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

Luke 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 4:22-30 – From Approval to Rage

Luke 4:22-30 – From Approval to Rage

LK4:22 Afterward everyone spoke well of Jesus, as they were amazed at the gracefulness of the words[1] coming out of his mouth. They were all saying: “Is this not Joseph’s son?” LK4:23 So Jesus responded to them: “Without a doubt you will tell me about the parable: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’[2] And you will tell me: ‘Everything we heard you do in Capernaum do here also in your own hometown.’”[3] LK4:24 But, then Jesus said: “I tell you this truth: no prophet is welcome in his own hometown. LK4:25 Really, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah – when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, causing a great famine throughout the land – LK4:26 and Elijah was not sent to one of these widows except to that widow in Zarephath of Sidon. [1 Kings 17:9] LK4:27 Also, there were many lepers in Israel during Elisha the prophet’s time, and not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” [2 Kings 5:14] LK4:28 As a result all of those in the synagogue were filled with rage[4] when they heard these things. LK4:29 So they rose up and drove Jesus outside of the town to a hilltop where the village had been built intent on throwing him off. LK4:30 But Jesus went right through the middle of them and walked away.

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[1] The gracefulness of the words: Or, NEB: words of such grace; TCN: beautiful words. We must assume Christ said more than what is recorded in Luke, for such a brief reading and comment are not likely enough to arouse such a response.

[2] Physician, heal yourself: Only doctor Luke includes this proverb.

[3] Do here also in your own hometown: They are trying to direct Jesus to perform miracles in Nazareth as he did elsewhere. They want a show. The Nazarene is aware of their motives.

[4] As a result all of those in the synagogue were filled with rage: Or, filled with wrath, infuriated, enraged. Jesus has pointed out that in the cases of Elijah and Elisha only non-Jews experienced the prophets’ miracles. The intimation irritates those in Jesus’ hometown.

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Preceding

Luke 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 4:1-13 – Tempted by the Devil

Luke 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 4:14-15 – Good Reports as Jesus Taught

Luke 4 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 4:16-21 – In His Hometown Synagogue