Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 2:15
And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
15. sat at meat ] It is St Luke who tells us that St Matthew made, “great feast” in honour of his new Master (Luk 5:29), and to it, perhaps by way of farewell, he invited many of his old associates. This shews that he had made large sacrifices in order to follow Christ; see Neander’s Life of Christ, p. 230.
publicans and sinners ] The “publicans” properly so called were persons who farmed the Roman taxes and in later times were usually Roman knights and men of wealth and position. Those here alluded to were the inferior officers, natives of the province where the taxes were collected, called properly portitores. So notorious were they for rapacity and dishonesty that Suetonius ( Vit. Vesp. i.) tells us how several cities erected statues to Sabinus, “the honest publican;” and Theocritus in answer to the question, which were the worst kind of wild beasts, said, “On the mountains bears and lions; in cities, publicans and pettifoggers.” The Jews included them in the same category with harlots and sinners; see Mat 21:31-32; Mat 18:17. Observe that in his Gospel St Matthew alone styles himself in the list of the Apostles “the publican.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Sat at meat in the house – The words at meat are not in the original. The phrase means as he reclined at his meal, or as he was eating. This feast was made by Matthew in honor of the Saviour. See Luk 5:29.
Publicans – See the notes at Mat 5:47.
Sinners – Sinners of abandoned character – of the same character that publicans commonly sustained – fit companions of publicans – great sinners.
There were many – That is, many disciples. Their following him, leaving their homes, and going with him from place to place, was proof of their attachment to him. There is no doubt that our Saviour, in the early part of his ministry, was extremely popular. Multitudes of the common people attended him, and gave conclusive evidence that they were his real disciples, and it was only after much opposition from the rich and the great that he ever became unpopular among the people. Perhaps no preacher has ever attracted so universal attention, and produced so decisive effects upon mankind, as did our Lord in his personal ministry.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at meat in his house,…. In the house of Levi; not in the custom house, or toll booth, for that he left; but in his house in the city of Capernaum, where he had him, and made an entertainment for him, in token of gratitude, for the high favour bestowed on him:
many publicans and sinners sat also together, with Jesus, and his disciples; being invited by Levi, and not objected to by Christ;
[See comments on Mt 9:10].
for there were many, and they followed him; either Christ whom they had observed to have called Matthew, and had heard preach by the sea side; or else Matthew; and so the Persic version renders it, “for many followed Matthew”. The Ethiopic version reads the words, “and they were many”, that is, publicans and sinners, “and the Scribes and Pharisees followed him”; mentioned in the next verse, from whence it seems to be taken; though true it is, that not only a large number of publicans and sinners followed Christ, but also many of the Scribes and Pharisees; yet with a different view from the former, not to get any advantage to themselves, but, if they could, an advantage against Christ.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
His house. Levi ‘s. See Luk 5:29.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house,” (kai ginetai katakeisthai auton en te oikia autou) “And it occurred that as He (Jesus) reclined at a meal in his (Levi’s) house or residence,” Luk 5:29. When He had gone to his home to have an hospitable meal with Levi or Matthew, to show friendship.
2) “Many publicans and sinners sat also,” (kai polloi telonai kai hamartoloi sunanekeinto to lesou) ”And many tax collectors (Publicans) and sinners reclined and also ate with Jesus;- It appears that Levi’s home had a large open court where a large number might be fed, socially entertained, and had come together for such on this occasion.
3) “Together with Jesus and His disciples:- (kai tois mathetias autou) “As well as with the disciples of Jesus,” Note that the savior deliberately ate with His disciples and with many publicans (tax-collectors) and sinners, lawbreakers who had begun to follow Him, to show an interest in Him.
4) “For there were many,” (esan gar polloi) “For there were many of them,” literally masses or throngs, perhaps from villages and port towns throughout Galilee, guests of Matthew who confirmed to them his faith in and commitment to Jesus.
5) “And they followed Him.”(kai ekolouthon auto) “they followed, accompanied, or went after Him,” wherever He went throughout Galilee. Many of these were likely outcasts, not permitted to enter the synagogue, resulting in the need of a teaching mission in a more open place, Joh 7:13; Joh 9:22; Joh 9:34; Joh 12:42; Joh 16:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
52. LEVI’S FEAST; DISCOURSE OF JESUS, Mar 2:15-22 .
This narrative of the feast given by Levi is furnished here, previous to its proper time, to connect it with his call. The account is different in points that show independence, yet the essential agreement is very complete.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
15. His house Matthew’s house. See our Life of Matthew, prefacing his Gospel.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And it happened that he was sitting eating food in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many and they followed him.’
