MK2:13 Now Jesus went outside and again walked along the Sea [of Galilee]. A large crowd followed him and he continued to teach them. MK2:14 As he was walking along he passed by and saw a certain Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax table. Jesus said to him: “Come follow me!” Instantly Levi rose and followed Jesus. MK2:15 Then it happened that as Jesus was having a meal in Levi’s house, many other tax-collectors and ‘sinners’ also sat together with Jesus and his disciples because there were now many that followed him. MK2:16 But, when the Bible Copyists and the Pharisees observed Jesus eating with these tax-collectors and ‘sinners’ they said to Jesus’ disciples: “How come he eats and drinks with tax-collectors and ‘sinners’?” MK2:17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them: “Those who are well have no need of a doctor, rather the sick do. I came not to call the ‘righteous’ to repentance but rather ‘sinners’.”
*
[1]Matthew 9:9: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.
Allen Browne in his writing of poses the question to imagine taxes being levied by an occupying force. He asks to
Put yourself in the crowd following Jesus along the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus is announcing good news of the restoration of God’s kingdom, so you’re expecting him to solve Israel’s problems, to get rid of the Satan-servants and sinners. Look, there’s one right here — that twisted wretch at his toll booth. Perhaps Jesus will overturn his tables and drive him out of the region.
Jesus calls Matthew & eats at his home – Biblical illustration of Gospel of Luke Chapter 5 + Gospel of Mark Chapter 2 – Biblical illustrations by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Sweet Publishing, Ft. Worth, TX, and Gospel Light, Ventura, CA. Copyright 1984
The reaction of Jesus may have been regarded very strange, him not treating the tax collector as a scumbag, but treating him as a person — a human being with a name:
9 9 Moving on from there, Jesus saw a person named Matthew seated in the toll collection booth, and said to him,
“Follow me.”
He stood up and followed him.
We even got to read that Jesus came to share the meal withmany tax collectors and sinners.
We all know that God’s blessing comes to the person who does NOT walk with the wicked, or stand with sinners, or sit with those whose lifestyle mocks Israel’s God and his laws (Psalm 1:1).
So, what about this man and his followers or diciples?
9 11 The Pharisees noticed and queried his students,
“What’s this? Your teacher entertains tax collectors and sinners?”
9 12 Overhearing what they said, Jesus said,
“It isn’t those who are strong who need a healer; it’s the ones who aren’t doing well.”
Mr. Browne sees that
There’s the core difference between Jesus and his contemporaries. The Pharisees want to cure Israel’s woes by cutting out the cancer that’s sucking the life-blood out of the nation. The Satan-serving tax collectors and the Law-breaking sinners are the reason why the kingdom of God has not been restored. Get rid of them so that Israel’s God does not have to look on their offences, and Israel will be restored as his people again. That’s their belief.
Jesus, on the other hand, wants to cure the cancer, to restore these distorted outgrowths of evil as true human beings again, to restore all God’s people as his kingdom. That’s why he’s spending his life with those who are the worst, the people everyone else regards as beyond help.
We may not forget that the sent one of God has a task given by his heavenly Father. It is not a mission to overthrow the occupants with violence? Though
King Jesus’ mission is to rescue his people. All of them.
What others are saying
Craig Blomberg, Matthew, New American Commentary (Nashville: B & H, 1992), 157:
Jesus’ fraternizing with disreputable people remains a scandal in the predominantly middle class, suburban, Western church. Many of us, like the Pharisees, at best ignore the outcasts of our society and at worst continue to discriminate against them. We do well to consider substantially increasing our spiritual, evangelistic, and social outreach to minorities, the homeless, prostitutes, addicts and pushers, gays and lesbians, AIDS victims, and the like, as well as to the more hidden outcasts such as divorcees, single parents, the elderly, white-collar alcoholics, and so on. We must get to know them as intimately as Jesus did — only close and trusted friends shared table fellowship over meals. We dare not join with sinners in their sinning, but we may well have to go places with them and encounter the world’s wickedness in ways that the contemporary Pharisees in our churches will decry.
David L. Turner, Matthew, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 254:
Jesus’s social interaction with notorious sinners scandalized the Pharisees of his own day, and it likewise tends to embarrass those in our day whose views about separation from worldliness stress externals rather than personal integrity. Association with unbelievers must be handled with wisdom so that ethical compromise is avoided, but fear of such compromise cannot become an excuse for isolation from those who most need the message of the kingdom (cf. 1 Cor. 5:9–10).
Matthew 9:9-13 – Pharisees Accuse When Matthew Is Called
|| Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32
Calling of Saint Matthew – Theodoor van Loon (1581/1582–1649) – National Museum in Warsaw (MNW)
MT9:9 Now leaving there Jesus saw a man called Matthew[1] sitting at the tax office, and Jesus said to him,
“Follow me.”
And Matthew rose and followed[2] Jesus. MT9:10 And when Jesus was staying in the house, look! many tax-collectors[3] and ‘sinners’[4] came[5] and reclined [at table] with him and his disciples. MT9:11 When the Pharisees observed[6] this they said to Jesus’ disciples,
“Why does your teacher[7] eat with tax-collectors and ‘sinners’?”
