“Jesus went out again by the sea. The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them. As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.
As Jesus was having a meal in Levi’s home, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard this he said to them, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” —Mark 2:13-17
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners! Those who humbly and willingly acknowledge their need for a Savior receive our Lord’s gracious hand of forgiveness and mercy. Prior to saving faith in Jesus, we all fall into the category of a needy “sinner”. Unfortunately, those righteous in their own eyes often remain unaware of their need. Those who are full of themselves and their own religiosity have no room in their hearts for a Savior. Such was the case of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law in our verses for today.
In our verses for today, once again we find a large crowd assembled around the Master. Ever focused on His mission, Jesus begins to teach them. Walking beside the lake our Lord spies Levi (also known as Matthew), a hated tax collector.
Jesus calls out the now familiar “Follow me” and immediately Levi follows Him–obedience without hesitation. I wonder if our obedience occurs without hesitation.
Levi was a Jewish tax official employed by Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. Often the officials in these positions were involved in fraud and scandal, bribery and extortion, and therefore they were despised by the Jews. Jesus sought out the lowly and the despised and willingly offered His hand of mercy. Sin and scandal prior to conversion is no bar to mercy and grace in our Lord’s eyes.
Levi invited our Lord and His disciples to a feast at his home and included some of his “sinner” comrades. When we have good news, we want to share it with others! This did not go over well with the religious leaders of the day: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (verse 16).
In every age we have men and women who use their religion for their own purposes. The Pharisees were the elite, the highly admired, the rule makers, and they relished in their positions. They mixed a pious faith with power and pride which resulted in a bitter and toxic amalgamation. Their hearts were as hard as stone, their condition dead, and they were too full of themselves to discern it. This was why Jesus was called them “hypocrites,” “blind guides,” and “white-washed tombs.” Matthew records our Lord’s words:
“But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.” —Matthew 23:13
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.” —Matthew 23:16
“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean.” —Matthew 23:27
Before we get too fat and sassy and come down hard on these religious leaders, we should examine our own hearts. Do we look down on others thinking we are better? Do we relish man’s praise over God’s? Do we stay herded in our holy huddles, holding our religious club meetings? Do we follow tradition or follow Jesus? We must pay careful attention to our own hearts lest our Jesus directs those “Woe’s” at us as well. Remember the lukewarm Church of Laodicea Jesus chastised in Revelation and His command to them:
“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” —Revelation 3:17
Take It to Heart
“All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent! Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.” —Revelation 3:19-20
“The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it? I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.” —Jeremiah 17:9-10
Further Reflections
“This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them! ” —1 Timothy 1:15
“I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; I appeared to those who did not look for me. I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ to a nation that did not invoke my name.” —Isaiah 65:1