Much of Jesus’ ministry took place away from Jerusalem, in the Galilee region. His home base of operations was Capernaum, and this is where the calling of Matthew took place.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him (Matthew 9.9).
“To follow” is the key concept in discipleship. Jesus calls us to follow, and we leave what we’re doing to go where He leads us.
What is significant in the call of Matthew is his occupation. Tax collectors were among the most disreputable people in the land. They made their money by extorting others with exorbitant prices in the tax office.
Taxation was a serious problem in the first century. People lived so close to the margins that the payment of taxes might mean that one or more members of a family could not eat. The dishonest aspect of taxation made tax collectors some of the most hated persons in Israel.
Matthew was so moved by the character and personality of Jesus that he invited his friends to a party at his house.
Matthew’s wealth was on display, as he had a house large enough to contain Jesus, his disciples, and Matthew’s friends.
And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples (Matthew 9.10).
The wording of this passage in the Greek texts gives us an indication that this was a formal dinner in honor of Jesus, who was the honored guest.
What about Righteousness?
Pharisee means “separate ones.” They tried to separate themselves from anything that would cause them to do something in violation of God’s law. They would have an obvious problem with Jesus’s association at a party with known sinners.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9.11).
Table fellowship in the first century implied acceptance, friendship, relationship, and so forth.
The Pharisees may have held to the modern adage, “Birds of a feather flock together.” If Jesus was associating with sinful people, in their estimation he obviously was not righteous.
Jesus had a different approach to righteousness. He knew that acceptance and love would transform the human heart. When people are transformed on the inside, it will be evident in their behavior.
But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
“Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9.12-13).
The Pharisees recognized Jesus as a teacher. Jesus taught them with logic, scripture, and behavior.
(1) His logic was that physicians only operate among the sick. What he was doing was performing the work of a doctor.
(2) The scripture was from Hosea 6:6, where God said to the people, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” The human heart that offers mercy is one that’s been transformed by God.
(3) Jesus’ best example, and most appreciated by the tax collectors and sinners, was that he welcomed them into his presence. That welcome, like in Zacchaeus’ case (Luke 19:1-10), was what transformed their hearts and made them followers.
Not Either/Or
Relationships with people who are outcasts in society don’t have to follow a single approach. We don’t have to be like the Pharisees, the “separate ones,” and we don’t always have to be like Jesus, having fellowship with people who might cause us to fall into sin.
Some of my friends who have left their lives of addiction would have a very difficult time going to a drug house and preaching. They need to be like the Pharisees and be separate.
On the other hand, many of us do well to find people who are distant from God and invite them to dinner, offering them God’s love and acceptance with our words and deeds.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 