Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

v. 13 Then, he went out again beside the sea and all the crowd showed up near to him and he taught them.

v. 14 And as he was passing along the way, he saw Levi, Alphaeus’s son, stationed at the tax collection booth. “Follow me,” Jesus says; and getting up, Levi followed him.

v. 15 Then things worked out so that Jesus and his disciples were dining at Levi’s house and enjoying a meal with many tax collectors and sinners because many of them followed him.

v. 16 When the legal experts of the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why is it that he eats with these tax collectors and sinners?”

v. 17 And having heard, Jesus says to them “Those who are strong and healthy see no need for a doctor, but those who are sick and in a bad way do. I came to call the sinful, not those who consider themselves righteous.” (Pastor Rick’s Translation)

First impressions:

The flow of time means something here. He left the house in Capernaum and headed to the lake (Sea of Galilee). His popularity causes word of mouth to bring the crowd together and he taught them. After, it would seem, he finished teaching as was walking along, he saw Matthew (Levi) in his tax assessor’s booth, either back in town, or near where the fishing cooperatives brought their catch in. Fishing was the main industry in Capernaum.

My guess is that Matthew had heard Jesus teach by the waterfront. In fact, it could be that Matthew has watched Jesus with his other disciples and longed to express his devotion; but was unwilling because he assumed he was an outcast And Jesus knew he was ready.

v. 17 is pivotal. Jesus makes a juxtaposition. And he takes the legal expert-Pharisees at their word assuming they are “the righteous” and the people he gravitated toward are “the sinners.” Yes, he would rather hang out with those who know they need him. A Pharisee who knows he needs Jesus is just as welcome as the greediest tax collector.

 The sick people know their need for a doctor’s visit. The sinners know their need to hear the call for a relationship with the Father. Sinners were defined by the religious structure as outside the rigors of the legal code in their religion. This includes a wide range of people with attitudes, including Roman employees like tax collector.

• How can you and I discover calling? Steps.
• What do I bring with me into my calling?
• Is there a special calling we can experience? At the party, many followed; on the street, one was called.

v. 13 Then, he went out again beside the sea and all the crowd showed up near to him and he taught them.

Jesus loved the seashore and craved fresh air, especially if this is after healing in closed quarters in the crowded house. A few followed him out there, spread the word, and the crowds found him and surrounded him again. It really does look like sheep without a shepherd.

v. 14 And as he was passing along the way, he saw Levi, Alphaeus’s son, stationed at the tax collection booth. “Follow me,” Jesus says; and getting up, Levi followed him.

The word for follow comes from “together plus the road.” Stick together is another translation of this word – together from the road. God is pulling people from all walks, all roads, all destinations, to do life together, to reach those we are on the road with.

The village of Capernaum was a nexus point on the Roman roads between the major cities of Tyre, Damascus and Jerusalem and important for tax collection. The tax booth was not an optional, out-of-the-way spot. If you carried goods, or fish, or other possible taxable stuff, you had to go through their gateway.

Follow me along this different road was significant for Levi. After all, he was the one person among them who most benefited from what traveled down these roads and poured into Rome’s tax system. He overcharges so he could be rich at Simon’s expense, James’ expense, etc. That’s why the tax collector was often listed with sinners, prostitutes.

Levi was probably his known name in Capernaum. He took the name Matthew as the disciples coalesced into a team as Mark 3 mentions his new name.

Matthew was from a despised class. The disciples were not about to relate to a tax collector, but Jesus embraces him. Today, who Jesus saves is not our concern. We might pray “God so and so is such a lovely person, please save him or her.” But Jesus didn’t come for lovely people. He came to love the lost, the hurt, the ugly, etc. Jesus keeps embracing what others push away. Who in your life is the least likely to say yes? That’s who to pray for this week.

Illustration: How God is saving in the other nations? Who he is saving? The gypsy-Roma: While Susan and I lives in Europe, we frequently came across gypsys or Roma people. They were outcasts and mistrusted in every city in Europe. The Roma relate in communities and tribes all over Europe and here in America. Since the 1950’s a growing revival has been moving through the communities in France when a missionary began helping the Roma’s find hope through learning the language and how to follow Christ; and it spread through Spain, and Romania. Many are unable to hold citizenship as illegals, but what many call a “hidden revival” with Roma Gypsy churches forming to help them grow and reach their communities. Jesus looks to the outcast.

v. 15 Then things worked out so that Jesus and his disciples were dining at Levi’s house and enjoying a meal with many tax collectors and sinners because many of them followed him.

A sort of revival had begun in the ranks of IRS agents toward God. The message of Jesus, the changed lives of people like Levi, and the embrace of a Savior who forgives, knows them by name, restores them to the Kingdom, brings salvation to this unlikely group of people

It’s like seeing the Gypsies come to Jesus.

v. 16 When the legal experts of the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why is it that he eats with these tax collectors and sinners?”

Keep in mind that “these sinners” are the very ones Jesus came to feast with and bring to salvation and restoration. It’s these very sinners that the Pharisees sought to separate from. Pharisee means separated ones, as in we don’t associate with the common rabble. The wording indicates they said it rather than ask it – as if it were given that this was a horrid thing to do. I can even hear the entitled and privileged tone “why does he bother to eat with such people and risk being unclean.”

It seems that, since the Pharisees had already passed judgment on Jesus, they had sent their lawyers to begin making a case to condemn Jesus.

v. 17 And having heard, Jesus says to them “Those who are strong and healthy see no need for a doctor, but those who are sick and in a bad way do. I came to call the sinful, not those who consider themselves righteous.”

This passage is wide open for interpretation since Jesus is using a metaphor alongside a repetition of what the scribes said. They considered themselves righteous and without need of a Savior, and everyone not “in their camp” sinners, sinful, and beyond redemption apart from aligning with their code. Jesus took their position and made it clear that he wasn’t “in their camp” when it comes to who he associates with.

Called to salvation, called to love God with all we are, called to be the bridge to reconcile others to the Father, and called to God’s purpose – that is, to make Jesus known through our lives and words.