Mark 2:13-17
Jesus went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
Jesus was walking beside the sea, and he called out to fishermen to follow him, so they dropped their nets, left their father, and followed him. Wait, that’s not right. Or at least that’s not the story we have here. Jesus’s first disciples were Simon Peter & Andrew, James & John who were brothers and fisherman working around the Sea of Galilee. Some people refer to these four guys and Jesus’ Inner Circle.
We’re pretty far into the story here when Jesus recruits Levi (also known as Matthew). And Jesus calls out to the grubby little tax collector as he’s working, just like he called to the fishermen. Of course, Jews have more of a reason to hate tax collectors more than us modern folk have to hate the IRS. Tax collectors of the time worked for Rome, and collected money for Rome, and were profiteers of Jewish oppression. Jesus calls this disciple by the sea as well, just like the fishermen.
Why was Matthew/Levi sitting in a tax booth – beside the sea? The answer is simple. Because he’s taxing the fishermen. He may have even taxed Peter, Andrew, James, and John before.
This detail about Matthew/Levi is left out of the story in the Gospel of Matthew. Only in Mark does it say that Matthew/Levi is working the docks and harassing his countrymen on behalf of a brutal empire. This detail may have been left out of Matthew’s own gospel because it was a point of tension.
Peter, James, John and Andrew are what we might call – Goody-two shoes disciples. They had regular jobs. They were blue collar fishermen. They could easily go back to their fishing business if this Jesus thing didn’t pan out. In fact, in John’s Gospel we find that they do indeed go back to fishing for a while before Jesus wrangles them out onto the mission field (John 21:1-14).
On the other hand, it would have been hard for Levi to go back to tax collecting. If the Roman government found out he had thrown in his lot with a political rebel, there was no way he was going to get his job back working for Rome. And not only was is sacrifice more difficult, he was joining up with people who especially had reason to hate him personally!
But Matthew answers the Jesus’ invitation to follow him anyway. In return, Jesus (and his goody-two-shoes disciples) we extended an invitation to follow Matthew to his home for dinner. Jesus reached out to Matthew and Matthew invited him in. Jesus accepts Matthew just as he is and follows him to dine with sinners much to the confusion of the Pharisees.
Who are these people that the Pharisees call “sinners?” Perhaps those who disregard God’s Law, or simply those who don’t hang out with Pharisees. Jesus became notorious for his friendship with sinners.
I wonder what people thought when they saw Jesus at Matthew’s house. Perhaps they thought Jesus accepted the invitation from Matthew so he could condemn sinners? Or maybe he accepted this invitation so he could get them to repent? Or maybe he accepted the invitation so he could teach them the Scriptures and show them how to live?
Yet, what do find Jesus doing? Not condemning them or criticize them or teaching them or demand things of them.
He simply eats dinner with them. He is a guest in the home of an outcast and surrounded by outcasts. And he is their friend.
Jesus recognizes, better than anyone, the desperate human need for acceptance and wholeness. The desperate need we all have to be touched through loving outreach. So he goes into the home of an outcast named Matthew, and that outcast invites other outcasts and soon there is a crowd. And that crowd is eating, and drinking, and having church.
Kena Hawkins Newkirk 