[28] I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” [29] (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, [30] but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) [31] “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? [32] They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ [33] For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ [34] The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ [35] Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” ~ Luke 7:28-35
Jesus was called a drunkard and a glutton by the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the teachers of the law. The ones who studied the Scriptures earnestly. The strictest party of the religion. These and the lawyers, those who argued, defended, and held others accountable to the Law. These not just called, but accused the LORD Jesus of being a drunkard and a glutton. Now, whether or not they realized when they said it doesn’t matter, it was said. When they accused Him of these things, they were condemning Him to death. Look at what the law says about drunkards and gluttons.
[18] If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, [19] then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, [20] and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ [21] Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Deuteronomy 21:18-20
The Father already audibly declared Jesus His only begotten Son. By accusing Jesus of being a drunkard and a glutton, they were accusing Him of not obeying the voice of His Father. They, the elders, were making a judgment on behalf of that entire generation that Jesus was a rebellious son who does not listen to His Father. Jesus declared that He does nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees His Father doing (John 5:19-29).
We will be judged by our words (Matthew 12:36-37). Not just our actions, but the words let we allow to come out of our mouths. Solomon warned that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Jesus said it’s not what goes into a person’s mouth that defiles them, but what they allow to come out of their mouth (Mark 7:14-23). The Pharisees and lawyers knew Solomon’s verses, and now Jesus was calling them out for the words they had been speaking. Words they would be judged for if they did not repent.
Our words aren’t just empty phrases we put together, speak, and then they just vanish into thin air. No. They linger. They stay. They have power. Therefore, we cannot just speak them carelessly. So, what are we to do? Stop them before they come out of our mouths by monitoring and controlling our thoughts. Paul tells us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5-6).
Peace. Love. Go forth and Start With Your Mind.