As a result Levi invited Jesus and his followers to his home. Among these followers were many tax collectors and sinners who had heard Jesus preaching and had in one way or another responded. ‘Sinners’ was a general term that could refer to those Jews who failed to live in accordance with the dictates of the Pharisees, but could also include those who were involved in deeper sin. Some were simply those who were not careful about avoiding ritual defilement, but others were those who were guilty of grave sins such as adultery or theft (although not necessarily present at Levi’s gathering). All were lumped together by the Pharisees. To share meals with such was looked on by the Pharisees as abhorrent. Such people did not keep themselves ritually clean. Thus Jesus would be seen as courting the possibility of defilement and as mixing with unfit people. We should note that these people were ‘followers’. Jesus was not going ‘partying’. He knew that their hearts were moved and that they were seeking Him.
It would not be true to say that the Pharisees would never welcome such a person. If they repented on their own volition and made the necessary sacrifices and began to maintain the necessary regulations, becoming ‘clean’ and submitting to the authority of the Scribes, they would finally after a considerable period of probation be accepted, but the route was a difficult one and no one took the trouble to seek such people out. The difference with Jesus was that He sought them out and welcomed them immediately. The Pharisees looked at the outward appearance, Jesus considered the sinner’s need and looked at the heart.
‘For there were many and they followed him.’ We must not miss the significance of these important words. These were not just tax collectors and sinners who had come together for a good time, and were joined in it by Jesus. These were tax collectors and sinners who had begun genuinely to ‘follow’ Jesus, that is, to look to Him and respond to His words. Their hearts had been touched and they were there to learn from Him. And there were many of them. Jesus’ influence was widespread even over such as these.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The reception and dinner:
v. 15. And it came to pass that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him
v. 16. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
v. 17. When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the ‘physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew was duly elated and thankful to the Lord, as a newly converted person is apt to be. In his joy he caused an elaborate dinner to be prepared for the Lord and the disciples. Jesus willingly accepted the invitation, because it would afford Him welcome opportunity to come into contact with needy souls. While He was reclining at one of the tables, in the fashion of the Orient, many publicans and sinners crowded in and joined in the meal. They were Levi Matthew’s former associates and friends, and he saw nothing strange or incongruous in their appearing at this time. But there were people that were highly indignant about this breach of Jewish custom and etiquette. For the tax collectors and the public sinners were for them in one class, they had been put out of the congregation, out of the synagogue, usually for some minor transgression against Jewish tradition. And, being properly shocked, the scribes voiced their disapproval to the disciples, either during the progress of the dinner or when they saw the disciples leave the house. They could not understand how Jesus could possibly eat at the same table with publicans and sinners. But Jesus heard their disapproving remark. He knew that His action would be an offense to these self-righteous hypocrites. And so He reminded them of a proverb which was then in general use: There is no need for the strong to have a doctor, but for the sick. That is true on the spiritual plane as well as on the physical. He that ‘is truly well and strong, he that is perfectly righteous and without sin, truly needs no physician, no help for his sins, since he is not conscious of them and cannot be on account of their absence. Such perfect persons are indeed unknown on this earth; but all the greater is the number of them that imagine themselves to be perfect. And believing themselves to be righteous (miserable delusion!), they want nothing of the Savior of sinners, they will not believe that His mission concerns them. And so Christ confines His work to the sinners, to those that feel the weakness, the sickness of their soul, the terrible affliction of sin. By His call into communion with Him and by His dealing with them through the means of grace He gives them the assistance they need, He imputes to them, He gives them, His own righteousness, and thus makes them well in time and in eternity.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mar 2:15. For there were many, and they followed him. For many of them had followed him. Heylin.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
Ver. 15. Many publicans and sinners sat also ] All at Matthew’s charge, and he thought it well bestowed, to bring them to Christ. So Paul, being himself assured of salvation, could do or suffer anything for the salvation of his poor countrymen. Rom 8:38-39 ; cf. Rom 9:1-2 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15. ] The entertainment was certainly in Levi’s house, not as Meyer, alli [6] ., in that of our Lord , which last is a pure fiction, and is not any where designated in the Gospel accounts. Certainly the , Mar 2:17 , gives no countenance to the view. Our Lord, and those following Him as disciples, were ordinarily entertained where He was invited, which will account for : and the change of subject in the two, and , is no uncommon thing: see a similar change in Luk 19:3 , where to be consistent Meyer ought to understand . . of our Lord. To help out his interpretation he strangely enough makes , Mar 2:17 , mean ‘ to invite .’