MT9:12 Hearing this Jesus told them,
“The healthy[8] do not need a healer but those who are sick. MT9:13 Go and learn what this is, ‘I wish mercy and not a sacrifice.’[9] [Hosea 6:6] For I came to invite,[10] not the righteous, but sinners.”[11]
*
[1]Matthew: The name means “Gift of Yah” and occurs 5 times in the Christian Bible (Matthew 9:9; 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). He is traditionally thought to be the author of the Gospel of Matthew. He is also known as “Levi.” This occurs near the end of 30 or early 31 AD.
[2]Matthew rose and followed: Consider the parallel accounts. Matthew leaves everything – stops right in the middle of his work and abandons his work. The later meal is evidently at Matthew’s house.
[3]Tax-collectors: Called “publicans” by the KJV. NEB: tax-gatherers.
[4]‘Sinners’: Perhaps in truth, but certainly from the view of the ‘religious.’ NEB: bad characters; TCNT: outcasts; PME: disreputable people; NOR: bad repute; GDSP: irreligious.
[5]Many tax-collectors and ‘sinners’ came: Possibly guests invited by Matthew indicating his former associates.
[6]Pharisees observed: Like spies they begin to probe for a fault in the Nazarene. A large feast, possibly in an open patio visible to others, which attracted the attention of others. Likely the news of Jesus visiting Matthew spread rapidly. The man had left his work and the tax office immediately and that must have created talk.
[11]Sinners: The KJV adds “to repentance.” TCNT: outcasts; GDSP: irreligious. We can imagine for a moment the hearts of these well up at the thought – one face turning to another, eyes meeting eyes – with delight. Surely the level of murmuring rose.
Ten years ago: Former Witnesses come together to mark Watchtower Victims Memorial Day A small number of innovative former Witnesses recently decided to organize a special day of mourning for those affected by the harmful doctrines and policies of the Watchtower religion. The first annual “Watchtower Victims Memorial Day” was held on July 26th and […]
What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world? In Christendom there are lots of denominations but oh such a few, keep really to the biblical teachings. A lot of churches claim they are the only right church. In case they would follow all the teachings of Christ Jesus, […]
The apostle Paul wrote about the dispersion, the dispersed House of Israel. They had been “without covenant“, but Paul was sent out to recover them. So they were “grafted in again“ (Romans 11/23). Or, Grafted back in“. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been […]
Rob Mac wonders when the door to door will return? He wrote this a while back, and went sharing it again. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses hate the door to door ministry, although they won’t readily admit it. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses have developed ‘creative’ ways of counting their time doing this work, and many strategies for avoiding actually […]
Constantine wanted unity in his realm, and his call in 325 C.E. for a council of his bishops at Nicaea, located in the Eastern, Greek-speaking domain of his empire, across the Bosporus from the new city of Constantinople was in a certain way his goal to achieve some agreement by which many could live. Constantine […]
Discernment will safeguard you. —Prov. 2:11. 12 For wisdom is a protection+ just as money is a protection,+ but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves the life of its owner.+ – Ecclesiastes 7:12 Thoughtfulness will protect you. If we take up knowledge of God, it will give insight and enrich us spiritually. One thing you […]
Inzicht zal je beschermen. — Spr. 2:11. 12 Want wijsheid is een bescherming,+ net als geld,+ maar het voordeel van kennis en wijsheid is dat ze de bezitter ervan in leven houden.+ – Prediker 7:12 Bedachtzaamheid zal je beschermen. Indien we kennis van God opnemen, zal dat inzicht schenken en ons geestelijk verrijken. Van één ding […]
Apostasy refers to the repudiation of a person or group’s central beliefs and practices. Beyond this basic definition, the term’s use for identifying who is “in” or “out” of a religious community frequently depends on the respective perceiver (Barclay 1998). Josephus, for instance, was accused by Jewish compatriots of turning traitor to Rome during the […]
Hij geneest mensen met een gebroken hart, hij verbindt hun wonden. — Ps. 147:3. Jehovah ziet alles wat zijn aanbidders doormaken. Hij merkt op wanneer je blij bent, maar ook wanneer je verdriet hebt (Ps. 37:18). Als hij ziet dat je hem zo goed mogelijk probeert te dienen ook al heb je het zwaar, maakt […]
He heals the brokenhearted; he binds up their wounds.—Ps. 147:3. What does Jehovah see when he looks at his servants on earth? He is aware of our joys and our sorrows. (Ps. 37:18) When he sees that we are serving him to the best of our ability despite coping with painful emotions, how pleased […]
Recent Posts on the Lifestyle Magazine: Stepping Toes
In today’s world where denial is an asset, there is an enormous need for church planters, people who are so inspired by the belief that they dare to row up against the current and spread the faith in such a way that they are willing to start a house church or other kind of church. […]
