By: Dale Weckbacher
Mark 2:14
Then, passing by, he
saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the toll booth, and he said
to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.
(CSB)
If we were to select a theme to describe the Disciples Jesus
called, it would be a collection of outcasts.
This was not much different than those following David (1
Samuel 22:2). It would appear from
these two biblical examples that God uses the unlikely and outcasts to carry
out His will. We see a reason for this
later in Mark
2:15-17 when the Pharisees question Jesus’ disciples about his dining with tax
collectors and sinners.
In Mark
2:17 Jesus makes an interesting statement that appears to call the
Pharisees righteous and in no need of Dr. Jesus. However, later Jesus would tell these people
they have serious heart trouble even though they appear healthy on the outside. The Pharisees are sick with
self-righteousness with the following symptoms,
1)
Good works without justice, mercy, or
faithfulness (Matthew
23:23-24) – The Pharisees tithe providing the appearance of good works,
even making sure everyone is aware of their generous giving (Mark
12:41-44). The widow on the other
hand gives her two tiny coins sacrificially out of the goodness of her heart, a
heart free of the disease of self-righteousness. Good work for the Lord is not done to heap
righteousness on the doer of the work but sacrificially out of a treasure of
love for the Lord living in a believer’s heart.
Levi also demonstrated a heart free from self-righteousness by his
willingness to leave the profitability of his tax collecting booth to follow
the Lord.
2)
Clean on the outside while dirty on the inside (Matthew
23:25-26) – The Pharisees would regularly cleanse themselves prior to
entering the Temple and most likely make sure others saw them just as they made
a show of their giving. However, the
inside of their hearts is full of greed and self-indulgence. Their heart disease of self-righteousness has
blinded them to the need for a cleansing of the inside of their heart to bring
about cleansing of their exterior. The one
who could clean and heal their hearts was the one speaking to them and had they
taken the time to heed Jesus’ advice experienced forgiveness of sins making
sanctification or cleaning of their exterior lives possible. Levi’s willingness to leave the greed and
self-indulgence of tax collecting demonstrates a willingness to have Jesus
clean up his heart so he can live a clean life.
3)
Hearts full of hypocrisy in a beautiful tomb (Matthew
23:27-28) – These are strong words from Jesus for while a tomb may appear
beautiful, it is full of dead bones.
However, Jesus’ empty tomb while beautiful does not contain dead bones
for Jesus is risen. Those with the heart
disease of self-righteousness are dead from hypocrisy for no one but Jesus is
righteous (Isaiah
64:6; Romans 3:23). In contrast the
beautiful tomb of Jesus that does not contain dead bones has no hypocrisy for
Jesus conquered death providing healing from the disease of
self-righteousness.
4)
Covering up a heritage of sin with acts of
righteousness (Matthew
23:29-32) – The Pharisees believed in works-based salvation, believing that
decorating the graves of the prophets that their forefathers had murdered would
somehow absolve them of sin. However,
since all our righteousness is filthy to the Lord (Isaiah
64:6), this is a waste of time.
Instead we need to accept the righteousness of the righteous one who
died for our sins (Romans
10:9-10).
Mark
2:17 is therefore not calling the Pharisees righteous but instead is showing
that all humanity needs an infusion of righteousness that can only come from accepting
Jesus as Savior. If you have not done so, I invite you to accept the
righteousness freely offered by Jesus by praying with me now,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive
me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe you
died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my
life.
Just as Levi took the important first step of following
Jesus, those that just prayed with me have taken the first step of following
Jesus. Over the next three and one-half
years, Levi will be with Jesus learning from His teaching. While Levi appears an unlikely candidate for
a Disciple of Messiah, his willingness to follow and obey is the only
qualification necessary as it is for us today.
May God bless all those reading this.
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