Seeker of Lost Things, Part 2

Hello everyone.

Today, I will continue to examine Luke 15.  The chapter begins with Jesus surrounded by tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus' detractors, the scribes and the Pharisees complain that Jesus, a supposed rightous man, would associate with such people.  Jesus responds by telling three stories about something that was lost, and then was found.  He has already told the story of the shephard seeking and finding the one lost sheep.  He follows that, in verses 8-10, with a story of something else that gets lost, is sought and then found.  Here is my translation: 

8 Or what woman having ten silver coins, but loses one, would not light a lamp, sweep her house and search diligently, until she finds it? 9 Then, having found it, she invites her friends and neighbors over, saying, “Rejoice with me, since I have found the silver coin that had been lost.” 10 Likewise, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God, when a sinner repents. 

Jesus tells his second story. This time it is of a woman who loses a silver coin, and who searches diligently for it.  Upon finding it, she invites her friends over and they celebrate. The silver coin is valuable and clearly it held great value to the woman.  It’s not like she lost a quarter.  The Greek word here is ‘drachma,’ which was worth about a day’s wage. Plus, it is one tenth of what she has. That’s a lot of money to misplace. 

So the woman searches for the coin.  Sweeping out her house, she searches diligently until she finds it.  Then she calls her friends to join her in her celebration. “Rejoice with me, since I have found the silver coin that had been lost.” 

The ‘sinners’ that Jesus is ministering to in Luke 15 have great value as well. They have gotten lost, but  Jesus has searched for them, and later he is even willing to die for them.  In these two stories we see something lost, then found, followed by rejoicing.  Jesus is making the point that when these ‘lost sinners’ repent, it is God who rejoices. 

The Pharisees who are questioning Jesus and asking, “Why does Jesus eat with the sinners?, They have it backwards.  Jesus could be indirectly asking them “Why aren’t you diligently seeking the lost?”  or “Why don’t you eat with the sinners? 

Jesus continues to break cultural mores here, eating with sinners, and telling stories about two groups, shepherds and women, that the Pharisees would just naturally look down on. Jesus, like the shephard and the women seek that which is lost diligently, and then rejoices when he finds it. 

Seeker of Lost Things

Greetings everyone.

Today I will begin my exegesis of Luke 15.  In this chapter, Jesus tells three stories of something lost and how it gets found.  The three lost items are a sheep, a coin and a son.  Today we will focus on the first of these stories. Here is my translation of Luke 15:1-7".

1 All of the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus, to listen to him. 2 Meanwhile, the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying “This man welcomes sinners and even eats with them.” 

3 So Jesus told them this parable, 4“Which man among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go find the one that is lost? 5 Upon finding it, he will place it on his shoulders with rejoicing. 6 He will return home and call together all of his friends and neighbors, and say to them, “Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep.” 7 I tell you, there will, likewise, be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents, than the ninety-nine righteous, who do not need to repent. 

Jesus has developed quite a reputation as a friend of the tax collectors and sinners.  They were coming in large numbers to listen him.  Meanwhile, the religious elites, the Pharisees and the scribes, had noticed this and were complaining about it.  What is implied here is that they wonder how the man who claims to be from God, could keep company with such obvious sinners. 

This topic has come up before. In Luke 5 Jesus has called Levi, the tax collector, and Jesus goes to a banquet that Levi throws, inviting all of his friends and associates.  The Pharisees complain about this to his disciples. In Luke 5:31-32, Jesus responds to their complaint,“The healthy don’t need a doctor.  Sick people do.  I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but the sinners.” 

About Jesus and his willingness to eat with 'sinners', Darrell Bock states “table fellowship with such people suggests a level of acceptance that is distasteful to the leaders.” (Bock, 1298.) 

Kenneth Bailey adds, “a nobleman may feed any number of lesser needy persons as a sign of his generosity, but he does not eat with them….The meal is a special sign of acceptance.” (Bailey, 143.)  