Pay It Forward Camille: Paul writes in Philippians: “Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us” (Phil. 3:17). In his letter to his friends, Paul is playing the role of mentor and teacher in the faith. And he is also asking them to […]
Christian humanist mentoring blends faith with human potential, emphasising spiritual growth through mentorship, focusing on applying Scripture to real life, developing character (virtues like wisdom, compassion), seeing God in human experience, and fostering holistic growth (mind, heart, service) to become fully Christ-like. It uses models like Jesus’ discipleship to build up individuals to glorify God […]
In East Asia, the Confucian tradition has influenced teaching, learning, and mentoring for millennia. It was traditionally believed that Confucius *1 had three thousand students, and he was a mentor to seventy-two disciples who belonged to his inner circle. Confucius’s disciples and followers later compiled the Analects*2 to preserve the teachings of the master, a […]
In de vorige artikelen over het fundament van het geloof hebben de figuur Satan toegelicht. We zagen dat het Hebreeuwse woord of groep van woorden, dat op vele plaatsen in Bijbelvertalingen vertaald is als de naam Satan, eigenlijk een Bijbelse aanduiding is voor elke tegenstander van de hemelse Vader, Jehovah God. Omdat de taal van […]
Recent Posts on the other Lifestyle Magazine and Readers Digest: From guestwriters
Gedachte van de week Wezens verlangen ernaar zich te bevrijden van ellende,Maar het ongeluk zelf haasten ze zich om te vangen.Ze verlangen naar vreugde, maar in hun onwetendheid,Vernietig het, zoals ze een gehate vijand zouden doen. SHANTIDEVA (685-763)Shantideva, De Weg van de Bodhisattva: Een vertaling van de Bodhicharyavatara Hoofdstuk I, v 28, vertaling door de […]
Thought of the week Beings long to free themselves from misery,But misery itself they race to catch.They long for joy, but in their ignorance,Destroy it, as they would a hated enemy. SHANTIDEVA (685-763)Shantideva,The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyavatara Chapter I, v 28, translation by the Padmakara Translation Group, 1997.
11 And it will be in these days, and Moses will become great, and he will go forth to his brethren, and he will see their burdens: and he will see a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, from his brethren. 12 And he will turn hither and thither, and will see that there is […]
Genesis chapter 47 47:11 11 And Joseph will place his father and his brethren, and will give to them possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, according to what Pharaoh commanded. district of Rameses. At this period Rameses was not a common name and no city […]
In de Bijbellezing van vandaag krijgen we een zeer lange psalm onder ogen, waarbij de smeekbede van de psalmist opvalt. Deze vraagt namelijk dat God Hem zal nabij zijn en hem zal onderrichten met Zijn Woorden en Voorschriften. Dagelijks nemen we voedsel en drank binnen zodat we gezond blijven. Maar we mogen niet vergeten dat […]
Bible Today
Dedicated to demonstrating that the Bible is God’s Word for our time
Biblestudents – Bijbelstudenten
A Google Site presenting the Biblestudents with articles in English and Dutch – Voorstelling van de Bijbelstudenten met artikelen in het Nederlands en Engels
Bijbelvorsers Webs
Association for Bibleresearchers. Vereniging voor Bijbelvorsers
Christen Focus
Redenen genoeg om ons gericht te houden op de juiste zaken en personen
Dawn Bible Students Association
Showing that the true gospel is not a new theology, but the old theology, the old gospel preached to Abraham
Focus on Charles Taze Russell
This site is an endeavor to weed out the false from the true regarding Charles Taze Russell.
Getuigen voor Christus
Tegenover de Getuigen van Jehovah zijn er ook de Getuigen voor Christus die Getuigenis afleggen voor Christus en zijn God Jehovah.
International Biblestudents Association
The IBSA or cooperative association of Bible Student congregations worldwide, all united by the common beliefs taught in Brother Russell’s Studies in the Scriptures series
Christadelphian Ecclesia
The Church community in Belgium of the Christadelphians. – Kerkgemeenschap van de Broeders in Christus.
Christadelphian World
News and thoughts from the Christadelphian Worldpointview. – Een kijk op het wereldgebeuren vanuit het standpunt van de wereld der Christadelphians.
Exploring the Bible
26-lesson postal/web correspondence course working following the consistent message of the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation
Glad Tidings
Monthly magazine to encourage the study of the Bible as God’s inspired message to mankind
Jeshuaist Focus
Een site die aantoont dat elke gelovige in de Enige Ware God kan deel uitmaken van het Volk dat in Gods Koninkrijk zal mogen vertoeven.
From Alfa Kratia to Zetta Kratia. Best Possible Down Fall for every state.Nie wieder Allein Herr Schaft! Nie wieder Deutsches Reich! Nie wieder Deutsche Kaiser! Nie wieder Deutsche Päpste! Hoch lebe die Atomo Kratie!! Der bitter saure Unter Gang ist nicht vermeid bar, nicht verhandel bar und un teil bar!
Belgian Biblestudents - Belgische Bijbelstudenten
Guestspeaker
Relating to God
Bijbelvorsers Webs
Belgische Vrije Christadelphians / Belgian Free Christadelphians – Old Google Main Website
Christadelphian Ecclesia
Hoop tot Leven – Redding in Christus
Belgian Biblestudents - Belgische Bijbelstudenten 
Recent Comments