GOSPEL MEDITATION #177
Mark 2:13-17 Jesus Calls Levi
- Find a quiet place without distractions.
- Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace.
- Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
- Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
- Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
- From memory, determine the central points.
- Crowds are hearing Jesus teaching, here by the Sea of Galilee, likely near to Capernaum.
- Levi, otherwise known as Matthew which is likely a nickname and means “gift of Yahweh”.
- “Son of Alphaeus” – his father’s name is Alphaeus –James, another disciple, also had a father named Alphaeus. (see Matthew 10:3) Matthew and James not brothers though, or so it is thought by most scholars.
- Tax booth, at Capernaum, which was one of 3 main tax collecting stations set up by the Romans to tax traders heading to and from Egypt. The others being at Jericho and Caesarea. Levi would be a sub-contractor and would have employees present to act as security.
- “Follow me” – a command and Levi obeyed, instantly.
- Levi threw a big party and his friends and associates
showed up – a bunch of sinners despised by Pharisees.
- The blaming question, “why” is on the lips of the legalists.
After the healing of the paralytic, the religious authorities
would be looking for ammunition to show that Jesus is not
reputable.
- Note that Jesus had no problem with being in, and eating
with, the very lowest of the low.
- Jesus’ response was that He was in fact doing what He
came to do – to call sinners to Himself.
- Jesus only calls sinners to Himself. They alone will seek
forgiveness. Those, clothed in their own righteousness, will
never seek Jesus.
- A sinner – the first spiritual truth we learn.