According to Luke, the Pharisees use the Greek word Προσδέχεται (prosdechetai) to describe how Jesus recieves these 'sinners.' The word means to ‘receive in a friendly manner.’ I assume that these Pharisees and scribes thought Jesus ought to rebuke these people for their waywardness, but instead he was sitting down at the table with them and eating. Jesus does not have their mentality to keep separate from the ‘sinners.’  INstead, Jesus’ plan is to draw them toward God. (Bock, 1299) Sadly, the Pharisees and their self-righteous behavior, will push people away from God. 

In response to the complaints of the Pharisees, Jesus tells three parables.  All three of these parables connect to sinners repenting. In this first parable, Jesus tells of a shepherd leaving ninety-nine sheep in the pasture, to go off and look for the one that has wandered off. Shepherds were a familiar sight.  This is a parable that everyone would be able to understand.  The shepherd knew his flock well enough to know that one was missing.  

Jesus tells this parable in a way to suggest that any shepherd would do this, leave the ninety-nine and go find the one that is lost. Is Jesus making a point that the Pharisees and scribes were bad shepherds?  Maybe.  They certainly were bad shepherds.  But the point that Jesus is driving home here is that the lost sheep receives special attention.  It wasn’t just avoided and forgotten.  

So then, what does the good shepherd do?  He searches for the lost animal.  Then, when he finds it, he carries it home.  This shepherd presents a tenderness that the Pharisees clearly lacked.  

Afterwards, the shepherd rejoiced.  The lost animal could have been stolen, eaten or just never found.  With the sheep returned safely to the flock, the shepherd has reason to rejoice. This is what Jesus is saying to the Pharisees.  God loves all of his ‘sheep,’ and He rejoices when one of them is returned to him safely. 

Now, upon finding the sheep, the shepherd is tasked with a burden.  He must now carry the found sheep, yet he still sees this as a cause for celebration.  The burden of carrying the sheep does not seem to dampen his enthusiasm for the sheep. 

Then the shepherd rejoices a second time.  Once when he finds the sheep and then again when he returns home with it. The shepherd does not just rejoice privately.  He has a big party and invites his community. It is a celebration of something that had been lost, but now was found.  Bailey makes the point that the flock was likely owned by the community, but tended to by the shepherd.  The loss of one sheep is a loss to the whole community, and having it found is a cause for celebration for the whole community. (Bailey, Poet, 150.) 

The rescue of the lost sheep is a cause of great joy.  The sheep was in danger, but is now safe.  Jesus likens this to the celebration that occurs in Heaven when a sinner repents. God, who wants everyone to be saved, rejoices over anyone who chooses to repent and come to Him.  

This is why Jesus would spend time with the ‘sinners.’ He treated everyone with dignity and respect, even the ‘sinners,’ in an effort to call them to repentance, and give Heaven cause to celebrate. The Pharisees should have been doing what Jesus was doing.  Instead, they were doing everything they could do to push such people away. 

     Darrell Bock, Luke - Volume 2 - 9:51-24:53, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1996.

      Kenneth Bailey, Poet and Peasant, Grand Rapids, Michigan, William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1976.

If Anyone Would Follow Me, Part 2

 Greetings everyone.

Today, I am going to continue my exegesis of Luke 14.  We will finish looking at Jesus' call to discipleship, by examining verses 28-35.  Here is my translation:

28 Whoever among you who wants to build a tower, would you not first, sit down and calculate the cost, to see if you have enough to complete it? 29 Because, if you lay the foundation, but then are not able to finish, all who see it will begin making fun of you, 30 saying, “This person began building, but did not have the ability to finish the job.” 31 Or what king goes off to war against another king without first sitting down and considering whether he is able to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is unable, he would send representatives, while still far away, to ask for peace. 33 So, any among you who do not give up everything they have, are not able to be my disciple. 

34 Salt is good. But if salt becomes tasteless, how does it get its flavor back? 35 It is neither fit for soil or even the manure pile.  It is just thrown out. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.” 

Jesus is making very clear.  He wants his followers to take his call to follow him seriously.  It is not a decision to be made lightly.  He has just spelled out some pretty serious challenges for the would-be disciple.  The disciple has been challenged to place Jesus first in their priorities.  Now, he tells them that they will need to count the cost. Jesus is essentially saying, ‘Don’t follow me if you are unwilling to pay the price that I laid out for you.” 

