July 24, 2021

Showing Mercy to the Despised

Words of Ministry

In 5:27-39 we have the case of the calling of a despised tax collector named Levi or Matthew. Verse 27 says, "And after these things He went out and beheld a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, Follow Me." The tax office was a tollhouse, where Matthew collected taxes for the Romans. Matthew was one of the tax collectors (Matt. 10:3), probably in a high position, a man who was condemned, despised, and abhorred by the Jews (Luke 18:11). Yet he was called by the Man-Savior and was later chosen and appointed as one of the twelve apostles. What mercy! The Jewish people despised the tax collectors because they were collecting taxes for the Roman imperialists. They were considered traitors, and the Jews were disgusted with them and despised them to the uttermost. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus came to one of these tax collectors and called him. In the Lord's calling of Matthew we see the high standard of His human virtue. Perhaps the Lord said to Himself when He was about to call Matthew, "Yes, this one is a tax collector. But he is still a human being, and I will not reject him or give up on him. Rather, I shall come to him, contact him, and call him. I call not only the occupied ones, but also the despised ones." The Lord Jesus is not only righteous; He is also merciful. According to James 2:13, "Mercy triumphs over judgment." We need to exercise mercy to those who are despised and in a pitiful condition. The Lord was merciful toward Matthew, and His mercy must have deeply moved Matthew's heart. Otherwise, he would not have prepared a feast for the Lord. Matthew must have been happy and full of rejoicing. It was an excellent opportunity for him to invite a large crowd of tax collectors and sinners to eat with the Lord Jesus. (c) 2007 Living Stream Ministry.