And behold, a man came up to [Jesus], saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
—Matthew 19:16-17
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
—Luke 11:23
“And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges...’”
Luke 14:23a
Psalm 50 paints a vivid picture in language that has prophetic double meaning.
The Mighty One calls to heaven and earth to gather His covenant people. Perhaps those who first heard or read those words started thinking at this point of harvest and celebration. But the song continued.
The Lord speaks as a judge, telling His people that their sacrifices and ceremonies are offensive because of their actions and speech that showed hearts that had discarded His instruction. Their sacrifices resembled bribes more than humble, loving gifts. He rebukes them, reminds them, and calls them to remember. Even in their rebellion, His grace calls them to reconciliation.
Micah speaks to the injustice and greed of his time, responding to one who might ask, "What good deed can I do to fix things?" His answer calls them to remember what the Lord has required all along. He calls them to respond with hearts and humility. Centuries later, Jesus answered a similar question with an answer that also pointed back to the Father's long-standing (and long-suffering) instruction.
While Jesus was a guest at a Sabbath meal in the house of a leading Pharisee, He healed a man suffering from edema (a condition sometimes associated with heart problems). Jesus taught about humility and compassion. And when another guest spoke of feasting in the kingdom of God, Jesus told a sobering parable of a feast where the invited guests were too busy with their own affairs to attend.
But the feast wasn't cancelled. Instead, the host—to borrow words from Psalm 147—filled His house by gathering the outcasts.
Gather
He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
—Psalm 50, 4-5
“Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
—Micah 6:8
And behold, a man came up to [Jesus], saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
—Matthew 19:16-17
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
—Luke 11:23
“And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges...’”
Luke 14:23a
Psalm 50 paints a vivid picture in language that has prophetic double meaning.
The Mighty One calls to heaven and earth to gather His covenant people. Perhaps those who first heard or read those words started thinking at this point of harvest and celebration. But the song continued.
The Lord speaks as a judge, telling His people that their sacrifices and ceremonies are offensive because of their actions and speech that showed hearts that had discarded His instruction. Their sacrifices resembled bribes more than humble, loving gifts. He rebukes them, reminds them, and calls them to remember. Even in their rebellion, His grace calls them to reconciliation.
Micah speaks to the injustice and greed of his time, responding to one who might ask, "What good deed can I do to fix things?" His answer calls them to remember what the Lord has required all along. He calls them to respond with hearts and humility. Centuries later, Jesus answered a similar question with an answer that also pointed back to the Father's long-standing (and long-suffering) instruction.
While Jesus was a guest at a Sabbath meal in the house of a leading Pharisee, He healed a man suffering from edema (a condition sometimes associated with heart problems). Jesus taught about humility and compassion. And when another guest spoke of feasting in the kingdom of God, Jesus told a sobering parable of a feast where the invited guests were too busy with their own affairs to attend.
But the feast wasn't cancelled. Instead, the host—to borrow words from Psalm 147—filled His house by gathering the outcasts.