Jesus paints two pictures about counting the cost. He uses the example of man building a tower. This tower is likely a watchtower built as extra security for the man’s property, like his vineyard and home.  The first thing he would do is figure out the cost, to see if he is able to pay it.  If he is not able to pay, he will not waste the time or the money of even breaking the ground for it.  He will move on to something else. (Counting the cost of something is a wise thing to do, no matter what we might be contemplating.) If we choose to follow Jesus, it is a lifetime decision.  We remain devoted to him for life.  If we quit, we become an object of ridicule. 

His second example is of a king that is preparing to go to battle against a more powerful king.  Can he, with a much smaller army, defeat the one coming against him?  The king with the smaller army will surely be defeated.  Here, Jesus is calling upon them to count the cost of not following him as well. Each of us are the king with the smaller army, while God is the king with the larger army.  We will lose that battle. Since we cannot defeat God, we are wise to submit to Him. Either way, to follow or to not follow, we must count the cost. 

In Jesus' two analogies, we see two ways of looking at the same thing.  One is a call to count the cost of following Jesus, and the other we are called to count the cost of not following Jesus.  In one, we are told that we are foolish to start following him, then stop.  In the other, we see that we are foolish if we refuse to submit to him.  King Jesus is going to be king, no matter what.  We have no shot at defeating him. 

There really is only one path that makes sense to follow.  It is full submission to King Jesus. 

In verse 33, Jesus gives us a third cost to count.  There is another cost beyond Family “hating” and cross bearing.  We must be willing to give up everything. Darrell Bock says, “The will to renounce all possessions and to ally oneself totally to Jesus is the essence of discipleship.  Jesus is first.” (Bock, 1290.) There is no possession greater than following Him. 

Jesus finishes this passage by talking about salt. Salt is useful.  It seasons foods and can act as a preservative.  When it stops doing those things, it really has no value.  Jesus has said that his disciples are salt of the Earth. (Matt. 5:13) We season, and influence, because we are like Jesus and not like the world.  If we become just like the world, we lose our saltiness.  What value do we have? 

So, Jesus has laid out what it means to follow him.  He is our priority.  He is our king.  Jesus understands that he is putting forward a very challenging demand.  He urges his would-be followers to consider it very carefully, but also to understand that it is the best way forward. 

Tom 

     Darrell L. Bock, Luke - Volume 2 - 9:51-24:53, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1996. 

If Anyone Would Follow Me

 Happy New Year everyone.  

This is my first blog post of 2024. I have been sharing my exegesis from the book of Luke.  We are in chapter 14.  In Luke 14:25-34 Jesus spells out very clearly what it means to follow him and to be his disciple.  There is a lot here to look at, so today we will focus on verses 25-27.  Here is my translation:

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate their father and mother, spouse and children, brothers and sisters, and yes even their own life, that person is unable to be my disciple. 27 Anyone who does not carry their own cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple. 

In the passage leading up to this, Jesus has been at a banquet with the Pharisees, but now, starting in verse 25, Jesus has left the banquet, and is back on his journey toward Jerusalem. As he traveled along, there were large crowds traveling with him.  It wasn’t just Jesus and his apostles on this journey. Many are following he, and now he is going to tell them the cost of following him.  It is a heavy cost:

Darrell Bock states that his teaching here is directed to all, not just to the converted.  Jesus wants those who are contemplating following him to understand what they are committing themselves to. (Bock, 1283.)  Recall the excuses offered in the most recent parable, Luke 14:15-24.) No excuse will be acceptable.  We are to let nothing get in the way of serving Jesus wholeheartedly. 

Disciples of Jesus must put him first.  He is speaking in hyperbole, but Jesus tells them that if they want to follow him they have to ‘hate’ everyone else in their lives, father, mother, spouse, children, everyone. The Greek word μισεῖ (misei) has two definitions in my Greek-English Lexicon. 1) Hate, detest. 2) Disfavor, disregard.  “Hate” is a strong word, but even if we were to substitute the not-as-strong ‘disfavor,” and disfavor our father, mother, spouse and children, the result is the same.  If we are going to follow Jesus, we cannot put any relationship ahead of him. Our allegiance is to Jesus. Bock points out that there was no casual relationship with Jesus in 1st Century Israel.  Coming to Christ often meant alienation from family. (Bock, 1285.)

