Friend of Sinners
On hearing
this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have
not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matthew 9:12-13
When
Matthew became a tax
collector, his Jewish friends, probably even his family, no longer
wanted
anything to do with him. Tax collectors were considered the worst kind
of
sinners because of their affiliation with the Roman government which
ruled over Israel at that time. The tax collectors charged the amount
required by the Romans plus an amount that they kept for themselves.
Jesus caused a stir when He
called a tax collector named Matthew to be his disciple, especially among the
Pharisees. These religious leaders spent their lives trying to be pure and
avoiding people they deemed impure—almost everyone who was not a Pharisee.
Jesus even socialized with
Matthew, other tax collectors, and “sinners”—people who did not follow the
Jewish Law. The
Pharisees asked why Jesus ate with such people. They would never eat with "sinners."
Eating a meal with someone in that
culture was a sign of intimate friendship. Jesus replied that the purpose of His ministry
was to call sinners; however, He didn't point out that everyone in the room
was a sinner, except Himself.
When
Jesus passed by Matthew's tax booth and said "Follow me," Matthew got
up and followed him. Jesus didn't tell Matthew to clean up his life
first. He called this sinner, and the man
immediately left his job, his old way of life. God had a better job for
Matthew: he would write a biography of the One who befriended tax
collectors and other sinners.
Are you a friend of sinners or do you expect people
to clean up their lives first? Aren't you glad that Jesus calls sinners like us to
follow Him?
DIG DEEPER:
- Read Matthew
17:24-27. Why do you think Matthew included this incident?
Had they been paying taxes as Peter said? Why didn't Jesus just hand him the
money? Read about the “sanctuary shekel” (NIV) paid when the Israelites entered
the land in Exodus 30:13 and 38:26.
- Matthew is sometimes
called Levi (Mark 2:14-17 and Luke 5:27-32). Levi in Hebrew means “joined”;
Matthew means “gift of Yahweh.” We aren't told if Jesus changed Levi’s name. Do
you know what your name means? If Jesus changed your name, what would do you
think He would call you?
- Read Matthew 25:31-45.
What are some things you or your church could do to show mercy and friendship
to sinners?
Nancy J. Baker
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