Luke 5:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord imparts His wisdom, and henceforth, Levi follows Him with gladness, exclaiming, “Now I do not carry the mark of a tax collector; I have shed Levi's identity. I have discarded Levi and put on Christ (cf. Galatians 3:27). I renounce my former profession, I abandon my past life, and I pursue You alone, Lord Jesus, the Healer of my afflictions. What can separate me from the love of God, which is found in You? Tribulation, distress, persecution, or hunger? (Rom. 8:35). I am firmly anchored in faith, secured by the bonds of love. Every commandment of Your will is upon me, acting as a healing cauterization. Although the cauterization can be painful, it purges the decay of the flesh, preventing it from spreading to the living. The remedy is indeed arduous, yet it eliminates the contagion. But, O Lord Jesus, sever the decay of my sins with Your mighty sword. While I am bound by the ropes of love, remove everything that is flawed. Come swiftly and cut away the hidden and varied passions, and expose the wound to prevent any noxious moisture from spreading. Purify with unprecedented cleansing all defilement. Listen, O earthly beings, who embolden their thoughts with sin! I, Levi, suffered from such a thought, yet I have found the Physician who dwells in heaven (cf. Ps. 112:5; Mt. 6:9; Lk. 11:2) and who cultivates healing on earth. He alone can mend my wounds, for He bears no wounds of His own. He alone can alleviate the anguish of the heart and still the fear of the soul, for He perceives the hidden matters.

It is indeed fitting to join the prophet in awe and say: Lord, what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You visit him? (Psalm 143:3). Listen, you sinners, and comprehend! The Almighty and unfathomable God has drawn near to us so that all tax collectors and sinners may come to Him. The sinners recognized their Savior, the weak acknowledged their Healer, the lost sheep responded to their Shepherd, those in darkness recognized their Light, the perishing perceived their Life, and the destitute felt their Joy, thus they approached Him. They were drawn to Him by His divine power, the humanity radiated from His blessed countenance, and the heavenly truth spoken by Him. All they saw in Jesus was His humility, gentleness, patience, mercy, and compassion. Sinners, why do we hesitate, why do we linger, why do we not come to Jesus? Why do we remain in darkness? Why do we not come close to the light? Why do we stay unhealed and neglect to seek healing from the heavenly Healer? Come, let us draw near to Him with confidence and faith, and we will not be put to shame (Psalm 33:6). 2) It is evident that the statement is true and deserving of all belief that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15), the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus Christ’s mission was to rescue sinners, and He became accessible to them. Yet sinners must heed His call: Repent, and for He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matt. 4:17; 9:13). Sinners are called to genuinely repent and transform their lives, after which Christ will save them. 3) Therefore, there is solace for sinners who genuinely repent. If He came to save sinners, He came for you, as you are among them. If He sought the lost, He will also seek you, for you belong to the lost. 4) True holiness does not reject sinners. The holy one despises sin, not the sinner; he abhors wrongdoing, not those who commit it. The scribes and Pharisees, who prided themselves on their false holiness, scorned sinners, which is why they questioned the apostles: Why does your Master eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? (Matthew 9:11). In contrast, Christ, the holiest of all and the source of holiness, turned away from no sinner. His devoted servants reflect this same attitude, detesting sin but showing compassion and empathy toward sinners. Let the arrogance of Pharisaical pride take notice—those who scorn sinners are merely reflecting their own sin! 5) From this, shepherds can learn how to engage with sinners and guide them to repentance without participating in their sins. The shepherd’s role is to seek the lost sheep, as good healers often gather where the sick are found. It is not the healthy who require a physician, but the sick (Matthew 9:12). 6) Thus, lords, nobles, rulers, and all esteemed individuals in this world, as well as all Christians, should refrain from despising or belittling anyone, regardless of their station. Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, neither condemned nor rejected anyone. Therefore, no matter how exalted one may seem in this life, they should not look down on others. All humanity shares a common nature, and even the noblest among us has the same soul and body as the least among us. Often, it may be that the humble stranger stands nearer to God than the noble, and a servant or a peasant may hold greater favor with God than their masters, princes, or lords. The worth and virtue of an individual are not assessed by their wealth or title, but by the integrity of their soul and the dignity of their character. God judges the inner person, not external appearances. One devout and God-fearing individual is more esteemed by God than countless wicked people, even if the latter are honored as deities in this world. All Christians should look to Christ their Lord, the living embodiment of humility and grace, and strive to mirror His ways, showing no contempt to anyone. 7) The despotic pride of lords, nobles, and powerful people who regard their servants and peasants as inferior or less than their animals is thus unmasked. For pride is truly a folly for those of earthly stature (Sir. 10:9). How can one sinner scorn another? How can the poor disdain the poor? All individuals are equal, though not all experience the same fortune in this life. Princes, nobles, lords, and those of note! Reflect on the graves of your ancestors, and you will acknowledge that all men, noble and humble alike, are the same in death. It is indicative of a noble spirit to offer sympathy and compassion to the poor and the sinful rather than to reject or despise them.

By selecting Matthew as one of His closest associates, the Lord intended to illustrate that He came to summon sinners to repentance. Just as within the so-called sinners there exist those who are no worse than the self-righteous who go unconfessed, so too among the allegedly righteous, there are many who are true sinners in every sense. Matthew demonstrated his worthiness for the divine call by promptly responding to the Lord's invitation, yet he sought to express his gratitude for this grace. He boldly invited the Lord and His other disciples to share a meal with him, extending the invitation to many of his fellow tax collectors. Recognizing Matthew's genuine affection and understanding that his action could inspire others in his profession, the Lord accepted the invitation. He aimed for the Pharisees to comprehend His purpose. However, their understanding fell short.