[6] alli= some cursive mss.
, peculiar to Mark.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 2:15 . : whose house? Not perfectly clear, but all things point to that of Levi. There is no mention of a return to Capernaum, where Jesus dwelt. The custom house may have been outside the town, nearer the shore. Then if the house of Jesus (Peter’s) had been meant, the name of Jesus should have stood after instead of at the close of the verse. The main point to note is that whatever house is meant, it must have been large enough to have a hall or court capable of accommodating a large number of people. Furrer assumes as a matter of course that the gathering was in the court. “Here in the court of one of these ruined houses sat the Saviour of the lost in the midst of publicans and sinners” ( Wanderungen , p. 375). , etc.: many to be taken in earnest, not slurred over, as we are apt to do when we think of this feast as a private entertainment given by Mt. to his quond m friends, Jesus being nothing more than a guest. : Mk. here takes pains to prevent us from overlooking the of the previous clause = for they, the publicans, and generally the people who passed for sinners, were many , and they had begun to follow Him. Some (Schanz, Weiss, etc.) think the reference is to the disciples ( ), mentioned here for first time, therefore a statement that they were numerous (more, e.g. , than four ), quite apposite. But the stress of the story lies on the publicans, and Christ’s relations with them . (So Holtz., H. C.) It was an interesting fact to the evangelist that this class, of whom there was a large number in the neighbourhood, were beginning to show an interest in Jesus, and to follow Him about. To explain the number Elsner suggests that they may have gathered from various port towns along the shore. Jesus would not meet such people in the synagogue, as they seem to have been excluded from it ( vide Lightfoot and Wnsche, ad Mat 18:17 ). Hence the necessity for a special mission.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar 2:15-17
15And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. 16When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” 17And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mar 2:15 “He was reclining at the table in his house” This was Levi’s home (cf. Luk 5:29). Jesus ate with the socially and religiously outcast as a way to initiate a religious dialog with them. They flocked to Him because He acted so different from the self-righteous Jewish leaders. Eating was a special event in the Ancient Near East which expressed friendship and acceptance. They would have reclined on their left elbow around a low horseshoe-shaped table with their feet behind them (this has been challenged by J. Jeremias in his book The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, pp. 20-21. He asserts that Jews did not regularly follow the Mediterranean custom of reclining, except during feast days). In the Near East others who were not invited to the meal could come into the dining area and stand around the walls or at the door or windows and listen to the conversation.
One wonders how much eschatological symbolism should be read into this context. Is this feast a foreshadowing of the Messianic banquet which will include outcasts (cf. Mat 8:11; Luk 13:29 possibly reflecting Isa 59:15-21)? If so, then there is the theological insight that temporal fellowship with Jesus mirrors eschatological kingdom fellowship. Sinners are reconciled now and in eternity! All sinners are welcome (and all are sinners, even the OT covenant people, cf. Rom 3:9-18).
“sinners” This refers to those people who did not keep all the details of the Oral Traditions (i.e., the Talmud). They were often referred to in a derogatory sense as the “people of the land.” They were not fully welcome at the synagogue.
“and His disciples” These select men were privy to all of Jesus’ words and deeds. In truth they were primarily meant for them. They would record and explain Jesus to the world.
“for there were many of them, and they were following Him” The grammar is ambiguous, but seems to refer to “sinners” and not to His disciples.
Mar 2:16 “the scribes of the Pharisees” Scribes were not exclusively of one religious/political party, though most of them in Jesus’ day were Pharisees. The Pharisees were a particular theological sect of Judaism which developed during the Maccabean period. They were very committed and sincere religionists who strictly followed the Oral Traditions (i.e., the Talmud).
SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES
Mar 2:16 “He was eating with sinners” This must have been a regular event, not an exception (cf. Luk 5:29; Luk 7:34; Luk 15:1-2). It was so shocking to the self-righteous, religious elite!
