Forgotten word Luke 5:32

A couple of observations on today's reading...

Luk 5:27    And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

Luk 5:28    And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

Luk 5:29    And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

Although Levi was called by Jesus, and responded by following him, he didn't sell all his goods in fact he even had a house his own house so in some manner he remained well off in the city, but note he did use his wealth generously.

Gill..And Levi made him a great feast in his own house,.... At Capernaum, which, very likely, was made some time after his call, though recorded here; for it is not reasonable to think there could be time enough that day to get ready so great a feast, as this is said to be Levi, it should seem, was a rich man, and in gratitude to Christ for his special grace and honour bestowed on him, made this entertainment for him; and he seems to have had also another view in it, to bring him into the company of his fellow publicans, hoping he might be useful to them, as he had been to him; for of this nature is true grace, to wish for, and desire the salvation of the souls of others, as well as a man's own:

Note Levi is called Matthew else where, as note that Jesus was a frequent visitor or ministered in someone's house, this was not a communistic society....as some try to proclaim. Individual property was common, but was to be used generously and not greedily sought or held on to.

Note there is another famous tax collector referred to Luke 18.

Luk 18:9    And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Luk 18:10    Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luk 18:11    The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luk 18:12    I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Luk 18:13    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luk 18:14    I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

He was both a publican and a sinner....but he knew his sinfulness. 

Luk 5:30    But their scribes and  Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Luk 5:31    And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Luk 5:32    I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

A common teaching about Jesus which is so true. But often there is a forgotten or left out word at the end of verse 32.....repentance.

Matthew 9:13 Gill again....

for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. The phrase, "to repentance", is not in the Vulgate Latin, nor in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, nor in the Syriac, Ethiopic, and Persic versions; but is in the Arabic, and in the ancient Greek copies, and is very justly retained. The "repentance" here designed, is not a legal, but an evangelical one: which is attended with faith in Christ, with views, at least hopes of pardon through his blood, and springs from a discovery and sense of his love: it lies in a true sense of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of it, by the light of the Spirit of God; in a godly sorrow for it, and hearty loathing of it; in real shame and blushing for it, ingenuous confession of it, and departing from it; all which is brought on, influenced, heightened, and increased, by displays of the love of God through Christ. The persons called to this are not the "righteous"; meaning either such who are really so, because these are already called to it, though, whilst in a state of imperfection, daily need the exercise of this grace; or rather such who are so in their own opinion, and in the sight of men only, not in the sight of God, which was the case of the Scribes and Pharisees, and very few of these were called and brought to repentance; but "sinners", even the worst, and chief of sinners, who, as they stand in need of this grace, and when thoroughly convinced, see they do; so Christ came into this world as prophet and minister of the word to "call" them to it: which call of his does not suppose that they had a power to repent of themselves; for this man has not, he is naturally blind, and do not see his sin; his heart is hard and obdurate, and till his eyes are opened, and his stony heart taken away by a superior power to his own, he will never repent; though he may have space, yet if he has not grace given him, he will remain impenitent. No means will bring him to it of themselves, neither the most severe judgments, nor the greatest kindnesses, nor the most powerful ministry; repentance is entirely a free grace gift: nor does the call of Christ imply the contrary; which may be considered either as external, as a preacher of the word, and as such was not always attended to, and effectual, but often slighted and rejected: or as internal, being by the power of his grace effectual; for he who called to repentance, as a minister of the word, as a prince and a saviour, was able to give it, and which none but a divine person is able to do. The Jews have a saying (b) of

"shepherds, collectors of taxes and "publicans", תשובתן קשה, "that their repentance is difficult".''

Now, since this was the end of his coming into the world, his conduct in conversing with publicans and sinners was in all respects highly to be justified.

(a) T. Bab. Succa, fol. 5. 1. & Sanhedrim, fol. 86. 1. Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora pr. neg. 116. Vid. Maimon. Hilchot Melachim, c. 5. sect. 11. (b) T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 94. 3.