Luke 5:27-32 – The calling of Levi

Luke 5:27-32 – The calling of Levi

As a member of God’s redeemed community, we must not lose sight of our continuing needs in our journey with Christ. Though our eternity is secured, we still need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We must not come to the point where we become so self-righteous and devoid of sympathy for those who are still outside of Christ. We must be constantly reminded that once we too were like them. This ought to help us to be more circumspect, and walk wisely before God. The call of Levi addresses this very issue, and our reflection on the Lord’s intention in that call can help us to evaluate our own life, and then seek to live it accordingly.

As a tax collector, Levi essentially worked for the Roman government. Their system would assess a district’s fixed tax figure and then sell the right to collect taxes to the highest bidder. In other words, they out-sourced the collection of the taxes. The person that had bought the right to collect tax would then hand over the assessed figure at the end of the year. He could then keep whatever he had gathered over and above that amount. This system is opened to extortion and abuse. What also encouraged the mishandling was the archaic record-keeping, and limited communication system in the ancient world. When one was exploited it was difficult to verify the wrong and to make an appeal.

There were two kinds of tax – fixed taxes and duties and tolls. It was hard to profit from fixed taxes. But it’s the duties and tolls that allowed the tax collector to exploit and rob the people. It was hard to find an honest tax-collector. Thus, it came as no surprise that tax collectors would be associated as thugs and robbers. Jewish tax collectors were usually rich because they would exploit their fellow men. The Jews saw them as scums of their society. Hence, they were classified in the same class as robbers, evildoers, adulterers, prostitutes, and pagan Gentiles. Besides, they were also considered as lackeys of the Romans and were excommunicated from the synagogues. They were even barred from serving as witnesses in court.  Levi and his tax-collecting friends were among the despicable and the lowest of the society.

Knowing how much Levi was hated will help us to appreciate the drama in his encounter with Jesus. Verse 27 tells us that “After that He (Jesus) went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’” They could have seen each other before. Levi might have even stood among the crowd and listened to Jesus before. Here Jesus was up close and on a one-on-one conversation with him. He must have felt as if he was hit by a bolt of lightning when he heard Jesus, loud and clear, saying, “Follow Me!” It must have taken Levi great guts to uproot everything to follow Jesus, but he did. Unlike Peter, James and John, who could go back to their old fishing trade, Levi couldn’t if things didn’t work out.  Levi was also known as Matthew. Very likely just as Jesus had renamed Simon and called him Peter, he must have renamed Levi as called him Matthew. Of all the people in Capernaum, Jesus should call Levi, the despicable and rich exploiting vermin. This grace must be indeed amazing. Similar to Levi, Jesus also sees us among the billions in the world and with mercy He rewrites our lives. It a wonder that from the ugliness of sin that had marred our lives, Jesus forgave, and is changing and transforming us day by day. He wants us to become the person God intents for us to be.

The change of Levi was transformational. He gave up everything and followed Jesus, and even hosted a farewell party for himself as he departed from his old life. The banquet he hosted was attended by Jesus, the guest of honor, and a great crowd of tax collectors and many others. Levi hosted this banquet to celebrate his transformation and not for selfish reason. Knowing Christ and having a deep friendship with Him is a great reason to celebrate. And Levi did. But there were people who did not share his joy. They were the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Though not invited to the party, they were duly informed. Horrified that Jesus would even attend that gathering, they approached His followers and grumbled to them. “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” They failed to realize that their mercilessness and lack of concern for sinners was pushing them further away from God. Those who did not care about sinners were not only out of sync with Christ, but were also separated from him.

Though we should not dwell in our past, we must never lose sight of the fact that each one of us was once a lost sinner. This will help us not to ignore those outside of Christ. We must keep reaching out to them with the Gospel. We must keep inviting them to Christ and into fellowship with Him. Remember Jesus’ words, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance”. He did not come to call the self-righteous. He came to us, unrighteous sinners and saved us, and now He is developing in us His righteousness. More than anything, let us seek His Kingdom and righteousness! We must remember that we are His ambassadors and witnesses in the world today.