Word
of God
But he replied and
said, "It is written, 'It is not by bread alone that a man
lives, except by every word that issues from the mouth of God
The Gospel According
to Matthew 4:4
The Gospel
According to Mark 2:14
Commentary and
study notes prefaced/edited by Dr. Riktor Von Zhades
And as Jesus passed
by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sit at the receipt of custom, and
said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Brethren:
What amazing power
and authority by our Messiah, that a mere two words to a publican,
(tax collector), of whom much of the Jews detested, for such were
considered traitors to the Jewish people, that such a man as Levi
would just get up and walk away from that which he was doing in order
that he might follow the Master. Perhaps, and Scripture does not
state, Jesus who was able to look into the souls of men, looked into
to his eyes, and it was enough to convince him to leave. We shall
never know, yet leave he did, and later afterwards wrote one of the
four Gospels.
Indeed, how many of
us could do the same? Could we just walk away from certain aspects of
our lives to follow Christ? The Apostle Paul wrote that we are
reborn, new creations in Christ when we forsake our old lives and put
on the new man. Hencforth, let each of us strive to put away the old
cloths of flesh and put on the new cloths of the Holy Spirit of which
God has abundantly given us. - Dr. R.V.Z
“Christians might
see here a specific illustration of the theologian John Wesley's
insistence on the universality of God's gift of grace. Jews and
Gentiles alike scorned tax collectors as a group for their nosy and
criminal behavior. For the Jew in particular, they were suspect for
their collaboration with Rome in an oppressive system of taxation.
Sinners were probably defined as people who had adopted publicly
immoral lifestyles. By calling Levi to discipleship, Jesus
reinterprets God's grace. It is extended not to a select few who
believe they deserve it, but to all in need” - Source - Asbury
Bible Commentary Ed. 1992
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