Mark 2:13

On the Seashore Again

During the time of Jesus, Israel was divided into various territories that were governed by the descendants of Herod the Great, but Judea was an Imperial territory governed by a Roman procurator and the taxes were very high there. Wealthy Jews would bid for the position of tax collector and get even more rich by adding a substantial fee above whatever was owed. There were also publicans like Matthew who collected taxes for customs or tolls on imports, exports, and merchants who came to buy or sell in Israel. The religious leaders especially despised the tax collectors and they were considered unclean because of their contact with Romans. Their testimonies were rejected in court and they were not redeemable under the law of Moses. When Jesus made friends with the tax collectors his ministry was immediately under suspect.

The Gospel according to Mark The Scandal of Grace (2:13–17)

The Mishnah and Talmud (although written later) register scathing judgments of tax collectors, lumping them together with thieves and murderers. A Jew who collected taxes was disqualified as a judge or witness in court, expelled from the synagogue, and a cause of disgrace to his family (b. Sanh. 25b). The touch of a tax collector rendered a house unclean (m. Teh. 7:6; m. Hag. 3:6). Jews were forbidden to receive money and even alms from tax collectors since revenue from taxes was deemed robbery.

The Mishna even Jews were even allowed to lie to tax collectors.

There was a need to collect taxes in Capernaum because it was a city with not only a booming fishing industry but more relevant to the collecting of taxes it was a city with inportant trade routes. It set on the road from the Mediterranean to Damascus. It also collected trade from the Roman province of the Decopolis on the other side of the sea of Galilee. Also Harod Philip’s tetrarchy to the east.

Levi is also known as Matthew. It was quite common for Jews to have 2 or even 3 names back then.

He was probably from the tribe of Levi. Which made his occupation even more heinous. He should have been serving the Lord not in collusion with Rome. Remember what the God told Moses who was also a Levite. The Lord was to be the Levites inheritance. Matthew was ripping off his fellow Jewish brothers for his own profit.

The Pharisees considered everyone who was not like them to be sinners. The word “sinner” had become an idiom with a couple of meanings. The 1st was just the regular people of the land who did not follow the stricter sectarian regulations of the Pharisees (kind of like in Utah there are Mormons and there are jack Mormons.) The second was criminals and the disreputable types of society. The Pharisees considered everyone who was not like them to be sinners. But then there were the really bad sinners and that is the type the fell like Jesus is eating with here.

There were 3 types of people that the Pharisees or practicing Jewish people did not associate with. 1 the unclean, 2. people associated with demonic activity. 3. Gentiles or people of associated with Gentiles. We are not very far into Marks gospel and yet Jesus has already associated with all three of these kind of people. He is really stretching the minds of the Pharisees.

The Gospel according to Mark The Scandal of Grace (2:13–17)

It may be that contact with Levi was actually more offensive than contact with a leper since a leper’s condition was not chosen whereas a tax collector’s was.

So now they ask him about fasting. Like well Jesus if you are always with these kinds of people why don’t you make your disciples fast?

The only biblically prescribed fast was on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16) although other fasts grew up late in the Old Testament period (Zech 7:5; 8:19). The Pharisees fasted every Monday and Thursday as seen in Luke 18:12.

Jesus’ calling was to sinners. For Jesus to refuse to associate with sinners would have been as foolish as a doctor not to associate with the sick. Or a school teacher not to associate with children, or a banker not to associate with people of means, or a congresswoman not to associate with people of her district.

The world loves to label people by their past. Someone might say… you should have seen them in high school or college or 10 years ago.

The worst kind of sick is when you are sick but you think you are healthy.

Not only did Matthew follow Jesus (verse 14) but the people in his circle did too (verse 15).

the contrast here is that the ones who are apparently sick are the ones who are following Jesus and the ones who are healthy are not.

The Gospel according to Mark The Scandal of Grace (2:13–17)

Jesus’ association with such people is not coincidental. He does not happen to be with them or wait for invitations. He initiates the fellowship,

In every story from Mark 2:1 to Mark 3:6, Jesus faces criticism.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 2:21–22

Salvation, available through Jesus, was not to be mixed with the old Judaistic system (cf. John 1:17).

In any attempt to combine them the new will destroy the old. I.e the old wineskins burst bc of the new wine.

Party like the Messiah

You party like Jesus when you call sinners.

To call sinners you have to spent time with them and even befriend them.

When we associate with sinners we take Jesus where He wants to be and where he wants us to be!

Jesus has a heart to call sinners do you have a heart to call sinners to Jesus?

Jesus desires to call the undesirable.

To be the body of Christ we must also desire to call the undesirable.

Jesus brings a new way of Salvation which works even for tax collectors and sinners.

it is a salvation intended for people who know they need it and it does not work for people who think they don’t need it.

Jesus’ salvation and ministry are a new thing and He came to make women and men new by this new salvation.

John Newton: Although my memory is fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.

Matthew was great sinner but he was called by a great Savior. John Newton was a great sinner but he was called by a great savior.

Ben Hardee is a great sinner but he is called by a great savior.

You are a sinner but you have been called by a great Savior. A Savior who desires to call the undesirable.