Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Matthew 9:10-13 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came
and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and '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.'
FOLLOW ME . . . WITH THEM
The Roman Empire taxed everything -- houses, durable goods, firewood, crops and consumables. (They invented pay toilets!) So Matthew's tax-booth may well have been near the wharf where Peter and the other commercial fishermen tied up after a long night on Galilee.
How it must have ground Peter to pay Matthew tax on a catch of fish! It was bad enough that a fellow Jew should do the bidding of the Roman occupation but that he got rich at his countrymen's expense made it even worse. It must have galled Peter even further that he worked long and hard -- hauling on oars and sail and nets -- only to have to hand over part of his hard-won living to a fellow sitting on a cushion counting cash for
which others had toiled.
Do you think Peter later resented having to work hand-in-hand with Matthew after Jesus called the tax collector to discipleship? Do you think Peter said, "Jesus can call whomever He wishes, but why should I have to work with him?"
I don't think so.
After all, Peter was there at Matthew's house when Jesus responded to the Pharisees' loveless conceit. And remember, moments before Jesus called Peter, the fisherman had told Christ, "Depart fom me, O Lord, for I am a sunful man!"
It's hard to be arrogant when one's own sins have been exposed . . . and forgiven.
Peter and Matthew both knew from experience: Jesus calls all kinds of sinners to repentance.