Mar 2:17 “‘those who are sick'” They had a sense of need that was essential for faith (cf. Mat 5:3-4) and Jesus was their healer and friend (cf. Luk 7:34; Luk 19:10).
“‘I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners'” This is an ironic, possibly sarcastic statement like Mar 7:19. This statement was not meant to imply that the religious leaders were righteous (cf. Mat 5:20) and therefore did not need to repent, but that Jesus’ message (cf. Mar 1:14-15) was more appealing to those who sensed their own spiritual need. Jesus uses proverbial statements often in His teaching (cf. Mar 2:17; Mar 2:21-22; Mar 2:27; Mar 3:27; Mar 4:21-22; Mar 4:25; Mar 7:15; Mar 8:35-37; Mar 9:40; Mar 9:50; Mar 10:25; Mar 10:27; Mar 10:31; Mar 10:43-44). No one is more blind than those who think they see!
The Textus Receptus adds “to repentance” at the end of this verse following the Lukan parallel (cf. Mar 5:32) and Byzantine texts, but this variant is not even included in the UBS4 critical apparatus as a possibility.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
And it came to pass. A Hebreism.
sat at meat = reclined [at table].
his house = i.e. Levi’s. Not the Lord’s. Compare Mat 8:20.
publicans = tax-gatherers.
sinners. Greek. Plural of hamartolos. Compare App-128.
sinners sat also = sinners also set.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15.] The entertainment was certainly in Levis house, not as Meyer, alli[6]., in that of our Lord, which last is a pure fiction, and is not any where designated in the Gospel accounts. Certainly the , Mar 2:17, gives no countenance to the view. Our Lord, and those following Him as disciples, were ordinarily entertained where He was invited, which will account for :-and the change of subject in the two, and , is no uncommon thing: see a similar change in Luk 19:3, where to be consistent Meyer ought to understand . . of our Lord. To help out his interpretation he strangely enough makes , Mar 2:17, mean to invite.
[6] alli= some cursive mss.
, peculiar to Mark.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 2:15.[18] , for they were) The Evangelist hereby explains why he had just written, with Jesus and His disciples; for they were many.
[18] Levi) called also Matthew.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
sinners
Sin. (See Scofield “Rom 3:23”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Mat 9:10, Mat 9:11, Mat 21:31, Mat 21:32, Luk 5:29, Luk 5:30, Luk 6:17, Luk 15:1
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
These publicans and sinners were not some special sects as were the Pharisees and Sadducees, but were people who were regarded as being in the lower ranks of society. They were thus classed especially by the Pharisees who made such a claim of righteousness. (See comments at Mat 9:10 about the publicans.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 2:15. In his house. That of Levi, who made the feast for our Lord (Luk 5:29). The passage before us does not decide this, but any other view needlessly creates a discrepancy. Our Lord did not pass directly from the custom house to the feast. In all three accounts the interval is left indefinite. See on Mat 9:10. The narrative is lively in style.
For they were many and they followed him. Mark alone gives this reason for the number of publicans and sinners gathered there, namely, that persons of these classes were numerous and that they very generally followed Christ. The fact that the host was one of the former class (and would naturally gather his associates), is brought out by Luke.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
LVII.
MATTHEW’S FEAST. DISCOURSE ON FASTING.
(Capernaum.)
aMATT. IX. 10-17; bMARK II. 15-22; cLUKE V. 29-39.
