As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:9–13).
Jesus calls a tax collector named Matthew, who by default is hated in Jewish society, to follow him. Matthew does so immediately and invites Jesus to share a meal in his home. Some religious leaders, called Pharisees, don’t confront Jesus, but question his disciples instead, asking why Jesus associates with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus replies to them directly giving them a loaded answer: sick people need a doctor, learn what scripture means, and he came for sinners.
Jesus confronts religiosity head-on, telling these leaders to learn what “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6) truly means. In doing so, he calls out their misguided emphasis on following the letter of the law over the spirit of the law. Then he reveals his purpose to call sinners, because none are righteous and Jesus is.
We can likely identify with all of the people in this passage: tax collectors, sinners, and Pharisees. We don’t know much about Matthew’s background, but we understand what people will do in the name of self-preservation. We can be money-hungry and greedy. We can easily forget that our finances and material possessions aren’t ours, but simply entrusted to us by God. We can be arrogant and entitled, living as though God has no bearing on our lives. Sometimes our sin is blatantly against God. At other times, it’s disguised as religious duty and obligation. Then there are times we believe in our self-righteousness, unaware that we’re caught up in a trap of legalism and judgment toward others.
Thinking of Matthew’s big party makes me smile. It feels like home, warm and inviting. I imagine smiles and tears as people realize that Jesus accepts them as they are. Sure, some religious leaders are flustered, refusing to believe that Jesus could be the long-awaited king, foretold by the prophets. But for others, that first encounter with Jesus is life-changing. They abandon their life of sin and start a new life in his righteousness; not changing their appearance to look more religious, but allowing Jesus to change their hearts. This is the backdrop of the Sermon on the Mount, and it’s all recorded by a former tax collector hated by many, but loved by Jesus, named Matthew.
Sovereign God, thank you for calling people no one expects to bring us into a relationship with you. Help us see ourselves and others as you do. Open our hearts and minds to what you want to reveal to us through the Sermon on the Mount. Challenge our assumptions and increase our desire for more of you. Change our hearts!
