11.-Publicans Enter the Kingdom
“And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
“And it came to pass that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publicans and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and the publicans, said unto his disciples, He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners. And when Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, they that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (2:13-17, R.V.).
The Evangelist as directed by the inspiring Spirit proceeds to set forth the character of the ministry of Jesus the Servant-prophet. He had been announcing the imminence of the kingdom of God (1:14-15). He had by many incontestable proofs shown that the healing mercies of Jehovah were in their midst in His own person (1:16-39). But the people had heedless ears and callous hearts and the striking cases of the cleansed leper and the restored paralytic awakened the religious wisdom of the day. only to prefer a malicious charge of blasphemy against Him as the Forgiver of sins (1:40-2:12).
When the benign grace of God is met by the churlish resistance of man it seeks to extend its limits. The Savior came bringing grace and truth to the favored nation, but since the scribes and Pharisees would not have His boon, He would show that the nature of this grace was such that it embraced not only the despised Galilean, but ‘the still more despised publican. Mark shows this development in the Lord’s ministry by the account of the call of Levi, and by the subsequent feast at which many tax-collectors and sinners were present as welcome guests.
(“came,” J.N.D.; “kept coming,” J.N.D., note.)
(“passing by,” J.N.D.)
(“tax-office,” J.N.D.)
(“lay at table,” J.N.D.; W.K.)
(“tax-gatherers,” J.N.D.; W.K,)
(“and Pharisees,” J.N.D.
(““Why is it,” J.N.D.; “How is it,” W.K.)
(“strong,” J.N.D.; W.K.)
(“ill,” J.N.D.; W.K.)
(“have not come,” J.N.D.; W.K.)
THE CALL OF THE TAX-COLLECTOR
Jesus left Capernaum and passed on to the shores of the Sea of Galilee where He was teaching the crowds that flocked to Him. Here was the Government custom-house, where various tolls and dues were collected either for Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, or for the Romans. The persons responsible for the collection of these taxes were, in many, if not in all, instances, Jews. On this account, as well as because of the natural repugnance of most men to pay taxes at all, the “publicans” were regarded by their country-men as an odious and hateful class. In the performance of their duties they had ample opportunities for oppression and extortion, to their own personal enrichment (Luke 3:1313And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. (Luke 3:13)). Such abuses naturally aggravated the hatred generally felt towards them. All, however, were not equally oppressive, and Zacchaeus evidently was an exception to the general rule, for he seems to have been of just and generous habits (Luke 19:88And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. (Luke 19:8)).
As Jesus passed along he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the place of toll. Addressing him, the Master said, Follow Me. And in instant response Levi arose and followed Him.
As in the case of Simon and Andrew (1:16-18), there was probably on the part of Levi some previous knowledge of the Lord and His teaching. They, as John 1 shows, had made a confession of Him some time before they were called to go after Him. Levi no doubt had heard His preaching and witnessed His miracles in Capernaum. For aught we know to the contrary he may have been one of those publicans who “justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John,” and thus confessedly was one of those waiting for the Redeemer of Israel (Luke 3:12; 7:2912Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? (Luke 3:12)
29And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. (Luke 7:29)). But his difficulty would be whether he who was considered to be no better than a Gentile might dare to appropriate the blessings of the promised kingdom. Like his fellow who could not lift up so much as his eyes in the temple (Luke 18:1313And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13)), this man could not lift up his eyes to Him who was greater than the temple.
But the Searcher of hearts was passing by. He who knew the vain thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees knew also the timid desires of the publican. He who saw Nathanael under the fig-tree, had seen Levi at the toll-booth. And the Lord of love summoned him who was already a disciple in heart to be His follower in the open light of day. At once he arose and left all, as Luke tells us, reclaimed thus from the service of the Roman to that of King Immanuel, who in this manner collected His dues by the Sea of Galilee.
LEVI AND MATTHEW
Some have found a difficulty in determining whether Levi the publican and Matthew the apostle were the same person. There is, however, no sufficient reason to doubt their identity. In the lists of the apostles given in the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew is named in each of them. And Mark and Luke, in narrating the call of the publican, both give him the name of Levi. The obvious inference from these passages is that, like other of the apostles, the man had two names, Matthew being his most usual, if not his only, designation after his call to the discipleship of Jesus.