With that, we also have to be willing to ‘hate’ or ‘disfavor’ even ourselves and put Jesus first. For me, this is a call to set aside among other things, laziness and love for comfort.  

Then he says that we have to be willing to carry our own cross to follow him.  Whatever the ‘cross’ might be, we have to be willing to carry it. Alan Thompson points out that Jesus is talking about death to self, as he, himself is on a journey toward his own death. (Thompson, 237.) Jesus is calling his would-be followers to a life of self-sacrifice. 

It is important to note that when Jesus said this, he had not yet gone to the Cross.  His statement is going to be viewed a little differently by its original audience than it will be by us.  We see crosses as a symbol of spirituality.  They did not.  To them it was just a horrible means of execution. 

Bock says this about the cost of being a disciple. “A disciple - μαθητής. (mathētēs) is a learner, a pupil, In ancient culture, a disciple sat at the feet of great teachers…the difference between Jesus and these other models of discipleship is that Jesus’ call requires more, even everything.” (Bock, 1285-1286.)

Jesus' call is to put him first, and accept a life of self-sacrifice. Then, we can follow Jesus.  Following means being just like him.  He put all of us first, and lived a life of self-sacrifice on our behalf and he is calling us to do what he has already done. That is what Jesus says it means to follow him. 

     Darrell L. Bock, Luke - Volume 2 - 9:51-24:53, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1996.

      Alan J. Thompson, Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament: Luke, Nashville, Tennessee, B & H Academic, 2016. 

The Invitation

Hello everyone.

I am writing this on the day after Christmas.  Hope you are having a great holiday time.  

Anyway, I will continue my exegesis of Luke 14, today.  We will start in verse 15.  Jesus has been invited into the home of a Pharisee on a Sabbath.  He has healed a man of abnormal swelling (verses 1-6) and then given some practical advice to those present about how they not seek the places of honor, but instead seek places of humility (verses 7-14). Then, in verse Jesus says, "You will be blessed because they do not have the ability to repay you. So your repayment will come at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Here is what happens next: One of the men sitting at the table responded to Jesus' talk of receiving reward at the resurrection of the righteous.. He said, “Blessed are those who will eat at the banquet in the kingdom of God.”  They were at a banquet, but now Jesus has used this imagery to bring up the greatest banquet of them all, the fellowship that will come at the gathering of the Kingdom of God. And as the man said, anyone able to eat at that table will be blessed indeed. 

While the man was right, it is quite possible that the statement comes with the underlying assumption that the Pharisees will be those that eat at that table, and Jesus is going to challenge that assumption. 

According to Kenneth Bailey, the audience would expect Jesus to respond something like this, “Oh, that we might keep the law in a precise fashion so that when that great day comes, we might be counted worthy to sit with the Messiah at His banquet.” (Bailey, 309.)  Jesus did not respond in the expected fashion.  (He usually didn’t.)  Instead, Jesus uses the statement as a springboard into another parable. In the parable Jesus talks about those who will sit at his table.  

Jesus tells a story of a man who prepared a great banquet and sent out his servants to call in those whom he had invited to the banquet.  It appears that the invitees had been invited at an earlier date and had accepted the invitation.  But now that the banquet was prepared they all began to make excuses. 

The excuse makers parallel Israel and its leadership.  Israel had been first to be invited to the banquet and it is , for the most part, rejecting it. Bailey also points out the first two excuse-makers offer this pattern. 'I have done this.  I must do this.  Please excuse me.' So, according to Bailey, these men who had previously accepted the invitation, now decline to come once the banquet is ready.  This is a serious breach of etiquette, even insulting to the master. Bailey states that these excuses were intentionally insulting. He states, “An implausible excuse is a deliberate public insult.” (Bailey, 315.) 

I love Bailey's explanation. He describes it in these modern terms:  "Imagine saying to the host I have just bought a house over the phone, and now must go look at it.  Or I just bought five used cars over the phone and now I must go test drive them." (Bailey, 314-315.) We all understand that buying a house or a car without first inspecting it is foolish.  No one does business that way. A house is carefully inspected before purchase.  Cars are, too.  

