Mk. 2:13 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitudes came to Him; and He taught them.
Mt. 9:9a Then as Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Mk. 2:14a And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow Me.”
Lk. 5:27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.”
There are two types of publicans: tax collectors and custom officials. Matthew was a custom official, considered to be the worse of the two types. Publicanism was a trade forbidden to the Jews by the Pharisees. Jews bought their way into the office. Romans did not collect taxes from Roman citizens, but from the subjugated people. But, the subjugate people, as individuals, could buy this office. Usually it went to the highest bidder. The reason that fellow Jews were willing to become publicans was that because they were permitted to extort and become wealthy by it. They would never suffer legal penalties under Roman law for extortion.
The rabbis issued many laws against the publicans causing them to be ostracized from the community and treated as outcasts. The Talmud says, “It is permitted to smuggle wares past a publican .....” This was considered as smuggling past a thief and thus saving it. Also it says, “One may not accept charity from the money of a publican....” One could only accept it from them in the home, but not while the publican was in his official capacity (whatever difference that made). The Jerusalem Talmud says, “The publicans are contrasted with the Hassidim (Pious Ones) and they are pictured as gross sinners.” Because tradition had come to teach that the publicans were almost beyond help, we see why Yeshua used this group so often as illustrations of God’s grace.
Sources: BT:Baba Kamma 103a; 10:1; BJ:Chagigah
Mt. 9:9b And he arose and followed him.
Mk. 2:14b And he arose and followed Him.
Lk. 5:28 And he left all, and followed him.
Mt. 9:10 And so it was, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
Mk. 2:15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners sat together with Yeshua and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.
Lk. 5:29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.
Because this marks the day of Matthew’s conversion, he throws a party for his friends. But, being a publican, he has only two types of friends: other publican ans sinners (a euphemism for prostitutes). The exception today is Yeshua and His disciples.
Mt. 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Mk. 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”
Lk. 5:30 But the scribes and Pharisees murmured against His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Notice that the first phase of the investigation is coming to an end. The Pharisees are right there observing every move that Yeshua makes. Since they are now beginning to ask questions, this signals the beginning of the second stage, the stage of investigation.
Mt. 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”
Mk. 2:17a When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”
Lk. 5:31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick.”
Mt. 9:13 “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteo us, but sinners to repentance,”
Mk. 2:17b “I did not come to call the righteous , but sinners, to repentance.”
Lk. 5:32 “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
At Yavneh, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and the academy kept Judaism alive following the destruction of the Temple. Zakkai constantly reminded the people that instead of sacrifice, God wanted mercy instead. This was a very important truth for them since the Temple was destroyed and no longer available for them to make sacrifices. Yeshua began bringing back this concept even while the Temple was still standing. In the Mishnah we find: “Simon the Just was one of the last survivors of the Great Assembly. He used to say, upon three things is the world based: upon the Law, upon divine service, and upon the practice of charity.”
Source: Hosea 6:6; M:Avoth 1:2
