Luke 5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 5:27-32 – Tax-man Levi Called

Luke 5:27-32 – Tax-man Levi Called

|| Matthew 9:9-12;[1] Mark 2:13-17[2]

LK5:27 Now later Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office. Jesus said to him: “Follow me.” LK5:28 So Levi rose, and leaving everything behind,[3] he followed Jesus. LK5:29 Then Levi arranged a great banquet for Jesus in his own home, and so there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others reclining at the meal with them. LK5:30 But the Pharisees and Bible Copyists began to murmur against the disciples of Jesus, saying: “Why are you all eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” LK5:31 So Jesus answered and said to them: “The healthy do not need a physician[4] but the sick do. LK5:32 I have not come to call righteous persons[5] to repentance but rather sinners.”

[1] Matthew 9:9-12: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[2] Mark 2:13-17: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Mark.

[3] Left everything behind: May we think this included money?

[4] Physician: We can imagine Luke particularly interested in this statement. [Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17]

[5] Righteous persons: Or, law-abiding persons. As opposed to law-breakers.

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Preceding

1. Luke 5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 5:1-11 – Fishermen Follow Jesus
2. Luke 5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 5:12-16 – Healing a Leper and Then Privacy
3. Luke 5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 5:17-26 – Who Can Forgive Sins?
4. Matthew 9:9-13 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Pharisees Accuse When Matthew Is Called
5. Matthew 9:9-13 – What others are saying about Jesus’ attitude and tax collectors
6. Mark 2 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 2:13-17 – Accused of Associating With Sinners

Matthew 9:9-13 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Pharisees Accuse When Matthew Is Called

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]

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[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.

[7] Teacher: Or, Master; Rabbi.

[8] Healthy: Or, “strong.” KJV: whole; WEY: in good health.

[9] I wish mercy and not a sacrifice: A quote of Hosea 6:6 also occurring at Mark 12:7.

[10] Invite: The Greek is KALESAI. KJV: call.

[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.

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Preceding article

Matthew 9:1-8 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Messiah Forgives Sins and Heals Paralytic

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