I'm seeking deeper insight into Matt 9:13

"But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'  
For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."  NIV

I'm mostly interested in the meaning of the quoted statement.  I take 
it to mean that what our Lord seeks is for us to show mercy [towards 
one another] rather than seek atonement through animal sacrifice, 
which I believe was still the practice of that time.  Ie, reflecting 
the statement elswhere that love mitigates a multitude of sin (a 
paraphrase; can't find the verse).

The commentary in my NIV, however, seems to say that here Christ is 
extending His own mercy to us; that this statement is a call to 
salvation.  I can see part of that, particularly the second sentence 
in conjunction with Matt 9:12 ("On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is 
not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick....").  But this 
doesn't seem to capture the meaning of 'I desire mercy, not 
sacrifice'

In Christ,
Richard

((( s.r.c.b-s is a moderated group.  All posts are approved by a moderator. )))
(((   Read http://srcbs.org for details about this group BEFORE you post.   )))
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXPost V1.14 at BBSWORLD * Info{at}bbsworld.com

---
 * RIMEGate(tm)V10.2áÿ* RelayNet(tm) NNTP Gateway * MoonDog BBS
 * RgateImp.MoonDog.BBS at 1/7/05 11:53:36 AM