Once the Lord Jesus told a crowd of Pharisees who thronged about Him that “The publicans and harlots would enter the kingdom before them.” Furthermore, among the twelve apostles there was one who had been a publican. His name was Levi, or Matthew. He was converted, and called to be a follower of the Lord Jesus, just as he sat, like the man in our picture, at the receipt of custom. Levi was so full of joy when he was brought to know Jesus that he made a great feast for Him in his house, and invited a number of “publicans and sinners” to meet with Jesus there (Luke 5:2929And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. (Luke 5:29)). No doubt, he wanted to honor his wonderful Master, and he would have his friends to hear the glad tidings of salvation from His blessed lips, so that they might be saved as he had been.
Then, who has not read of Zacchaeus, the little man, who lived in Jericho (Luke 19). He wanted to see Jesus but because he was so short he climbed up a tree by the side of the road where he could get a good view of that wonderful Man. As the Lord Jesus passed along the way, He looked up and called Zacchaeus down saying, “I must abide at thy house,” and Zacchaeus received salvation that day. Zacchaeus also was a publican, and the moral change in his life was seen even before this because he told the Lord he restored four times what he had taken wrongfully from his brethren when they paid their taxes. That was a proof as the work of the Spirit of God in his soul. When the Lord Jesus is received into the heart, and owned as Lord, He by His Spirit works a wonderful change in a man’s ways.
I hope these few remarks may help you understand who the publicans were, and also what kind of people they are whom Jesus receives and saves. It isn’t those who think themselves better than others who get the blessing, but those who know and own themselves to be sinners before God, and who trust in His love and mercy for their soul’s salvation.
ML 11/28/1965