Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew Mark and Luke John Calvin
Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32
MATTHEW 9:9-13; MARK 2:13-17; LUKE 5:27-32
Matthew 9:9-13
Mark 2:13-17
Luke 5:27-32
9. And Jesus, passing on, saw a man sitting at the custom-house, named Matthew, and saith to him, Follow me. And he arose and followed 513 him. 10. And it happened that he was reclining in that man's house, and, lo, many publicans and sinners who had come, reclined together with Jesus and his disciples. 11. And the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to his disciples, Why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners? 12. But Jesus, when he had heard it, said to them, Not they who are in health have need of a physician, but they who are diseased. 13. But rather go, and learn what that means, I wish mercyh, and not sacrifice: for I came not to call righteous persons, but sinners, to repentance.
13. And he departed again towards the sea, and the whole multitude came to him, and he taught them. 14. And while Jesus was passing along, he saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting at the custom-house, and said to him, Follow me: and he arose and followed him. 15. And it happened, while he was reclining in that man's house, many publicans and sinners 514 also reclined along with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many who followed him. 16. And the scribes and Pharisees, when they saw him taking food with publicans and sinners, said to his disciples, Why is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17. Jesus, having heard this, saith to them, Not they who are in health have need of a physician, but they who are diseased. I came not to call righteous persons, but sinners to repentance.
27. And after these things he went out, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the custom-house, and said to him, Follow me. 28. And he left all, and followed him. 515 29. And Levi made him a great banquet in his house; and there was a great multitude of publicans and others, who reclined with them. 30. And the scribes and 513"Surgens assequutus est;" — "rising followed." 514"Gens de mauvaise vie;" — "people of bad life." 515There is nothing here answering to {ἀναστὰς}, rising up But the omission must have been accidental: for the French version runs thus: "lequel se levant, abandonna tout, et suivit;" — "who, rising up, forsook all, and followed." — Ed.
JOHN CALVIN
Pharisees 516 murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31. And Jesus answering said to them, Not they who are in health need a physician, but they who are diseased. 32. I came not to call righteous persons, but sinners, to repentance.
Matthew 9:9. Jesus saw a man sitting at the customhouse. The custom-house has usually been a place noted for plundering and for unjust exactions, and was at that time particularly infamous. In the choice of Matthew out of that place, not only to be admitted into the family of Christ, but even to be called to the office of Apostle, we have a striking instance of the grace of God. It was the intention of Christ to choose simple and ignorant persons to that rank, in order to cast down the wisdom of the world, (1 Corinthians 2:6.) But this publican, who followed an occupation little esteemed and involved in many abuses, was selected for additional reasons, that he might be an example of Christ's undeserved goodness, and might show in his person that the calling of all of us depends, not on the merits of our own righteousness, but on his pure kindness. Matthew, therefore, was not only a witness and preacher, but was also a proof and illustration of the grace exhibited in Christ. he gives evidence of his gratitude in not being ashamed to hand down for perpetual remembrance the record of what he formerly was, and whence he was taken, that he might more fully illustrate in his person the grace of Christ. In the same manner Paul says: This is a faithful saying, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, (1 Timothy 1:15.)
As to Mark and Luke calling him Levi, it appears that this was his ordinary name:517 but that his being a publican was the reason why he took a foreign name.
Follow me There is no reason to doubt that Christ explained in many words why he was called, and on what conditions. This is more fully ascertained from Luke, who says, that he left all, rose up, and followed Christ: for it would not have been necessary for him to leave all, if he had not been a private disciple of Christ, and called in expectation of the Apostleship. In the great readiness and eagerness of Matthew to obey, we see the Divine power of the word of Christ. Not that all in whose ears he utters his voice are equally affected in their hearts: but in this man
Christ intended to give a remarkable example, that we might know that his calling was not from man.518
Luke 5:29. And Levi made him a great banquet This appears to be at variance with what Luke relates, that he left all: but the solution is easy. Matthew disregarded every hinderance, and gave up himself entirely to Christ, but yet did not abandon the charge of his own domestic affairs. When Paul, referring to the example of soldiers, exhorts the ministers of the word to be free and disentangled from every hinderance, and to devote their labors to the church, he says: No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of life, that he may please the commander, (2 Timothy 2:4.)
516"Et ceux d'entre eux qui estoyent scribes et Pharisiens;" —"and those among them who were scribes and Pharisees."
517"Il est aise a voir que c'estoit son droit nom par lequel les gens du pays l'appeloyent;" — "it is easy to see that it was his right name, by which the people of the country called him."
518"Qu'il n'a pas este appele par un moyen procedant de l'homme;" — "that he was not called by a method proceeding from man."