Day 6 : Mark 2:13-17
It’s not the healthy who need a doctor
We’ve already seen Jesus call people to follow him. But this one is different. It’s to Levi, a tax collector.
Tax collectors were despised. Some tax collectors like Levi were Jewish and yet they were working for the oppressive, ruling Romans. They would often over-charge to keep money for themselves. They were also seen as unclean because they were with non-Jews and handling their coins. It’s a deeper hatred than just thinking of supporters of that other football team!
And yet, Jesus calls Levi and goes to eat at his house. Eating together in this culture, just like in Asian culture, is important: eating together meant acceptance and friendship.
This does not go down well with the religious people (the Pharisees). They were really focused on following rules in order to keep separate, and therefore holy, for God. However, these rules meant boundaries – people who were ‘in’, whom the Pharisees said were close to God and people who were ‘out’.
When the Pharisees see Jesus sitting with these tax collectors and sinners, the people they thought were definitely ‘out’, they’re horrified! It’s completely unacceptable in their eyes. Jesus isn’t having dinner with Levi and the others because they served the best food or because he wanted to say they’re OK people. With Jesus, these people (all people) are ‘in’, they’re welcome. It’s not that Jesus is slipping people into the club by the back door (always feeling like we’re going to get thrown out!). Jesus says ‘you were always invited in because you’re my guest’. Let us be challenged today to remember the Good News that Jesus says to all: ‘you are welcome’.
Jesus wants you to sit at his table. Whoever we are, whatever we’ve done, however many times we’ve been excluded or told we’re not welcome, Jesus invites us to the table.