Why is it significant that Jesus called a tax collector to follow Him? Setting the Scene “ As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. ‘Follow Me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9) Who Tax Collectors Were—and Why They Were Despised • Agents of Rome: Jews collecting revenue for the occupying empire • Viewed as traitors: seen as helping oppress their own people • Known for extortion: charged more than required and pocketed the excess (Luke 3:12-13) • Ceremonially unclean: constant contact with Gentiles placed them outside synagogue fellowship The Shock of Jesus’ Invitation • Religious leaders avoided tax collectors; Jesus approached one deliberately • Instead of adding another respected follower, He chose society’s outcast • The call came without pre-conditions—Matthew obeyed immediately, demonstrating Christ’s authority (compare John 15:16) Grace on Display: Key Themes Highlighted by the Call 1. God’s Reach to the Least Likely – Luke 5:31-32 records Jesus stating, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 2. Forgiveness of Real, Public Sin – By welcoming a well-known sinner, Jesus illustrates Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” 3. Transformation Leads to Testimony – Matthew hosted a banquet for Jesus, inviting fellow tax collectors (Luke 5:29); the redeemed immediately reach others. 4. Mercy over Sacrifice – The ensuing dialogue (Matthew 9:12-13) underscores Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” 5. Foreshadowing the Global Mission – If grace reaches a tax collector, it will extend to Gentiles, preparing the way for the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). Parallel Callings Underscoring the Pattern • Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10): “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” • Paul (1 Timothy 1:15-16): God turns persecutors and the “worst of sinners” into witnesses. • The sinful woman (Luke 7:36-50): Those forgiven much love much. Practical Takeaways for Today • No one stands outside Christ’s invitation—His grace is greater than any reputation or past. • Discipleship begins with obedience, not résumé; Matthew “got up and followed.” • Jesus builds His church with transformed sinners, displaying God’s power rather than human merit (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). • Our witness grows when we open our homes, as Matthew did, introducing friends to the Savior. |
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