Was the messiah supposed to come and save sinners? ~ Cross reference of Matthew 9:13 to Hosea 6:6

 

In Matthew 9:9-13 you read about how Jesus calls Matthew who was a tax collector and he immediately leaves everything and follows Jesus. Later in the day he has dinner at Matthew's house when the Pharisees ask his disciples why Jesus was associating himself with sinners.

Jesus responds by quoting Hosea 6:6 and tells them that he has come not for the righteous but sinners.

Let us see if what Jesus quoted is in context to what Hosea said.

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All Greek Text references are from NIV and Tanakh references are from Chabad.

This post is not intended to offend anyone's faith but for those people who are Seeking the truth of THE ONE TRUE G-D of the universe to who we owe all our love, gratitude & devotion.

My encouragement to you is that you read the whole chapter of Tanakh that the Greek text quotes so you get the context and understand what G-d actually said.

G-d Bless and Seek THE Truth.

Matthew 9:13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Hosea 6:6 For I desire loving-kindness, and not sacrifices, and knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

1. Hosea was a prophet for Judah during the period of King Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz & Hezekiah.
2. The context of Hosea overall is about how the people of G-d have abandoned him. G-d uses a symbolism of a husband and an unfaithful wife.
3. In Chapter 6 Hosea is urging the people of Judah to return to G-d. He says that if they return to G-d they will be restored and G-d will satisfy them.
4. Verse 10 & 11 talk about the sins that Israel and Judah were committing at that time.  
5. In verse 6 Hosea is telling the people that G-d desires loving kindness and that his people know him more than the sacrifices they bring.
6. Matthew uses part of verse 6 so say that it was written that Jesus will come for the sinners when Hosea is telling that sinners need to return to G-d.
7. There is nothing about the messiah or that the messiah will come for sinners. Hosea is Talking about G-d and people coming back to G-d.
8. Is Matthew saying that Jesus is G-d? 

Hosea 6:1 Come and let us return to the Lord, for He has torn and He shall heal us; He smites, and He will bind us up. 2 He will revive us from the two days, on the third day He will set us up, and we will live before Him. 3 And let us know, let us strive to know the Lord: like the dawn whose going forth is sure, and He will come to us like rain, like the latter rain which satisfies the earth.

Hosea 6:10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: there, harlotry [is found] in Ephraim; Israel has become defiled. 11 Judah, too, there is a harvest appointed to you, when I will return the backsliding of My people.