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The life of Jesus · Mark 2

The Call of Levi (Matthew)

Jesus goes out again beside the sea; the crowd comes to him, and he teaches them. As he passes by, he sees Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he says. Levi gets up and follows him. In Levi’s house, Jesus sits down to eat with his disciples and with many tax collectors and sinners, for there are many who follow him. The scribes and Pharisees, seeing him eat with them, ask his disciples, “How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?” Jesus hears it and answers: “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” In the Gospel of Matthew, this man is called Matthew (Matt 9:9).

What happens

  1. Jesus teaches the crowd beside the sea Mark 2:13
  2. He sees Levi, the son of Alphaeus, at the tax booth: “Follow me” Mark 2:14
  3. Jesus sits at the table in Levi’s house with tax collectors and sinners Mark 2:15
  4. The scribes and Pharisees object to seeing him eat with them Mark 2:16
  5. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” Mark 2:17
  6. In the Gospel of Matthew, this man is called Matthew Matthew 9:9

Who is in this story

The lesson

Jesus calls those who know they are sick, not those who think they are righteous. Levi gets up and follows him at his word alone, and at Jesus’ table there is room for sinners who admit their need.

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mark 2:17

Quick quiz on this story

Where is Levi sitting when Jesus calls him?

What comparison does Jesus use to answer the scribes and Pharisees?

What is the name of Levi’s father?

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