c29 And Levi [another name for the apostle Matthew] made him a great feast in his house: b15 And it came to pass, that he was sitting {aas he sat} at meat in the {bhis} ahouse, cand there was a great multitude of publicans [Matthew had invited his old friends] and of others band abehold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. bfor there were many, cthat were sitting at meat with them. band they followed him. c30 And the Pharisees and their scribes {bthe scribes of the Pharisees,} [that is, the scribes which were of their party or sect] when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and publicans, c murmured against his disciples, saying, {athey said} unto his disciples, cWhy do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners? aWhy eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners? bHow is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? [From their standpoint, the question was natural enough. No strict Jew could eat with a Gentile ( Act 11:3, Gal 2:12), and Matthew’s guests were classed with the heathen.] a12 But {b17 And} awhen he bJesus heard it, he canswering said {bsaith} unto them, They that are whole {cin health} have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. a13 But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice [For an explanation of this passage, see Mat 22:4, Luk 14:8, Joh 2:8, Joh 2:9). Mourning and fasting would therefore ill befit such an occasion.] c35 But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall [350] be taken from them, band then will they fast in that day. {cthose days.} [Jesus here foretells the removal of his visible presence from his disciples by his ascension. His words predict but do not command a fast. He prescribed no stated fasts, and the apostolic church kept none. History shows that prescribed fasts become formal and tend to Phariseeism.] 36 And he spake also a parable unto them: No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment, else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old. a16 And no man putteth {bseweth} a piece of undressed cloth on {aupon} an old garment; for {belse} that which should fill it up taketh from it, {afrom the garment,} bthe new from the old, and a worse rent is made. [Jesus justifies the conduct of his disciples by an appeal to the principles of the new dispensation, by which they were governed. The disciples of John looked upon Jesus as a reformer of Judaism, but he corrects their false impressions. To tear the new dispensation to pieces to renovate or embellish the old would be to injure the new and to destroy the old. By the process of fulling or dressing, new cloth was cleansed and shrunk so as to become more compact. The new cloth, therefore, had in it, so to speak, a life-element, and in its movement while shrinking it would tear the weaker fiber of the old cloth to which it was sewed, and thus enlarge the rent. The new dispensation could have rites and forms of its own, but could not conform to the rites of the Pharisees. If the conduct of his disciples had made a rent in the rabbinical traditions with regard to fasting, Jesus could not so modify the conduct of his disciples as to patch the rent without injuring the moral sense of his disciples, and without making Phariseeism a more meaningless hypocrisy than ever.] 22 And no man putteth {a17 Neither do men put} new wine into old wine-skins: celse the the new wine will burst the skins, aand the wine citself will be {ais} spilled, band the wine perisheth, and the skins: aburst, cand the skins will perish. abut they put new wine {cnew [351] wine must be put} binto fresh wine-skins. aand both are preserved. [This parable is also an illustration of the principles set forth above. Wine was then stored in casks of skin–usually hides of goats. Wine-skins, newly made, were elastic, and would expand to accommodate the fermentation of the new wine within. But the old wine-skins were stiff and of little strength, and would burst if fermenting liquid were confined within them.] c39 And no man having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good. [The thought here is that as wine should be put in skins suited for it, and as, at an entertainment, the different kinds of wine should be served in appropriate succession; so, fasting should be observed on suitable occasions–not, for instance, at a wedding.]
[FFG 349-352]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
CHAPTER 29
MATTHEWS BEAST
Mat 10:1-17; Mar 2:15-22; Luk 5:29-39. Luke And Levi made a great feast for Him in his own house; and there was a great multitude of publicans and others who were sitting with them. And the scribes and Pharisees were murmuring to His disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus, responding, said to them, They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Levi is a name of Matthew, the author of the first Gospel. He was a rich Jew, holding the office of publican i.e., collector of the Roman revenue living at Capernaum. Jesus passed by one day, spoke to him, and said, Follow Me. Unhesitatingly leaving all, he becomes a disciple of our Lord, and was afterward promoted to the apostleship. The publicans, as a rule, were proverbial for wickedness, dishonesty, and popular odium, as the Jews loathed the Roman Government, whose financial officers they were. We see how dearly Matthew loved his unsaved companions. Consequently he makes a great feast, and compliments them with an invitation, at the same time inviting Jesus and His disciples, hoping by this costly festival to bring them under the influence of the sinners Savior; thus giving us all an example we would do well to appreciate, also answering the hackneyed question, How shall we reach the masses? Give them a kind invitation, like Matthew, to come to a feast especially prepared for them in your own house, meanwhile you do your utmost, by prayer and timely conversation, to win them for God and heaven. We observe the same phenomenon this day which confronted Jesus and His disciples, thus intimately associated with the publicans and sinners at Matthews feast; i.e., the scribes (i.e., the pastors) and Pharisees (i.e., the influential and official members of the popular Churches) rejecting, contemptuously, drunkards, harlots, and other notorious reprobates, especially if they have no money. Matthew says: Going, learn what this is, I wish mercy and not sacrifice. For I came, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. What does our Lord mean by mercy and not sacrifice? When you are utterly destitute, bankrupt, and broken-hearted, there is a wide, open door for Jesus to come in. With this He is delighted. So long as you realize your own possessions, you bank on them, and expect to win Divine favor by your contributions. In this way millions plunge into hell. God is not poor. He does not need your money, nor anything else you have. He wants you, and not your possessions. Jesus wants immortal intelligence to glorify Him through all eternity.
THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN & JESUS
Mar 2:18. And the disciples of John and Jesus were fasting. And they come and say to Him, Wherefore do the disciples of John and the Pharisees, and Thy disciples do not fast? Fasting, in both dispensations, is not only a concomitant, but an auxiliary of prevailing prayer. Elijah, Moses, and Jesus all fasted forty days, Divinely kept in a spiritual rapture, the physical organism abiding in status quo. The disciples of Jesus, during His personal appearance, were an exception to this general rule, because of its disharmony with the power, the glory, and the infinite and extraordinary privilege peculiar to the immediate companions of the Omnipotent Savior; as fasting has a melancholy and lugubrious influence upon its votaries somewhat incompatible with that paradisiacal felicity characteristic of the Divine presence.
THE BRIDESMEN
And Jesus said to them, Whether are the sons of the brides chamber able to fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? So long a time as they have the bridegroom with them they are not able to fast. The sons of the brides chamber here mentioned as the men who have charge and are commissioned to the work of preparing the chamber in the house of the bridegroom for him to bring the bride into his own home; i.e., the great work of getting the bride ready and the bride chamber in order for the coming of the Bridegroom when He will take the bride to His heavenly home. We are betrothed to Christ in regeneration, and married to Him in sanctification. Jesus makes the application to His own disciples, and especially the twelve apostles, who were then laboring in the evangelistic field, destined soon to broaden out and encompass the whole world; thus calling out the bride from every nation under heaven, getting her sanctified, robed, and ready to meet the Bridegroom. Hence, Gods holy people, preaching the gospel of full salvation to the ends of the earth, are the sons of the bride chamber, faithfully laboring to get the bride ready for the Coming of the Bridegroom. Our Lord here fully settles the problem in reference to the expediency of fasting in our dispensation, when He states And the days will come when the Bridegroom must be taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. Hence you see from this Scripture the pertinence of fasting ever since our Lord ascended into heaven. In His presence there was too much sunshine and glory for His disciples to fast. Since His departure, the widowed Church has not ceased to fast and pray for the return of our Lord.
THE NEW GARMENT, NEW BOTTLE, & NEW WINE
Luk 5:36. And He spoke a parable to them, That no one putteth a piece of new garment on an old garment; as in that case the new tears it, and the piece which was from the new does not harmonize with the old. No one puts new wine into old bottles; as in that case the new wine will burst the bottles, and it will be poured out, and the bottles will perish; but the new wine is to be put into new bottles, and both will be preserved. Every conceivable entity has both an exterior and an interior, which are equally indispensable to its existence. In the lucid and diversified symbolism of the gracious economy we have the most beautiful and perfect elucidation of both of these hemispheres, constituting the grand globe of full salvation. The new patch sewed on the old, thread-bare garment is too heavy and strong. It tears out all the fabric with which it is connected, making the hole several times its former size, and if repeated would actually tear the old garment all to pieces. What are we to do in this case? Let the old garment wear out, and never patch it. Oh! so our Lord has something better for us than the old tagged garment, and wants to take us out of the patching business altogether. He has for us the best robe, snowy white, washed in the blood of the Lamb, which will never get old and never wear out. Counterfeit religions are always patching up an old experience. Be sure you get this royal robe, which the King of glory furnishes His faithful bride without money and without price, which will never get old, nor wear out, nor need patching, but will shine with ever-brightening splendor through the flight of eternal ages. The garment represents the exterior of a Christian character, while the wine and the bottle typify the interior. You must keep your mind off the glass bottles of modern times, and contemplate the leather bottles, the only kind in use in the days of our Savior. It is wonderful how the Orientals never change, but perpetuate the customs and institutions of the Bible times. On the streets of Jerusalem, Hebron, Joppa, and all Palestinian cities, we constantly see the water- carriers bending under a whole goat-skin, full of water, thus carrying it from the fountain to supply the various demands. The fermentation of new wine, Increasing its bulk will break the old leather bottle, which is not strong enough thus to endure the pressure. While, of course, these strong metaphors illustrate the fact that Christianity is not simply a patch on Judaism, or some new wine poured into the old Mosaic bottles, but a de novo institution, such an interpretation