Advent 2025: Tue 16 Dec
Mark 2.13-14 Tax collector is collected up
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
Levi was an easy catch! Two words, and Jesus has him! At least, that’s how Mark appears to describe the encounter.
It’s probably not that simple, just as it may have been with the four disciples. Jesus was walking where he’d walked many times before. He may well have seen that tax-collector’s booth. He may have heard the grumbles of those whose money was being demanded by the Romans. There’s no reason to suppose that Jesus didn’t have to pay up, too.
Those Jews who were expecting a military messiah were longing for someone to rid them of the occupying Romans. Those collaborating tax-collectors would be among the first civilians to lose their heads come the revolution!
However, Israel was still in denial. All they had to do to be blessed and favoured by God was to stay within the Law and its requirements. Their serial failure to do that is evidenced in their history of defeat, wandering, idolatry and exile, and they had still not learnt the lesson The reason the Romans were the occupying force is because God allowed it to happen. Tax-collectors were a by-product.
God’s Messiah was not going to empower the people so that they might once again fall. Jesus came with a different purpose, to demonstrate the Kingdom of Heaven, not the Kingdom of Israel. He treated enemies as friends. Levi responded to Jesus’ call. He must have seen Jesus and heard about him or even heard him directly. He may have slipped into crowds and witnessed healings and miracles. He may have kept a low profile because he knew that he was a sinner – tax-collectors gained that title automatically as far as the Jews were concerned.
Levi probably did not consider himself worthy to be restored to the faith, but one day Jesus came by, he stopped for a moment and addressed him directly. There was no need for a sermon or a long, prepared altar call – “follow me” was all that was needed, because the preparation work had already been done. The Holy Spirit had been at work in Levi, warming his heart toward a change of life. Jesus offered that change, and Levi responded by following Jesus.
Do you feel that you’ve ever stepped away like Levi, and don’t know the way back?
Do you trust the Good Shepherd to find you, and carry you back?
Father God, you call me despite everything about me that I think makes me a poor disciple. You see in me the person you created me to be. Open my eyes, Lord. Amen.
This is an English language version of the German hymn heard earlier. It dwells on the nature of Christ, rather than on the baby. There is a one minute musical introduction that you might want to skip…
Paul