Week 15: Luke 5:27-32

Does money bring Happiness?

How do you feel about Taxes?

Taxes are one of those things that we hate. Yet, if we are honest there are a lot of things about taxes that are positive. Taxes help with roads, education, medical, and so many other things. The truth is that we don’t like taxes but we also see the need for taxes. I think the real problem is that we don’t trust that our taxes are going to the right things or being used the right way.

This is not a new concept it was that way back in Biblical times they faced a similar point of view and frustrations around taxes. Taxes back than we complicated just like today. One of the systems that was in place back then is the Roman government would decide how much a region or area was assessed in taxes. Then they would sell that district off to the highest bidder for a price and then the winner would collect the taxes and any extra they could squeeze out of an area and make their money back and extra. This system was full of corruption. This led to it being abolished before Jesus time. However, it was the beginning of why tax collectors were so distrusted in the region of Palestine.

At the time of Jesus there were two types of taxes. Stated taxes and Duties taxes.

Stated Taxes are things like Poll tax—Or the tax of living and breathing. All men between 14-65 and Women between 12-65 had to pay this tax.

Ground tax— 1/10 of all grain grown and 1/5 of all wine & oil. This could be paid in kind or converted to monetary value.

Income tax—1% of a persons income

All of these taxes were a lot harder to establish for extortion by tax collectors because they were set and consistent.

Duty taxes had a lot more corruption

Road taxes, harbor, and markets

Tax on your cart-based on how many wheels it had also if it had an animal pulling it

Taxes on certain goods

Import and export taxes.

The problem here lies that the taxes can start mounting and you can get nickled and dimed to death on the various taxes. The real problem would come when someone not be able to pay their taxes they would have to borrow money from a tax collector and then they would be charge high interest rates.

Given all this information now think about the fact that there were Jewish men who collected taxes for the Roman government. The Jewish people already struggled with the idea of being under the rule of the Roman government and then you add in people who were both serving them and possibly hurting their neighbor can you appreciate why they were not like and view by people as the same level as robbers, and murderers.

Read Luke 5:27-32

Luke 5:27–32 NIV

27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Why would Jesus Choose Levi (Matthew)?

Why do you think Levi decided to have a Banquet?

It is interesting that the first thought of Levi was to share with his friends the man that he found. He wanted others to know about Jesus and the impact that he had on his life. The impact had to be great because as it comes to money Matthew certainly should have been doing well. He may not have been liked socially but he most likely not without when he encountered Jesus. He was excited though he wanted to share. Of course who did he share it with. The only people who would want to interact with him. Fellow tax collectors and sinners.

When a new person comes to Christ it is natural for them to want to share with those around them. Levi benefited from the fact that He had Jesus there.

As Christians are we only to hang out with Like minded people?

Tiffany and Roy hanging out.

How often do you go to the doctor when you are healthy?

Who are the Righteous?

The ironic part of this question is that the Pharisees view themselves as the righteous. They are the ones who are where they are supposed to be. They want all the attention from Jesus because why shouldn’t they? They are the ones who are doing the “right” thing.

Do you think what Jesus did was a radical idea?