merely reaches the surface, leaving the grand interior unexplored. The bottle is the heart. In a genuine conversion, God gives you a new heart. (Eze 36:26) Gods work, like Himself, never gets old. Hence the bottle He gives you is always new. Wine symbolizes the Holy Ghost, whom you receive as an indwelling Comforter in sanctification; of course, He can never get old. Therefore you see, with a true regeneration, you get the new bottle, which will never get old; while in the genuine. sanctification, you receive the new wine of the kingdom, which will never ferment nor get old. Hence, you should have nothing to do with the old bottles of a backslidden experience, nor the old wine of a counterfeit sanctification. The reason why the dead, worldly Churches are so timorous of sanctification preached in their pulpits, is because they are afraid the new wine will burst up their old bottles. But that is just what ought to be done. The bottle which the new wine will burst is of no account. The Lords genuine new bottles are elastic enough to hold a hundred-fold without detriment. The very thing we need in the fallen Churches is a glorious, Holy Ghost revival, whose first work is the bursting up of all those old bottles, and tearing up their old garments, thus showing them their need of the new. Then what a glorious time for all of us, when they all get new robes, bright and beautiful; new bottles, and all filled with the delicious, sweet, new wine, bright as ever sparkled from the grapes of Eshcol!
And no one drinking the old immediately wishes the new; for He says, The old is better. How is this? We find it universally illustrated. The heathens constantly meet our missionaries with the response, Your religion suits you; but ours is better for us. Roman Catholic hears a Pentecostal sermon, but turning away, says his dead formality and priestcraft are better. As Luke says, he does not immediately desire the new, but says the old is better. Go into a dead, formal Church anywhere, and preach the living power of full salvation, and the people at first get angry, become sullen, and say their old religion is better. Go ahead, wait on the Lord, till these people get pungently convicted, and they will change their mind and want the new. Now remember, Jesus does not say the old is better, but that dead professor says it, and he is mistaken; for he soon changes his mind, when conviction strikes him like lightning, and takes it all back, turns round, seeks and finds the new bottle i.e., the new heart and never stops till he gets it filled with the new wine (i.e., the Holy Ghost), in the rich and glorious experience of entire sanctification.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 15
Levi, or Matthew, seems to have been possessed of property, and to have had many other officers either associated with him in his business, or acting under him.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Mar 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
Christ called Levi, but soon was in his house for a meal. Might we suggest that the man of God should be hospitable? Indeed isn’t one of the qualifications for elder related to this (1Ti 3:2
given to hospitality)?
I must confess that hospitality is not high on the priority list in many churches today. Hospitality today often means inviting someone out to lunch or dinner, seldom to the home for a meal.
Hospitality has to do with inviting into the home, it has to do with showing an interest in the person and it has to do with a genuine caring for the person – note the term genuine. Often it is done automatically as part of the office rather than a real care for people.
The King James translates the next phrase “as Jesus sat” which really states “as he lay” in the Greek. The term translated “Jesus” is the word normally translated “him” and the term translated “sat” means “lie.”
Not only were there publicans and sinners in Matthew’s house with Christ, but there were MANY of them present.
I would guess that this dinner had already been arranged when Levi was called and he just invited the Lord to dinner that was about to begin. At any rate, the dinner is going on, Christ is on the floor eating surrounded by publicans and sinners.
No matter what you want to see in this passage do not read into it that it is okay to live among sinners as sinners live. He was invited to eat and that is what He did – He responded to an invitation, this was not his normal lifestyle. Feel free to accept an invitation to a dinner where sinners will attend – nothing wrong with it – just do not make it your lifestyle.
Years ago a pastor that loved golf died. His obituary and the article in the local newspaper barely mentioned the fact that he was a pastor, but took great pains to show how highly esteemed he was at the local golf course. He had made golfing his lifestyle rather than pastoring his flock in the eyes of his community. I had to wonder how his congregation felt to see such an evaluation.
Note might be made that there were publicans and sinners present. Since there are two groups mentioned, one being a class and the other a general term for lost people, one must wonder ifthere was not a specific purpose in listing the two thusly.
