Muse: A wild feast

Today, the picture of Jesus at the social gathering at Matthew's house drifted to mind.

"Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?"

But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire compassion and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

(Matt 9:10-12)

The Pharisees were shocked. It must not have been a goody-goody two shoes kind of party. You don't discuss the Law or sit at the head of table by virtue of your religious costume. Tsk-tsk-ing at corruption and crime would be unthinkable. Rather, think gambling, coarse jesting, vulgarities, gluttony, happily drunk men, and debauchery. Loads of debauchery perhaps. Not to mention the party guests... traitors to the nation and God, walking in the counsel of the wicked and sitting in the seat of God's mockers. In the midst of the ungodly crowd, there Jesus was making Himself comfortable - rather than getting up in disgust and leaving. He was reclining at the table - relaxed, interested, and to a certain extent, vulnerable, being at the same level as everybody else. In fact, He looked like He was one of them - the gluttons and drunkards (Matt 11:18-19), a reputation among the religious leaders He secured. I'm certainly not saying that He too indulged in the sins of those whom He fellowshipped with. Rather, their sins did not make Jesus squirm, grimace, cluck His tongue, or blush. He must have expected them before He came... and He wasn't expecting the party-goers to stop swearing in front of Him or something. What do you do as a sinner if you don't sin anyway? Be yourself.

So why still eat with them, Jesus? Bad company corrupts good character, no?

Yes, in a humanly sense. However, Jesus was God Incarnate among them, not with bolts of lightning to strike their arses. If bad company corrupts good character, what would divine company do for bad character?

Jesus was demonstrating the mind-blowing answer; sort of "The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these..." He wasn't there to call the righteous to enter His Kingdom, He said. Rather, He was calling sinners. God's grace was to explode human expectations and principles. The picture of Jesus at the table of sinners is such a beautiful prophetic picture actually. The first act of rebellion in the history of mankind was about eating, and eating has been at the core of every human problem ever since. The struggle for survival is about eating. The survival of the fittest is about eating. Israel in the wilderness grumbled against Moses (and God) because they were hungry. Later, some of the Israelites would doubt God and hoard up Manna when they had been specifically told not to do so. Greed and self-centred cultures rob and deprive people in certain other parts of the world of food. Food (or the abstinence from food) is the obsession of a growing population of eating disordered individuals all around the world. Overeating at pity-parties, wedding banquets, and buffets is seen as therapeutic for many of us - and for some, even more therapeutic than the Bible or prayer. In the Matt 9:10-12 picture, the King Himself promises against the backdrop of a wild eating an eternal feast, with the King as the gracious host. A feast of rich food, no doubt. However, more than food and eating, the feast would be about relationships made right, first with the King who looks past your former sins and calls you by name.... then among the guests who would trust each other with such childlikeness that they might recline together and dip bread in the same bowl(s) regardless of former social standings. Those who were eligible to feast with the King would never be able to claim credit for their eligibility. Your meal has been paid for, a hefty, bloody price - believe it or not. If you believe, just come and eat, fellowship with the King Himself, and cry grateful tears with the rest of the guests.

What a marvelous, humbling picture.

Of course this passage holds many implications. However, it made me think differently of attending "wild feasts". Of course, we may not be like Jesus and we are too susceptible to temptations. I am also certainly NOT suggesting that we go sign up for an orgy. However, there are many other tamer community events that provide the Spirit-filled us opportunities to be salt and light to those who do not know God yet - parents-teachers day, school picnics, toddler play-dates, college games, study groups, road trips with non-Christian friends, tai-chi classes, fellowship at our workplaces, etc. Even if we do not join in with preaching the gospel on the agenda (haha), we could always be prayerful, patient, kind, long-suffering (when it comes to the counter-Christian things they might do or say), generous, humble, courteous, pleasant, empowering, forgiving, accommodating, interested, and supportive of all that is noble, right, pure and God-honouring. When we do so, we defy cultural expectations of what Christianity is about. It isn't supposed to be a stuck-up religion that prohibits participation in non-Christian events for fear of proselytisation or defilement. Neither is it to be self-centred, judgmental, and exclusive. Rather, Christianity is often about meeting felt needs, stepping down from high places, death to self for the sake of others, and building relationships that lead to God. We do these because God first did these things for us through Christ. He did so because He loves us. Furthermore, non-Christians get to see that Christians too are human. We have fun like everyone else (within biblical boundaries of course), laugh, and celebrate. We suffer, we make mistakes, we grieve, we lose our cool, we struggle, we sigh at our tight financial budgets. However, we do have a hope that does not perish despite our circumstances. And we may yet look forward to the feast fit for a King-dom.

So come join us?