The third man does not even ask to be excused, and according to Bailey, this forthright way of speaking about one’s wife would have been considered offensive and rude.  (Bailey, 316.) Bock points out that according to the law, newly married men were exempt for battle. However, they were not exempt from attending banquets that they had previously said they would attend.  (Bock, 1275.)

When the servant returns and tells the master about the excuses , the master is rightly angered.  But the banquet is ready, but there is no one to enjoy it.  Bock says, “Jesus does not postpone the banquet or withdraw the meal.  He gets a new audience ... .One can accept or reject the invitation, but in either case, the party is coming and will not be rescheduled or postponed.”  (Bock, 1275.)

In the parable, the master sends out his servants again.  This time to alleyways of the city, to bring in the poor, lame, crippled and blind.  The very people that Jesus had just told the Pharisees that they should invite.   Think about this, In Lev.  21:17 it says that any of Aaron’s descendants that were lame, blind or crippled, could not approach God to make the offering.  But now the invitation to join the banquet is extended to all, even the lame, blind and crippled.   

While the nation of Israel, for the most part, rejects Jesus, there are some that accept Jesus as Lord and come to his banquet.  Very few among the nation’s spiritual leadership accept the invitation, (Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and later Paul.) Most of those that accept it are far less glamorous, fishermen, tax collectors, ‘sinners.’ 

Having issued a second set of invitations, the servant comments that there is still plenty of room at the banquet.  The servant is then told to issue a third set of invitations.  They had reached out to the poor and needy of the town, now the servants are to go into the countryside and find anyone and compel them to come in.  The master wants a full house. In order to have his full house the master sends his invitation to complete outsiders.  The obvious parallel is that having been rejected by the Jews, the invitation will go out in all directions, including the Gentiles. 

There are three rounds of invitations.  1st: The Israelites.  2nd: The needy among the Israelites. 3rd: Gentiles. 

Jesus concludes the parable with the master making this statement, “I am telling you that not one of those men that I invited will even get a taste of my banquet.” The master was not going to prepare carry-out packages with leftovers for those originally invited.  

Jesus is driving home the point that these men in positions of leadership, who appear to be first in line for the Great Banquet in the Kingdom of God, are actually going to miss it all together, because of their refusal to accept the invitation that Jesus is offering them.  Instead, those who seem unworthy of the banquet will end up first in line. 

Tom 

Find Your Seat

Greetings

I'm continuing my examination of Luke 14 today.  Jesus is in the home of a Pharisee and he has just healed a man of his abnormal swelling, and now goes on to make some observations aobut the behavior of the Pharisees. Here is my translation of the verses 7-14:

7 Noticing how those who had been invited, chose the places of honor, he told them this parable. 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor.  It is possible that someone more important than you has been invited. 9 Then one who invited you may come to you and say, ‘Give this person that seat.’ Embarrassed, you will have to sit in the least desirable place. 10 Instead, when you are invited, go and sit in the least important seat, then the one who invited you will come to you and say, “My friend, move over to this better seat. That way, you will be honored in front of all of the other guests. 11 All of those who honor themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be honored. 12 Then Jesus said to the one who had invited him, “When you are having a dinner or and a banquet, don’t invite your friends, your brothers and your relatives. Don’t invite your wealthy neighbors. They can, in return, invite you over, and then you will be repaid. 13 Instead, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the disabled and the blind.  14 You will be blessed because they do not have the ability to repay you. So your repayment will come at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Earlier in verse 1 we saw that the Pharisees had been watching Jesus closely.  Now, we see in verse 7 that Jesus has been watching them as well.  He notices that they go quickly to the places of honor, the seat next to the host or the master of the house.  Luke says that noticing this, Jesus tells them a parable. The point of the parable is obvious.  "Don’t assume that you belong in the place of honor."  Darrell Bock states that the most honored guests tend to arrive after everyone else.  (Bock, 1263)  Jesus' point is that it would be embarrassing to take the place of honor, only to be asked to give that seat up when the most honored guest arrives.  Bock states it well.  “Jesus tells them that it is better not to overestimate one’s importance, which can put you at risk of public disgrace.” (1264.) 