Possibly that the only people who would associate with publicans were sinners? The term translated “sinner” relates to one that is given to sin. The distinction might be that there were people given to sin, there were publicans and the “religious” non-sinners were not present.
Since there is no mention of discomfort on the part of the Lord or His disciples we might assume that they felt quite comfortable dinning with this lot of people. Indeed, is this not the case when we enter a restaurant? We enter in to eat with a mixed variety of people and there should be no discomfort for the Christian. The problem would arise when the Christian feels more comfortable with the lost than with the redeemed.
Don’t forget to share your faith when you are with the lost and have opportunity. That is how the church will grow.
It is normal for people to feel more comfortable talking over a meal than just meeting as strangers and beginning a conversation. Take advantage of such situations and use the opportunity to share the gospel with them. Often they will listen even if just out of courtesy.
We are not told that Christ did any teaching but they were there because they wanted to be with Him. Both Matthew and Mark mention that Christ was sitting and the publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him.
Now had that been THIS person sitting, the people probably would sit elsewhere, but in this case they desired to be with Christ. Years ago in a ministry with a number of other folks when we had pot lucks now and then the wife and I would get into line first and go to a table and sit down. We often noted that the rest of the group would congregate at other tables leaving us to sit alone. I would smell myself to see if that was the problem, but it never seemed to be 🙂 The other times when we were last in line the one table was filled and we had opportunity to sit alone also. We did not try getting into the middle of the line to see what would happen.
Consider Matthew’s situation. He had just agreed to follow Christ and here he is mixing Christ in with a bunch of his old coworkers that are despised at best by the rest of the population.
I would assume that these “sinners” may have really been the dregs of Jewish society as well. They are set apart as “sinners” in a world that is full of sinners. These must have really been SINNERS.
None of us should look too closely as we gaze down our noses at these sinners. We all were once sinners, and indeed many of us were probably SINNERS. We all needed to sit with the Lord for a dinner of saving grace as did this group of Levi’s friends.
All too often the sinner saved tends to feel the rest of sinners are really the dregs when indeed we all were once the same. Let not pride be a problem in your life!
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
Eating a meal together meant something in Jesus’ world that it does not mean today in the West. Hospitality was a sacred duty in the ancient Near East. When someone invited someone else to eat with him, he was extending a pledge of loyalty and protection to that person. To accept an invitation to dinner implied a willingness to become a close friend of the host. Jesus’ acceptance of table fellowship with sinners (i.e., outcasts) conveyed by action the forgiveness that He gave verbally in Mar 2:5. [Note: Guelich, p. 105.]
"It was an offer of peace, trust, brotherhood and forgiveness; in short, sharing a table meant sharing life." [Note: Joachim Jeremias, New Testament Theology, p. 115.]
This meal took place in Levi’s house (Luk 5:29). Apparently he had a large house that accommodated the throng easily, which indicates that he had some wealth.
Normally the Jews of Jesus’ day ate their meals seated. They only reclined on pillows or rugs when special guests were present or for festival meals. [Note: Idem, The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, pp. 48-49.] Obviously Levi regarded Jesus’ presence with him as a special occasion.
The antecedent of the "them" who followed Jesus is probably the tax gatherers and sinners, though it may be the disciples. The term "the scribes of the Pharisees" occurs nowhere else in the Gospels. These were teachers of the law who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees.
"The Pharisees were progressive, a party among, though not of, the people. Their goal was that Israel should become the righteous nation of the covenant. To this end they taught compliance with the ’tradition of the elders,’ an oral code of conduct effectively adapting the law of Moses to later times and changing demands." [Note: Kingsbury, p. 63.]
Tax collectors had a bad reputation because they were often dishonest. [Note: J. R. Donahue, "Tax Collectors and Sinners: An Attempt at Identification," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 33 (1971):39-61.] The term "sinners" refers to Jews who did not follow the Pharisees’ traditions, as well as worse sinners. Jesus’ critics believed that He should not associate with such people if He had a genuine regard for the Old Testament, as they professed to have. To do so risked ceremonial defilement.
". . . the Talmud distinguishes two classes of ’publicans’: the tax-gatherer in general (Gabbai), and the Mokhes, or Mokhsa, who was specially the douanier or custom-house official. Although both classes fall under the rabbinic ban, the douanier-such as Matthew was-is the object of chief execration." [Note: Edersheim, 1:515.]