In the first Gospel, Matthew, writing of the same eventful call, ascribes it to a man named Matthew (Matt. 9:99And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)), thus indicating his own origin with the utmost candor and humility, and by the avoidance of the name Levi preventing any possible confusion as to his identity. It is granted that a crooked worldly policy animated by motives of short-sighted prudence might cause an author to conceal such a fact about himself; but he who was inspired to include the names of Tamar and Bathsheba in the genealogy of the Messiah (Matt. 1) would be preserved from the petty meanness of concealing the fact that one of the Lord’s apostles was a tax-collector. “Whom do we hear to blazon the shame of Matthew but his own mouth? Matthew the Evangelist tells us of Matthew the publican. His fellows call him Levi, as unwilling to lay their finger upon the spot of his unpleasing profession; himself will not smother nor blanch it a whit, but publishes it to all the world in a thankful recognition of the mercy that called him, as liking well that his baseness should serve for a fit foil to set off the glorious luster of His grace by whom he was elected. What matters it how vile we are, O God, so Thy glory may arise in our abasement?” The truth is that Matthew bore two names; so “Thomas is called Didymus by John only; and Thaddeus (or Lebbeus as in Matthew and Mark) is called Judas by Luke and John.” But while the identity of Matthew and Levi may be considered as well established, it is the merest conjecture to regard Alphaeus, the father of Levi, as identical with the father of James (Matt. 10:44Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. (Matthew 10:4)), and with Cleophas (John 19:2525Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25)). THE FEAST IN MATTHEW’S HOUSE Soon after the call of the fishermen Jesus went to the house of Simon and Andrew (i. 29). He is now shown as the guest of Levi the publican. “And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others that were sitting at meat with them” (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)). The King is not the host here, for He has not yet taken possession of His own. Solomon in the day of his power made a feast to all his servants (1 Kings 3:1515And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. (1 Kings 3:15)), but He who was a greater than Solomon had no place to lay His head. He who in a coming day will make in mount Zion for “all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined” (Isa. 25:66And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. (Isaiah 25:6)), was well content to be entertained by the tax-gatherer. And what a company were seen at the banquet that day! The Son of man had power on earth to forgive sins; hence sinners were welcome to Him who came to cleanse them from their sins. Levi the publican could testify to the grace that called him to be a follower of Jesus; hence, other publicans felt this to be a sufficient ground for believing that if they also came He would in no wise cast them out. We find therefore that a goodly company responded to the invitation of Levi, and came to eat and drink with Him. “O happy publicans and sinners who found out their Savior! O merciful Savior that disdained not publicans and sinners!” They found Him to be indeed the “Friend of publicans and sinners,” “a Friend sticking closer than a brother,” and it is good to read that at the close of the feast “many followed Him,” sinners as they were, fitted and made meet to follow the Sinless One into His kingdom.
MURMURS AT THE FEAST
The unbelieving and sinful generation that murmured of old in the wilderness at the heavenly manna murmured now in the presence of the Bread of God come down from heaven to fill with good things those who were hungry and thirsty after righteousness. The Pharisaic scribes said to the disciples, “How is it he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?”
It will be observed how the gradual development of evil opposition to the Lord is presented to us. In the previous incident we are shown the mental comment, the inward suspicion, the evil surmise of the Pharisees; and also how the Lord graciously corrected this, rebuking them before all that others might fear. Now we see that the sinful thought of foolishness became the spoken back-biting word of these men unrestrained and unabashed in the presence of Him who had laid bare the thought and intents of their hearts. The word of the Pharisees, however, was spoken not to the Lord Himself, but to the disciples, reminding us of the wily serpent in Eden who directed his assaults upon Adam through Eve, the weaker vessel. They, avoiding Jesus Himself, sought to bring the Master into discredit with His followers by their question, “How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?” It was a whisper in their ears to turn away their hearts, even as Absalom sought to turn away the hearts of the people from David.
But the Lord was watchful over His own. It was not yet the time to put words of wisdom into their mouths to speak for Him as His witnesses. (Matt. 10:1919But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. (Matthew 10:19)). But He answered for them, confuting the sophistry of the scribes. “They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” It was in this manner that the two-edged sword of truth proceeded out of His mouth for their moral judgment. For why was it they failed to receive their Messiah? Because in their own estimation they did not need such a one as He. Why complain then that those who did feel their need of such a Savior came to Him and were made welcome? What sort of a physician is he who refuses to minister to any but the hale and the hearty?
The Lord then definitely announced that He was come not to call the righteous (i.e. those who were righteous in their own eyes; indeed otherwise there is none righteous, no, not one), but sinners. These who responded should be washed, sanctified, justified, and made inheritors of the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-119Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9‑11)), but those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others, except they repented, would most assuredly perish in their sins.
In Matthew it is stated that the Lord vindicated His reception of the moral outcasts by a quotation from the prophet Hosea: “Go ye,” He said, “and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matt. 9:1313But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matthew 9:13); Hos. 6:66For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)). It was the promise of God that when man was in a resourceless case, He would exercise His prerogative of mercy. The Lord accordingly was in the midst of Israel not to receive sacrifice but to show mercy. For it is suggested that this is the significance of the passage, rather than a rebuke to formalism and religious ceremonialism which some see in it.
According to the latter interpretation the sentence is a declaration that God desires not the sacrifices of the law but the merciful deeds of man to his fellow-creatures. But while this statement is true in itself, and indeed expressed in other portions of Scripture, the words of the prophet as used here by the Lord show that in receiving publicans and sinners He was performing the divine function of displaying mercy, which was in accordance with the will of God, rather than the offering of sacrifice by those whose hearts were far from God, like the Pharisees. It was for the remission, not for the judgment of sins, that the Servant of Jehovah, the “dayspring from on high,” had visited His people; and His mission emanated from the tender mercy [the heart of mercy] of God Himself (Luke 1:7878Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, (Luke 1:78)). While it abides true that judgment shall overtake every evil work, it was shown in the house of Levi the tax-gatherer how the mercy of God gloried against judgment.
[W. J. H.]