And leaving all things, he rose up and followed him.
και καταλιπων απαντα αναστας ηκολουθησεν αυτω
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 7 commentaries
Behold the humanity of God as He rescues the souls ensnared by the adversary. The tax collector represents a tool of the enemy, a reflection of darkness. Those who have suffered at the hands of tax collectors understand this reality. The tax collectors exploit the people, amassing wealth while ensuring their own burdens are lessened.
Levi, a tax collector, was a man consumed by greed and lacking restraint, fervently pursuing that which was not rightfully his, as was customary in his profession. However, he was lifted from this life of iniquity and wonderfully redeemed when called by our Savior, Christ. He said to Levi, "Follow me," and Levi abandoned all he had to follow Him (Luke 5:27-28). Can you see the profound truth in what the wise Apostle Paul declares that Christ came to redeem sinners (1 Tim 1:15)? Do you recognize that through His incarnation, the only begotten Word of God reclaimed what belonged to Him, rescuing souls ensnared by the devil?
Levi was truly redeemed, and this event instills in us a joyful expectation, for repentance itself demonstrates its power to deliver. Furthermore, the Almighty, the Sovereign of all creation, will act as our guarantor, as He declares through the prophet, ‘Return unto Me, and ye shall be saved, even from the ends of the earth.’
Then comes the enigmatic summons of the tax collector, whom Christ instructs to follow Him, not merely in physical movement, but in the attitude of his heart. The individual, who had once been consumed by a desire for wealth and had greatly benefited from the precarious labor of sailors, was called by the Word and left behind his own possessions, despite having previously taken from others. Forsaking his contemptible trade, he eagerly rushed to follow the Lord with all his being.
Shortly after the aforementioned event, the Lord returned to the shores of the lake of Gennesaret. This time, He summoned a new follower, Matthew, a tax collector, rather than the fishermen He had previously called. To comprehend the significance of this selection, one must grasp how a strict Pharisee viewed a publican. Tax collectors were often seen as traitors in Judaea, collecting tribute for a foreign emperor and frequently employing harsh methods that exploited the impoverished to amass their wealth. Consequently, they were regarded with scorn and disdain by devout Jews, despite the reality that not all of them engaged in such immoral practices.
The term “publican” conveyed the same sense as “sinner.” By choosing Matthew to be among His closest disciples, the Lord aimed to demonstrate His mission to bring sinners to repentance. He illustrated that those labeled as sinners might not be worse than those who consider themselves righteous and vice versa; it reveals that even among the supposedly righteous, many are true sinners. Matthew’s swift commitment to follow the Lord’s call illustrated his worthiness for divine selection, akin to that of the other disciples. Grateful for the Lord’s mercy, he courageously invited Him and the other disciples to dine with him, extending invitations to many of his fellow tax collectors. The Lord, recognizing Matthew’s affection and understanding that his actions could inspire other tax collectors, accepted the invitation. He intended for the Pharisees to perceive the significance of His response, yet they failed to comprehend it as they ought.
After the healing of the man who had been freed from bondage, Jesus Christ made His way to the shoreline. The crowd that had gathered around Him in the house followed closely, eager to learn from Him. As He walked along the beach, Jesus encountered a man named Levi, also known as Matthew, who was seated at the tax collector's post. The Lord recognized in this tax collector the potential for a devoted disciple and beckoned him to follow Him.
Before proceeding to those towns, He found it fitting to include another member in the circle of His disciples, whose selection occurred under extraordinary circumstances (Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17, Luke 5:27-32). Close to Capernaum was a customs house that facilitated the collection of taxes. This location, at the crossroads leading to Tyre, Damascus, Jerusalem, and Sepphoris, served as a bustling commercial hub, making it a convenient spot for tax collection. Such taxes were deeply resented by the Jewish people, as the obligation to pay them wounded their most cherished sentiments.
They symbolized not only political subjugation but also a stark reminder that God had turned away from His people; the once-bright Messianic hopes that colored their historical narrative had dimmed under the oppressive rule of harsh conquerors. To many pious Jews, the very act of paying these taxes felt akin to betrayal, a breach of the fundamental principles of divine governance that could only be excused under compulsion. Consequently, the tax collectors, tasked with gathering these dues, were widely despised.
It is important to note that, in more remote areas, the tax collectors were not Roman officials but rather local agents, often regarded as the lowest of society, notorious for their corrupt practices. For a Jew, reconciling the righteousness of paying taxes was challenging, and it could only be imagined how grave a sin it seemed to become a dishonest instrument in their collection. While tax collectors were universally loathed, the disdain directed at a Jewish tax collector was particularly intense. However, the One who came to seek and save the lost and who could manifest Christian purity amid pagan depravity had the capacity to transform a Jewish tax collector into an apostle and the first evangelist of a new and living faith.
When selecting the apostles, He was not motivated by superficial criteria but rather discerned the profound depths of the human heart. He turned away a notable scribe (Matthew 8:19) but chose a despised tax collector. This act exemplified divine foresight and perfect compassion, and Matthew vindicated that choice by channeling his skills in writing toward sacred endeavors, ultimately becoming the first biographer of his Savior. It is likely that Matthew had witnessed some of Christ’s conversations and miracles, which stirred his heart. In the eyes of the compassionate One who bore no ill will towards anyone, even this tax collector, while still at his post in the toll house, was poised to respond to His call. Just one word was sufficient: "Follow me." This invitation revealed to Matthew that the Lord cherished him and intended to use him as a chosen vessel in proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Thus, it became enough for the publican to overcome the temptations of greed and renounce his prior vocation. "And he arose and followed Him," transformed by the remarkable power of grace and redemptive love.
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THEOSIS