“He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””
“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””
“After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.””
Again, Jesus is walking along the sea and again He is surrounded by a crowd of people and He is teaching them.
Then He sees Matthew (or Levi - same person)
The only interaction we have is Jesus saying “Follow Me”
Matthew was a tax collector!
Jesus called him to follow Him from the very tax booth he worked!
Matthew was considered a sinner and the very worst kind!
Absolutely hated by everyone except maybe other tax collectors and sinners
What happened between the miraculous catch of fish and calling Matthew?
Jesus heals a leper(!) and his fame spreads to the point He can’t enter into cities. He then returns to Capernaum and heals the paralytic through the roof, after forgiving him of his sins…
What was so bad about a tax collector?
Jews had their own law and tithes and taxes
Jews still had a king they were burdened by - King Herod
Then the Jews were under Roman control
Rome had their own taxation and it was heavy
Rome “hired” Jews to collect Roman taxes for them from their own people (the Jews)
The Jews absolutely hated the Roman Empire as it was a punishing unforgiving hateful occupation that blasphemed God!
If you were a Jew who agreed to work for Rome and collect their very burdensome additional tax, you were the most hated
Because you chose to literally work for the enemy and oppress your own people
Tax collectors were not paid by Rome
They were able to apply their own “fees” to those paying the taxes
Many were extra hated because they were “compensated” very well
So now the Jews paid tithes, taxes, and Herod, along with taxes to Rome and whatever extra they paid to the “traitor tax collector “
But Jesus sees Matthew and calls Him from his tax booth!
He calls him to “Follow Me” from the very pit of sin he chose to work in…
Much in the same way He called Peter, Andrew, James, and John - from their occupation - from their very booth or office - a boat
Jesus can and will and has called us - even from the very sinful place we think think is unseen
But What does “Follow Me” even mean?
Greek word: akoloutheō (this is the transliteration)
Definition: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him
to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple
side with his party
Matthew the sinful hated tax collector responds in an even more wonderful way than the others called
He leaves his booth - run by Rome - you don’t just up and leave your job when you work for Rome but Matthew did
Why? Why was he chosen? Why did he leave it all and go?
What if Matthew was a very fair tax collector?
What if he wasn’t trying to make a fortune off his own people?
But we do know that Jesus called him directly
We do know that Jesus called him from his booth
Not from a crowd of followers
We do know that He left everything and followed Him
We can assume that as famous as Jesus was at this time that Matthew knew of Him or about Him
This wasn’t some random guy walking past and saying
No, this was much bigger!
You don’t leave your Roman tax booth for anyone
But there is more to this story
He invites Jesus to a feast!
The sinner hated tax collector Matthew invites Jesus the Messiah to his home to dine with him
Other hated sinners and tax collectors!!!!!
How can the Son of God be surrounded by such sin and filth?
How can Emanuel be in the same place as sin?
Jesus even took His disciples with Him
What is He teaching them?
As we continue to read we see that Jesus was waiting for the perfect time to speak
He allows the scribes and Pharisees to open that door
Who were scribes and Pharisees?
Scribe: in the Bible, a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion. Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and are mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people.
Pharisee: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognised in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fastings, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works. They held strenuously to a belief in the existence of good and evil angels, and to the expectation of a Messiah; and they cherished the hope that the dead, after a preliminary experience either of reward or of penalty in Hades, would be recalled to life by him, and be requited each according to his individual deeds. In opposition to the usurped dominion of the Herods and the rule of the Romans, they stoutly upheld the theocracy and their country's cause, and possessed great influence with the common people. According to Josephus they numbered more than 6000. They were bitter enemies of Jesus and his cause; and were in turn severely rebuked by him for their avarice, ambition, hollow reliance on outward works, and affection of piety in order to gain popularity.
Hope that clears it up lol
They didn’t like Jesus at all
They were prideful and wanted their own followers and wanted to be sure that the common sinner and person needed them and their knowledge and their judgement and their guidance if they wanted a chance to stand before God
They were the opposite of Jesus
Anyway, Jesus replies with the lesson if the day:
People who are well don’t need a Physician
I (Jesus the Great Physician) came to call the sinners to repentance, not the righteous.
I desire mercy not sacrifice
What does this even mean?
If you are walking with God and love Him with all your heart soul mind and strength and keeping all the commandments of the law perfectly, then Jesus didn’t come for you
But for the lost the afflicted the lonely the guilty the broken etc
His mercy for us is greater than any kind of sacrifice we could offer before Him
We should offer that same mercy for all those around us
This is beautiful before the Lord God
The sacrifice of bulls and goats could never do what Jesus did
God had great mercy on us by giving us Jesus instead of wiping us out and sending us to the eternity that we have asked for
The place where God isn’t
A place without the existence of Love or Joy or peace or kindness
Without the existence of good
No gentleness and absolutely no hope!
We can choose love joy peace kindness goodness gentleness and hope amongst so much more!
Therefore we can live like Jesus
We too can go to the spirituality sick
But remember, you aren’t the answer
We teach of His mercy and plan
We show that Jesus sat with the sinners in the sinful places and He loved them
He saw who they truly were
The sick and humble and nearly dead
This is the first instance where Jesus calls one person alone and nobody else came with Him
Matthew is the 7th mentioned disciple
Philip, Nathanael, Simon (Peter), Andrew, James, John, and Matthew
Two friends, two sets of brothers, and one without a friend or family
You could be any one of these
