He calls Matthew to discipleship and is criticized for Associating with Sinners
Jesus had just been criticized for forgiving sins now He criticized for associating
with a "Publican", a tax collector. He left the home in Capernaum and headed
toward the Sea of Galilee where there would be more room and He could speak to more
people. There was a man there that had a "custom-house" by the sea where he
collected taxes on fish catches and other items of trade. The man's name was Levi.
He was the son of Alpheus, husband to the Mary who was a sister or near kinswoman
to Mary the mother of Jesus, and as such was a brother to James the Less, Jude and
Simon the Canaanite which means that there were 4 brothers who were disciples.
As Jesus passed by He saw Levi and said unto him, "Follow Me", and Levi arose and
followed Him.
Levi, whom Jesus called Matthew, was the seventh disciple to be called. Seven is
the mystical number in the Bible. It means "completeness". Creation was completed
in seven days. There are many sevens in the book of Revelation and there in the
seven last words of the cross. In this scripture there a seven "wonders" recorded
in the calling of the seventh disciple that Jesus chose.
- First was the calling, a Publican, a tax collector, a sinner
to be a disciple. By this Jesus exposed Himself to the
ridicule of the self-righteous as well as the well
meaning people of the area. No one liked a tax collector.
Publicans were not the major collectors of taxes. Major
taxes were collected by the Jewish Sanhedrin. They would
deduct money for public works, administration and their own
percentage, and the rest they would turn over to Rome. The
Publican was left to his own devices to collect taxes on
anything in anyway he could, squeezing as much public
revenue as possible from the people. They were allowed to
operate because they always gave a small percentage of their
collections to influential man in Rome. Some erected toll
gates on much traveled roads, some collected a duty on goods
taken to market. Others taxed necessities like salt and
spices. They were classed right down there with harlots.
Jesus ate with them, as recorded in today's lesson and as
recorded in Luke 19 with Zacchaeus, a chief publican at
Jericho who was rich yet glad to be saved by Jesus. So it
was a wonder that Jesus would call such a man.
- The second wonder was that Matthew (Levi) followed Him. Paul
understood this for he to was called from a high influential
well paying job to following Jesus and he explained it in
his letter to the Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8, "For by GRACE
are you saved, through faith and that not of yourself, it
is a gift of God." The calling makes the difference, yet it
was still a wonder that he followed.
- The third wonder was that He not only associated with converted
publicans (sinners) but with unconverted ones as well. That
He came to call sinners, no matter how bad, to repent, is a
wonder in itself.
- The fourth wonder was the patience of Jesus. He patiently bore
the criticism of the self-righteous Pharisees when they
questioned His association with sinners, not realizing that
they to were sinners. Patience is truly a wonder.
- The fifth wonder was the His mission. Those to whom He had
come, those for whom He would die. He declared it this
way, "It is to a sinful world that I have come, therefore
my business lies most with those that are the greatest
sinners." "I have not come to call the righteous to
repent, but sinners to repent." But at this time we
should remember the main mission of Jesus was to call
disciples who he would train to carry on His work after
His ascension. His miracles were lessons taught by example,
His sermons were directed primarily to the disciples.
- The sixth wonder was His ability to call, teach and sustain
those into whose hands he would entrust His mission.
- The seventh wonder was his understanding of "their frame".
He knew their short comings, He knew their capabilities.
He did not place undue ritual or ceremony upon them but
allowed each his own identity, giving to them, each,
according to their need.
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