And he went forth again to the sea side: and all the multitude came to him. And he taught them.
και εξηλθεν παλιν παρα την θαλασσαν και πας ο οχλος ηρχετο προς αυτον και εδιδασκεν αυτους
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Following the miracle of healing the leper, the Lord journeyed to the shore, likely in search of quietude, yet the crowds rushed to Him once more. Understand that when you shun fame, it will pursue you; but if you pursue it, it will elude you. The Lord had hardly arrived at the seaside when the people began to follow Him again.
Shortly after the previously mentioned event, the Lord again walked by the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where He called upon a new fisherman, this time Matthew, the tax collector. To grasp the significance of this choice, one must understand how publicans were viewed by devout Pharisees. Tax collectors, gathering funds from the people of Judea for the pagan emperor, often employed harsh tactics, engaging in injustices against the impoverished to fulfill their greed. Consequently, they were regarded with disdain by the religious community in Judea, despite the fact that not all publicans were morally corrupt.
The term "tax collector" bore the same connotation as "sinner." By choosing Matthew as one of His closest companions, the Lord intended to illustrate that He had come to call sinners to repentance; within the so-called sinners, there exist individuals no worse than those who consider themselves righteous and unrepentant. Likewise, among those deemed righteous, there are many who fall short of true righteousness.
Matthew promptly demonstrated his worthiness of divine calling by choosing to follow the Lord without hesitation, yet he felt compelled to do more. Grateful for the Lord's favor, he confidently invited Him and the other disciples to share a meal, which he arranged with many of his fellow tax collectors. The Lord, recognizing Matthew's genuine affection and understanding that his actions could inspire other tax collectors, accepted the invitation. He desired for the Pharisees to comprehend His actions, but they failed to perceive them in the intended manner.
After the healing of the afflicted individual, Jesus went to the shoreline. The crowd that had gathered around Him in the house followed Him, and He began to teach them. As He walked along the beach, Jesus encountered a man named Levi, also known as Matthew, who was seated at the tax booth. The Lord recognized in this tax collector a future devoted follower and summoned him to join Him.
Recognizing the obstinacy of the Pharisees and their adherents, Jesus departed the courtyard where He had just performed a remarkable miracle. He quickly encountered a man regarded as exceedingly sinful and reviled by the Jewish community due to his profession; he was a tax collector named Levi. In front of Levi's companions, likely including the Pharisees who followed Him from the courtyard, Jesus called out, "Follow me." This tax collector, engrossed in his duties of tax collection, had likely only heard about the miracles of Jesus and had not personally witnessed them. Nonetheless, compelled by this summons, he left everything behind and followed Jesus.
In contrast, the Pharisees and scribes, who had listened to John's testimony and observed the miracles of Christ, chose not to become His disciples. This illustrates that those sinners who acknowledge their wrongdoing and genuinely desire repentance are often closer to the Kingdom of Heaven than those who boast of their self-perceived righteousness. The Evangelist Matthew refers to the tax collector who responded to Jesus’ call as Matthew (Matthew 9:9), while the Evangelist Mark, as noted by Luke, calls him Levi and mentions that he was the son of Alphaeus. However, there is no conflict here, as all three Evangelists are referencing the same individual. The uniformity in their accounts confirms this, with each detailing the same event. They all agree that the calling of the tax collector followed the miraculous healing of the paralytic. Since there is no basis to suggest that Jesus summoned two tax collectors after healing the paralytic, it is reasonable to conclude that the same tax collector is being referred to, albeit by different names. The distinction arises from the Jewish tradition of individuals having multiple names. Luke and Mark refer to the tax collector as Levi, likely a name commonly used by those who interacted with him in his role. Conversely, Matthew identifies himself as Matthew, a name likely used by those close to him, distinct from his publican identity. Additionally, the names Matthew and Levi are both used by Mark and Luke when listing the twelve Apostles chosen later. Furthermore, all three Evangelists recount in a consistent manner the subsequent invitation extended by Jesus and His disciples to the tax collector's home (cf. Matthew 9:8-17; Mark 2:12-22; Luke 5:26-39).
Numerous other towns and villages in the vicinity required guidance and support, and Christ sought to expand His ministry to these areas. He instructed His disciples, "Come into the neighboring villages and cities, that I may proclaim the kingdom of God there as well; for this purpose I have been sent."
"Came out" from Capernaum (Mark 2:1) - To the sea, referring to the Sea of Gennesaret, also known as Lake Tiberias, along whose shoreline Capernaum was situated.
Jesus Christ departed from Capernaum and made His way to the banks of Lake Gennesaret, surrounded by a multitude of individuals who continuously followed Him.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS