, not sadness.
But one day He would be gone, and then they would fast.
Jesus also told parables. He said you shouldn’t patch an old coat with a piece from a new one, or put new wine into old wineskins. These examples mean that new things don’t always fit into old ways. Jesus was bringing a new message, and people needed to be ready for change.
Now let Sister Ingrid make a further summary.
3. Sister’s comment on my study summary:
In this Bible text, the Bible explains the difference between law and grace. Levi was a sinner who received the grace of Jesus. The Pharisees lived under the law and did not feel that they needed grace. They preferred the law and their religious traditions over the grace that Jesus gave us on the cross.
To receive grace, you have to identify yourself as a sinner, repent, and recognize that you are sick and cannot heal yourself.
Levi was a tax collector, and he identified himself as a sinner. That is why he left everything behind and followed Jesus. The others, the Pharisees, wanted to stay in their sins and did not want to be transformed or to change.
In the parables, Jesus teaches that the old wine represents religion and the new wine represents grace. People prefer religion because they say the old wine is better than the new one.
The old garment represents religion and the new garment represents grace. Even today, people still prefer the garment of religion instead of grace. But when you recognize yourself as a new garment, you leave the old garment behind and rejoice in having new and eternal life in Christ.
4. Q list part: based on Luke 9th items:
Okay. Based on the above Bible study content, now let me ask Sister Ingrid some related questions. We hope the following questions can be helpful to our brothers and sisters who have just become Christians.
1. Who was Levi, and what was his job?
Levi was a tax collector. His job was to collect taxes from the Jewish people and give them to the Roman authorities. This is why the Jewish people hated him.
2. What did Jesus say to Levi, and how did Levi respond?
Jesus said to Levi, “Follow me,” and Levi responded by following Him. He left everything behind.
3. Why did people dislike tax collectors back then?
Because they were working for the Roman Empire, and the people hated the Roman Empire, which forced them to pay taxes. They saw the tax collectors as collaborators of the Roman Empire.
4. What kind of people came to Levi’s dinner party?
All kinds of people came to Levi’s dinner party, especially tax collectors and sinners.
5. Why were the Pharisees upset with Jesus?
They were upset with Him because He ate with sinners.
6. What did Jesus mean when He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician”?
When we think that we are well in our lives, that we are doing things well and are content with our religious behavior, we do not feel the need for Jesus and His grace because He cannot convince us that we are sinners.
We have to be aware that there is something wrong with us and that we need Jesus.
7. Why didn’t Jesus’ disciples fast like others?
They did not fast because Jesus was still among them.
8. What did Jesus mean by talking about the bridegroom and wedding guests?
耶稣提到新郎和婚宴客人时想表达什么？
The bridegroom was Jesus Himself, and the wedding guests were His disciples.
9. What’s the meaning of the parable about new wine and old wineskins?
The old wine represents religion, and the new wine represents grace.
10. Why do you think Jesus used simple stories (parables) to teach people?
To understand His parables, you need ears that hear and a willing heart to do what He teaches. If you do not want to follow His will, you will never understand the meaning of the parables.
