Text: Matt. 9:9-13
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9 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.
You are known by the company you keep!
That is an old saying that points out the fact that who you associate with can impact how others think about you.
Matthew, a Tax Collector was working his trade. He was sitting at his tax booth and collecting from his fellow Jews – doing as it were - the dirty deeds of the Romans.
He doesn’t even make mention of his Jewish name, Levi, that we know from Luke’s Gospel.
Jesus passes on and says to him, “Follow me.” And Matthew rises and follows him.
You are known by the company you keep!
The money Matthew collected went to Rome, there was no benefit given to the people for paying the Tax. We might call it extortion in our day,
“Pay it if you know what’s good for you!”
Matthew got to keep a portion for himself and his family. That made him all the more despised among the Jews.
The people couldn’t do anything about it except to shun and ostracize those who were the tools used to oppress them.
Follow me Jesus says? Matthew does.
Some thoughts about Tax Collectors:
The Babylonian Talmud placed tax collectors alongside “murderers and robbers”
Baba Qama 113a; Nedarim 3.4
The rabbis taught that tax collectors were disqualified witnesses in court, societal outcasts, and utter disgraces to their own family.
see Sanhedrin, 25b
The rabbis excommunicated tax collectors from the synagogue.
Nedarim 3.4
Tax collectors weren’t allowed to exchange their money at the Temple treasury.
Baba Qamma 10.1
The rabbis even considered it lawful to lie in almost any conceivable way to avoid paying tax collectors.
Nedarim 27, 28a
https://www.evidenceunseen.com/theology/historical-theology/tax-collectors/
You are known by the company you keep!
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
Jesus and Matthew are known together.
Being known together is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, those who are well known and well liked can shine that light on others - but also - those of less than stellar reputations can impact others with negative thoughts and associations.
Years ago, when I was associated with my band, long hair and playing in a bar, a friend brought a young priest to see us play. As we talked after a set he said, “I wonder what my church members would think about me being in here listening to a rock band?”
In 1978, do you think it would have been looked upon as good or bad?
How about 2023?
How about your own pastor?
How about you?
You are known by the company you keep!
Later in Matthew’s gospel Jesus would be rejected in Nazareth, his own home town.
55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” Matt 13:55-56
Jesus was known by his home town, his family, and what he was doing in his public ministry.
Matthew is known with those whom he is associated – Tax Collectors and Sinners - those not of the approved class. Jesus now is associated with him and them.
Others were not so pleased.
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Asking in a sense,
“Is this Jesus, also a Tax Collector and Sinner as they are? Eating, reclining, and being in fellowship, together with them?”
Guilt by association was known then as it is now, and in the early church much continued to be made of it. Even the church Father Origen, had to refute the writing of the Jewish skeptic Celsus in the 3rd century who wrote:
“Jesus having gathered around him ten or eleven persons of notorious character, the very wickedest of tax-gatherers and sailors, fled in company with them from place to place, and obtained his living in a shameful and importunate manner.”
Whether today, in the third century, or in Jesus’ day, what Jesus did had impact.
Sinners abounded than as they do now. Who you associate with had impact then as it does now.
Being associated with Jesus will do two things:
It will connect you to the love of God found only in the God/man himself, Jesus Christ.
It will put you opposition to those opposed to Christ. Making you, their enemy.
Matthew was an enemy of the Pharisees and Jesus is, by association is as well.
So, listen:
12 But when [Jesus] heard it, 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, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus quotes, Hosea 6:6 desiring mercy to those who were anything but merciful. And Luke expands on the parable of the Lost Sheep:
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7
For you and me as sinners, this is very good news, great news indeed. That Jesus the Christ came for you, reclines at your table, and is identified with you, a child of God rescued and restored by Jesus through his work, reclining at table with you and bringing the mercy and peace of God to you and to all who are sinners in need of a savior.
Christ has call you to follow him, he has entered into to your life and he reclines at your table by faith, through the work of the Holy Spirit and you Dear friends, are identified with him as his follower and a member of his household of faith to the glory of the Father!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
You are known by the company you keep!
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
Jesus and Matthew are known together.
Being known together is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, those who are well known and well liked can shine that light on others - but also - those of less than stellar reputations can impact others with negative thoughts and associations.
Years ago, when I was associated with my band, long hair and playing in a bar, a friend brought a young priest to see us play. As we talked after a set he said, “I wonder what my church members would think about me being in here listening to a rock band?”
In 1978, do you think it would have been looked upon as good or bad?
How about 2023?
How about your own pastor?
How about you?
You are known by the company you keep!
Later in Matthew’s gospel Jesus would be rejected in Nazareth, his own home town.
55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” Matt 13:55-56
Jesus was known by his home town, his family, and what he was doing in his public ministry.
Matthew is known with those whom he is associated – Tax Collectors and Sinners - those not of the approved class. Jesus now is associated with him and them.
Others were not so pleased.
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Asking in a sense,
“Is this Jesus, also a Tax Collector and Sinner as they are? Eating, reclining, and being in fellowship, together with them?”
Guilt by association was known then as it is now, and in the early church much continued to be made of it. Even the church Father Origen, had to refute the writing of the Jewish skeptic Celsus in the 3rd century who wrote:
“Jesus having gathered around him ten or eleven persons of notorious character, the very wickedest of tax-gatherers and sailors, fled in company with them from place to place, and obtained his living in a shameful and importunate manner.”
Whether today, in the third century, or in Jesus’ day, what Jesus did had impact.
Sinners abounded than as they do now. Who you associate with had impact then as it does now.
Being associated with Jesus will do two things:
It will connect you to the love of God found only in the God/man himself, Jesus Christ.
It will put you opposition to those opposed to Christ. Making you, their enemy.
Matthew was an enemy of the Pharisees and Jesus is, by association is as well.
So, listen:
12 But when [Jesus] heard it, 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, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus quotes, Hosea 6:6 desiring mercy to those who were anything but merciful. And Luke expands on the parable of the Lost Sheep:
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7
For you and me as sinners, this is very good news, great news indeed. That Jesus the Christ came for you, reclines at your table, and is identified with you, a child of God rescued and restored by Jesus through his work, reclining at table with you and bringing the mercy and peace of God to you and to all who are sinners in need of a savior.
Christ has call you to follow him, he has entered into to your life and he reclines at your table by faith, through the work of the Holy Spirit and you Dear friends, are identified with him as his follower and a member of his household of faith to the glory of the Father!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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