After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:27-32 (ESV)
Matthew was the least likely candidate to be a follower of Jesus. He was tolerated by the government authorities, hated by the Jews, and it seems His only friends were those who, like him, collected taxes.
Yet, Jesus saw something in Matthew, and Matthew saw something, perhaps something he was looking for, in Jesus, for his response was immediate.
The crowd, always ready to pass judgment on anyone in any kind of authority, was hateful towards Matthew, and spiteful towards Jesus. There was no way that either one of them would be able to anything “right.”
Crowds often turn into mobs and must never be the final authority about what is right and wrong.
No comments:
Post a Comment