In fact, Jesus tells them to do the opposite.  Sit in the lowest seat.  Assume a humble position.  That way, you can only move up.  In taking the more humble approach and sitting in the last seat, a person who is moved to a better seat is honored , rather than humiliated, in front of everyone. Humility is never wrong, and our place should be recognized by others, not seized upon by us. 

We see in verse 11 that we have choices to make, whether to proceed humbly or to proceed in a self-seeking prideful manner.  Befroe we make our choice, we should understand that God honors humility.  Those who seek to honor themselves will ultimately be humbled.  Those who humble themselves will be honored.  

In verses 12-14 - Jesus follows the talk of not seeking to honor oneself with talk of graciousness toward those who may not be able to repay kindness that is offered.  Certainly, we should offer kindness to all, but understand that those who can repay the kindness, often do, and their reciprocation serves as our reward.  Jesus says that when we offer kindness to those who cannot repay it, we will receive our reward later.  It is a lasting blessing that comes from God.  Bock says “God honors such selfless graciousness.” (Bock, 1266.)

Jesus, in his observation of the Pharisees points out some things to them that is obviously against their nature. Don't seek the place of honor. Show kindness to those who cannot repay it. These are mandates that require both humility and love. Ultimately, Jesus is just calling the Pharisees to be like him, a man of humility and love.

Tom

Their Silence Speaks Volumes

Hello everyone, 

Hope everyone is doing well.  Today, I will jump back into my exegesis of Luke, starting with Luke 14:1.  Here is my translation:

1 One day, on a Sabbath, Jesus went into the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees to eat a meal.  They were watching him closely. 2 While he was there, a man suffering from abnormal swelling came before him. 3  So Jesus asked the experts in the law and the Pharisees, “ Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him and sent him on this way.  5 Then Jesus asked them, “Which one of you, if your child or your ox fell into a well on a Sabbath, would not immediately pull it out? 6 They were unable to reply to Jesus’ questions.

So, on a Sabbath, one of the Pharisees invited Jesus over, and collectively, they were watching him closely to see what he would do.  Since he was in the home of one the leaders, it is possible that Jesus was invited to the home to watch him and try to catch him in some kind of mistake. 

While he was there, a man came in front of Jesus who was suffering from an abnormal swelling somewhere in his body.  The Greek word ὑδρωπικὸς (hydrōpikos) is used here. In many older translations it uses the word Dropsy.  Dropsy is a dated medical term.  Some modern translations use the word Edema, and others, like TNIV, use abnormal swelling.  I went with abnormal swelling because I understand what that means.  Had this man been invited over, as well?  Or did he show up uninvited?  The text doesn’t say.  He may or may not have been a part of a trap laid by the Pharisees.

  

When the man appears before him, Jesus is the one to ask the question this time. “ Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” He is putting it back on them.  They have questioned him on it in the past, and now he turns the tables.  But they remain silent. 

Jesus has put the Pharisees in a difficult spot.  If they say, ‘yes’ then it would raise questions about their 'rule-keeper' view of the law.  If they say ‘no,’ then they are taking a stand against doing something that is overwhelmingly positive and against showing compassion, simply because of the day of the week it is.  So, they say nothing.  

Since  they say nothing, Jesus heals the man and sends him on his way.  They had their opportunity to speak and they said nothing.  They neither approve nor condemn, so Jesus does what he knows is right, and heals the man. 

However, Jesus is not done questioning them. After the healed man has left, he asks them, “Which of you, if your child or your ox fell into a well on a Sabbath, would not immediately pull it out?”  Would they hold stubbornly to their tradition if  they needed to rescue their oxen on a Sabbath.  The implication here is that they would definitely rescue the oxen, and none of them say otherwise.  Like before, there is no response from the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.  This has come up before, but it seems that the Pharisees have learned nothing.  

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law hold out strict obedience to the law.  Jesus holds out compassion. Compassion wins the argument. (It reminds me of what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matt. 9:13, when Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” and he tells the Pharisees to go and learn what that means.) 

Jesus was not silent here, but the Pharisees were, and their silence spoke volumes.  Jesus put up arguments that they could not argue with.  The winning argument, Compassion is greater than rule-keeping.