The Call To All Sinners (Second Sunday After Epiphany January 15, 2023)

THE CALL TO ALL SINNERS

Text: Matthew 9:9- 13

Matthew 9:9 - 13 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. 10  And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12  But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13  Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."  (NRSV).

Imagine you are Matthew, the tax collector. You come from a Jewish background but you work for the enemy----the Roman Government. You have made a good living. But, ….

> Financially, you are doing better than your peers.

> Spiritually, you feel insecure, alienated and alone.

> Worship wise, you have been excommunicated by a local Rabbi.

(Tax Collectors in Jesus’ Day | Evidence Unseen).

> Socially, you are shunned by your peers, and rejected by fellow citizens of where you were born. The town’s people see you no differently than a murderer or a robber.

> Family-wise, you are loved by your family, even though your occupation brings shame to the family name. Matthew had become the family black sheep.

One thing that we know from what we have already heard about Matthew is that he was a wealthy, lonely and more than likely miserable outcast.

If there were such a thing as class reunions, then Matthew’s name would have been edited off the list. If there was a family reunion, his father would probably not want him to show up because of the shame he caused the family. In fact, his father would probably have disowned him.

Let’s look at his background and his journey into becoming a disciple.

BACKGROUND

What were Matthew’s family ties?

Matthew’s father, Alphaeus aka Cleophas (mentioned in John 19:25) was married to Mary who is the half sister of the virgin Mary, according to Herbert Lockyer. (H.Lockyer. All the Men of the Bible. Grand Rapid: Zondervan Books, 1958, p. 85). This would mean that Jesus and Matthew were half-cousins.

How did people view his family name in the community?

1) Scorn: When people saw Matthew’s family members, they were probably critical because of Matthew’s role as a tax collector. Proverbs 22:1  says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (NIV). How many times did Alphaeus have to endure how people would probably say things behind his back because his son was a tax collector? Imagine you are Alphaeus and you walk up on others who are not aware that you are present, hearing their scorn. “Can you believe that Alphaeus’s boy Matthew working for the Romans? He desires riches more than his family name!”

2) Nemesis: Edersheim describes from rabbinic sources the vexatious taxes that were exacted, and the classifications of taxgatherers, of which Matthew, as a customhouse officer, was of the worst kind (Life and Times of Jesus, I, 515-518). Pfeiffer, C. F., & Harrison, E. F. (Eds.). (1962). The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: New Testament (Mt 9:9). Chicago: Moody Press. It was one thing to have to deal with the nemesis of publicans, but to have one who was your son was really bad!

Why was Matthew’s role as a tax collector the biggest of insults to Matthew’s family?

1) Insult: It is a really big insult because Alphaeus was connected to the religious life of the community. To make a long story short, his father’s lineage to the priest hood goes all the way back to Aaron.

2) Religious heritage: It is said Alphaeus is “a (Zaddikite) priest who was related to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist according to the church fathers”. https://bible-history.com/links/alphaeus-1017 In fact, his (Alphaeus’s) lineage goes all the way back to Aaron, according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) (see 2 Chronicles 8:17; 1 Chronicles 24:3; Ezrah 7:1). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zadok

3) Adding insult to injury: There is a common theme in the Bible of sons following in the footsteps of the father. Given that Matthew was the son of a priest, it was expected that he would follow in his father’s footsteps. Therefore, becoming a tax collector brought shame to his family.

4) Bad example: James Vernon McGee tells the story about the danger of leaving a bad legacy. On a snowy morning he went out to the barn as was his habit, but this time he heard someone behind him. He turned around and found that it was his little son following him, stepping in the footsteps in the snow where his father had walked. The father asked, "What are you doing, son?" The boy answered, "I'm following in your footsteps." He sent the boy back into the house, and then he went out to the corn crib and smashed that jug of whiskey. He realized that he didn't want his boy to be following in his footsteps. Someone in your home is following in your footsteps. Where are you leading him?