Yeshua, the friend of sinners?

[BeyondET]

I think much of Is 53 was about His life in general. It did not all come down on the last week.
I am not saying He never experienced joy from His heart of which the mind is a part. There was joy just as there was compassion, empathy, and grief. But I think that tremendous burden was always ruling His heart. But I understand your position, and thank you for offering it.

I know you believe Jesus never laughed as others here. Don't matter anyhow later.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I know you believe Jesus never laughed as others here. Don't matter anyhow later.

I would not go that far BET. Jesus empathized with the people, and if the people laughed, then He likely did too.
Peace

 

[SavedByGrace3]

A nice article from Ligonier that discusses the matter. Kind of goes both ways.

"I’ve heard some people answer this question in the negative by saying that laughter is always a sign of frivolity and a thinly veiled attempt to make light of things that are sober. They say life is a sober matter; Jesus is described as a man of sorrows. He’s described as one who was acquainted with grief. He walked around with enormous burdens upon him. Add to that the fact that there’s not a single text in the New Testament that explicitly says Jesus laughed. There are texts, of course, that tell us he cried. For example, John 13 tells us that in the upper room Jesus was deeply troubled in his spirit. We know that he experienced those emotions, and yet it’s strange that nowhere does it tell us that he actually laughed.​

You also asked if he had a sense of humor. When we translate any language into another, we will often miss subtle nuances of speech. If we don’t have a knowledge of the original language and its idioms, we might miss the humor. Also, different cultures have different ways of being humorous. Jesus used one form of humor we call sarcasm. In his responses to Herod, for example, he called him a fox and made other statements that I think had a touch of oriental humor to them. It’s purely speculative whether or not Jesus laughed, but I can’t imagine that he didn’t laugh for this reason: He was fully human, and he was perfect. We certainly wouldn’t attribute to Jesus any sinful emotions or forms of behavior, and it would seem to me the only reason to think he didn’t laugh would be if we first came to the conclusion that laughter is evil.​

The Bible does say that God laughs. In the Psalms it’s a derisive laugh. When the kings of the world set themselves against God and take counsel against God, it says that he who sits in the heavens shall laugh. God will hold them in derision. It’s sort of a “huh!” kind of laughter. It’s not a jovial response of happiness, but nevertheless it’s laughter.​

In the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament—for example, in Ecclesiastes—we’re told that certain things are appropriate at certain times. There’s a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to build, a time to tear down; there’s a time to dance, a time to sing, a time to laugh, a time to cry. Since God has, in his seasons, appointed appropriate times for laughter, and Jesus always did what was appropriate, it would seem to me that when it was time to laugh, he laughed."​

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/qas/did-jesus-ever-laugh

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I wonder if the last thoughts of Jesus as He was passing on the cross were aimed at the Devil.
"Boy, have We got a surprise for you!"

 

[BeyondET]

I would not go that far BET. Jesus empathized with the people, and if the people laughed, then He likely did too.
Peace

What was post 16 for, if this is your opinion in this post?.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Sigh, how many times has it been said from the pulpits, "Jesus, the friend of sinners!" They say it with such glee and volume! As if this is one of the most wonderful sides of Yeshua. As if he was friends with everyone he encountered in the N.T. They say it in a way that means that Yeshua wants to be the playful big brother of all people, including you, as if Yeshua walked around with a big smile constantly. I've heard "pastors," say that Yeshua would put a disciple into a headlock and give him a playful knuckle sandwich! I've heard it said that Yeshua laughed, told jokes, winked, or said some things in a joking manner.
My question is, where do they come up with such ridiculous things? They don't get it from Scripture. Scripture says he was a man of sorrow. He was bruised, beaten, and punched in the face by laughing guards. They forcibly pushed a crown of thorns into his skull, mocked him, and scourged him (A very brutal ordeal. The Romans wanted the scourging to be so harsh that it helped speed up the death on a cross), had his beard pulled out and was hung on a cross, the most painful way to die in the history of mankind. I don't see any humor in all of that! Nothing about the life of Yeshua was "fun and games."
In Gen 11:6, Jehovah said, "...And now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined doing." That is exactly what these "pastors" are doing! They have no restraints on what they have imagined about Jeshua and then speak to their audience. Anything goes! Nothing is off-limits. They seem to forget that Yeshua is Jehovah in the flesh! They have no fear of Jehovah!
They say this as if one of the Apostles wrote it down! As if it was a "positive attribute," "a really good side" of Yeshua. It is said as a compliment! What a wonderful man Yeshua was!

Where does this come from?

Mat 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners...'

This wasn't a compliment, a positive statement! This was not a doctrine! This is an insult by the Pharisees and scribes! This was a statement meant to discredit Yeshua! This wasn't saying, "Yeshua, a friend of sinners, hip hip, hooray!" This is the only place where "friend" and "sinner" are in the same statement.

Mat 9:10-11 And it came to pass that as Yeshua was eating in a house, many publicans and sinners also joined him in the meal. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked the disciples, "Why does your Rabbi eat with publicans and sinners?"

We all know the publicans were despised by the Jewish people. But when the Pharisees called a Jew a "sinner," they didn't mean it in a way that "all Jews were regular sinners." They meant that these "sinners" were the worst type of sinners. This would include criminals, prostitutes, alcoholics, rapists, murderers, etc. In the eyes of the Pharisees, these people were wretched, evil Jews who were unredeemable. In Lk 7:36-39, the woman was or had been a prostitute. When they said "publicans and sinners," they meant those they called the worst type of Jews in morals and character. The Pharisees would ignore those who fit in that group. Wouldn't it be nice if these "pastors" would bother doing a little study rather than standing on stage with a big smile and repeating the company line, "Yeshua, the friend of sinners!"

Lk 5:30 The scribes and Pharisees complained to the disciples, "Why do you eat with publicans and sinners?"

Lk 15:1-2 All of the publicans and sinners in the crowd came closer to Yeshua in order to hear him better. The Pharisees and scribes murmured, 'This man accepts publicans and sinners and eats with them.'

Lk 19:7 And when the Pharisees and scribes saw it, they complained, saying 'Why, he has gone to be the guest of a sinner!' As if this was the worst scandal any self-righteous, "honorable" Jew could do.

Do you believe that Yeshua was friends with the false teachers? Was Yeshua a friend of the High Priest, Herod or Pilat? Were Yeshua friends with those he said were children of the devil? (John 8:44) Those he called a "Generation of Vipers?" (Mat 12:34) With those he said "woe" to and called them hypocrites, fools, snakes, and blind? (Mat 23:13-33)? Were Yeshua friends with those who beat him? With those who arrested him and beat all the way back to the High Priest's house?

Actually, Yeshua made it very simple to understand who was a friend of his,

John 15:14 You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you. Mat 12:50, Jn 2:5, 13:17, 14:21, 1John 5:3

Casting Crowns song titled “Friend of Sinners” is a perfect example of their false misunderstanding on what Jesus meant. They take the wrong view in that they think they can be sinners and Jesus is still their friend.

Here are the crazy lyrics to their song:

Casting Crowns - Jesus, Friend Of Sinners Lyrics | AZLyrics.com

Casting Crowns "Jesus, Friend Of Sinners": Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away. We cut down people in Your name, But the swor...

www.azlyrics.com