Mark 2:15-17 15And it happened that as he reclined at a table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who also followed him. 16And when the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a doctor, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners.”
The scene changes from the lakeside to Levi’s house. Levi must have had an attractive, wooing personality among certain types of people since his house was filled with many tax collectors and sinners. A popular way to eat meals was to recline at a low table, which would not be comfortable for modern people. This was a luxurious way to have a celebration and banquet. Levi must have contacted all his friends and invited them over for a meal. This was a time to feast and celebrate because something had happened to his life. He was not the same person anymore. There is a lot left unstated in this short story. Mark’s goal in recounting this story was not to give all the details about what happened to Levi but to indicate the growing opposition to Jesus.
The scribes of the Pharisees represented the religious people. They were both scholars of the Bible and concerned about holy living. As scribes, they would have devoted a lot of effort to studying and interpreting the law. Their primary complaint in verse 16 was that Jesus, who everyone knew was a powerful preacher, was associating with the unlovable and “unclean” people. Jesus’ offense became more significant in that he ate with them. Eating food showed trust and relationship. Tax collectors may have been grouped with sinners because they often cheated, stole money, or were corrupt.
Jesus overhears their complaint and reiterates his purpose. He had different priorities than the religious elite. His holiness was not based on outward appearances or how much a person knows the Bible but on building bridges of love to those who need salvation. The reason he came was to bring healing to people like Levi and his friends. The scribes had their own illness, which Jesus points out numerous times, but they refuse to seek the one who could heal them. Jesus broke their taboos and crossed social and religious lines in order to reach the lost. People are afraid to step out of their comfort zone to minister to people who make them uncomfortable. To be like Jesus requires that we do as he did and to seek and save the lost. The call Jesus gives to all is, “Come, follow me.”
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