The calling of Matthew

At that time, tax collectors collected taxes as agents of the Romans and so, they were regarded as traitors by other Jews and were treated the same as sinners. Now, the Levi, son of Alphaeus mentioned in today’s passage, is Matthew, the author of the Gospel of Matthew. He was sitting at the tax office in Capernaum, likely collecting toll tax. Jesus looked at him and said, “Follow Me.” Matthew responded to this call immediately. For him, it was a life-altering decision because once he left that profession, there was no turning back. Matthew was disliked by other Jews, but Jesus saw something good within him. Matthew had an organized knowledge and administrative abilities. For this reason, he was later used as the vessel to write the Gospel of Matthew. You too, have gifts given to you by God. When you believe in Jesus, those gifts are used in the finest way for His purpose.

With the tax collectors and sinners

Matthew hosted a welcome feast for Jesus and invited his friends. However, most of these friends were tax collectors and sinners. Jesus sat at the table with such people. Seeing this, the scribes of the Pharisees felt uncomfortable, because they thought that sharing a meal with sinners would make them unclean. They questioned Jesus’ disciples, saying, “Why is He eating with tax collectors and sinners?” It was at that moment, Jesus uttered these famous words: “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Jesus came to call the weak and the sinners, which are the sick. The issue with the Pharisees lay in their lack of awareness that they too were sick. If they had recognized their condition, they too, would have gladly joined the feast. Many people, like these Pharisees, are blind to their own state. Let us pray that people’s eyes may be opened.