Theme: First Century Tax Collectors
This week’s lessons show us the depth of the mercy and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who continues to call, not those who believe they are righteous, but sinners into his kingdom.
Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13
Now it’s interesting to focus on Matthew because the one thing we know about him, almost the only thing we know, is that he doesn’t say anything in all of the Gospels.
Now it’s interesting to focus on Matthew because the one thing we know about him, almost the only thing we know, is that he doesn’t say anything in all of the Gospels. He never speaks a word, and we’re given very little to tell. But the one thing we know about him is that he was a tax collector, that is, he worked for the Roman government under Herod and was one who collected the revenue that kept this occupying power in business, that paid for the troops that occupied the land, subjected the people, and, in many cases, took advantage of them. It means he was an outcast, of course, because nobody liked tax collectors.