Lesson 7

KEY TEXT

“The woman then left her

water pot, went her way

into the city, and said to

the men,

‘Come, see a Man who told

me all things that I ever

did. Could this be the

Christ?’ ” John 4:28–30

The bottom-dwellers respond to the Gospel.

The prostitutes. The mentally ill. The immoral:

The Samaritan woman. The tax collectors and sinners.

This lesson we are studying how Jesus treated the bottom-dwellers in His time. We’ll learn how to treat the bottom-dwellers today.

A young woman—having come from an unbelievably sad and horrible background (which included two out-of-wedlock children by the time she was fifteen years old)—sat in prison, awaiting trial for having murdered a social worker who had come to take away her baby, the only person from whom she ever felt any love.

Without a mother, father, husband, any relative, or even a friend, she faced the forbidding future alone. Through the visits of a pastor, however, this hopeless young woman learned that—despite all the mistakes, despite the desperateness of the situation, and despite whatever loomed on the horizon—Christ loved and forgave her. No matter how society viewed this young girl, she knew, for herself, God’s eternal love. This social outcast discovered meaning and purpose in her Lord, whose love and acceptance transcended all societal norms and mores, even the “good” ones.

“Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him” (Matthew 21:31-32)

Why did the bottom-dwellers respond to the Gospel call better than the Scribes and Pharisees did?

The Scribes and Pharisees considered themselves to be worthy of being sons of God. They didn’t feel the need for repentance.

Nevertheless, the bottom-dwellers considered themselves unworthy. When they heard the loving call, they admitted their sin and repented.

“God has made every provision, in order

that the lost one may become his child. The

frailest human being may be elevated,

ennobled, refined, and sanctified by the

grace of God. This is the reason God values

men; and those who are workers together

with God, who are filled with divine

compassion, will see and estimate men in the

same way that God sees and estimates them.

Whatever may be the nationality or color,

whatever may be the social condition, the

missionary for God will look upon all men as

the purchase of the blood of Christ, and will

understand that there is no caste with God”

E.G.W. (The Review and Herald, December 3, 1895)

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47)

In Jesus’ time, a prostitute was a sinner by definition. When Jesus had to face that and was asked to pronounce sentence, He did three things (John 8:1-11):

1. He kept silent while He was writing the sins of the accusers on the ground (DA, pg. 461)

2. He encouraged the accusers to search themselves and then execute the sentence if they were blameless.

3. Instead of condemning the sinner woman, Jesus offered her forgiveness.

“This was to her the beginning of a new life, a life of purity and peace, devoted to

the service of God. In the uplifting of this fallen soul, Jesus performed a greater

miracle than in healing the most grievous physical disease; He cured the spiritual

malady which is unto death everlasting. This penitent woman became one of His

most steadfast followers. With self-sacrificing love and devotion she repaid His

forgiving mercy”E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 50, pg. 462)

Mental illness may be caused by different reasons. For example, demonic possession, drug abuse, metabolic disorders…

Those people must not be ignored, no matter the cause of their illness.

Actually, they are the most needed, since they cannot ask for help by themselves.

For example, the demon-possessed of Gadarenes (Mark 5:1-20): “when their lips were opened to entreat His mercy, the demons spoke through them” (E.G.W., DA, pg. 337)

We are instruments in God’s hands to help those who cannot help themselves. We must show them God’s love.

• “The hatred between Jews and Samaritans prevented the woman from offering a kindness to Jesus; but the Saviour was seeking to find the key to this heart, and with the tact born of divine love, He asked, not offered, a favor” (E.G.W. DA, cp. 19, pg. 183)

Which social norms did Jesus break? Why?

• “Before this soul could receive the gift He longed to bestow, she must be brought to recognize her sin and her Saviour … The listener trembled. A mysterious hand was turning the pages of her life history, bringing to view that which she had hoped to keep forever hidden” (Id. pg. 187)

How did Jesus make the woman face her sinful life?

• “A Jew would not borrow from a Samaritan, nor receive a kindness, not even a morsel of bread or a cup of water. The disciples, in buying food, were acting in harmony with the custom of their nation. But beyond this they did not go. To ask a favor of the Samaritans, or in any way seek to benefit them, did not enter into the thought of even Christ’s disciples” (Id. pg. 183)

Which were the prejudices Jesus had to fight against?

“Blessed woman of Samaria! She had

felt during the conference as if in the

presence of divinity; now she gladly

acknowledged her Lord…

She was eager for instruction,

waiting for the consolation of Israel,

and ready to accept the Saviour

when he was revealed. Jesus, who

explained not his character to the

proud and skeptical Pharisees and

rulers, declared himself to this

humble person who was ready to

believe on him”

E.G.W. (Pamphlet “Redemption: or the Teachings of Christ, the Anointed One”, pg. 28-29)

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13)

The Publicans collected the taxes Rome imposed to the Jews. They usually requested higher amounts and kept the excess for themselves. But Jesus was kind, courteous and friendly to them.

Matthew was called while he was working (Mt. 9:9). He left everything behind and followed Jesus.

Soon after that, he invited some old workmates and shared Jesus with them.

Jesus calls the sinners, and He also uses them to reach those who are in the same place they once were.

“Every soul is the object of the loving interest of

Him who gave His life that He might bring men back to

God. This earnest, persevering interest expressed by our

heavenly Father teaches us that the helpless and outcast

are not to be passed by indifferently. They are the Lord’s

by creation and by redemption. If we were left to

ourselves to judge, we would regard many who are

degraded as hopeless. But the Lord sees the value of the

silver in them. Though they do not look for help, He

regards them as precious. The one who sees beneath the

surface knows how to deal with human minds.

He knows how to bring men to repentance.

He knows that if they see themselves as sinners,

they will repent and be converted to the truth.

This is the work we are to engage in”

E.G.W. (Welfare Ministry, cp. 31, pg. 246)

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