Mark § 8
3d Saturday of Lent
And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ κατακεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοί, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.
И҆ бы́сть возлежа́щꙋ є҆мꙋ̀ въ домꙋ̀ є҆гѡ̀, и҆ мно́зи мытари̑ и҆ грѣ̑шницы возлежа́хꙋ со і҆и҃сомъ и҆ со ᲂу҆чн҃ки̑ є҆гѡ̀: бѧ́хꙋ бо мно́зи, и҆ по не́мъ и҆до́ша.
And it happened that as He reclined in the house, many tax collectors, etc. The evangelist Luke writes that Levi held a great banquet for Him in his house, which aptly aligns with the figures of mysteries. For whoever receives Christ in the inner residence is nourished with the greatest delights of overflowing pleasures. Thus, the Lord willingly enters and reclines in the affection of the one who has believed. And this is the spiritual banquet of good works, at which the rich people are in need, and the poor feast. Tax collectors, as their name even shows, are called those who collect public taxes or those who are contractors of the treasury's taxes or public goods, as well as those who pursue the profits of this world through businesses, are designated by the same term. Therefore, the tax collector, having seen that by turning from sins to better things, he found a place of repentance, and for that reason, they also do not despair of salvation. Neither do the tax collectors who come to Jesus remain in their former vices, as the Pharisees and scribes, who grumble, but they repent, as the subsequent statement of the evangelist indicates, saying: "For there were many who also followed Him." The Lord, however, went to the banquets of sinners so that He might have the opportunity to teach and offer spiritual food to His hosts. Finally, even though they often describe Him going to a banquet, nothing else is reported except what He did or taught there, so that both the humility of the Lord in going to sinners and the power of His teaching in the conversion of penitents are demonstrated.
On the Gospel of Mark(in Marc. i. 12) The persons here called publicans are those who exact the public customs, or men who farm the customs of the exchequer or of republics; moreover, those also, who follow after the gain of this world by business, are called by the same name. They who had seen that the publican, converted from his sins to better things, had found a place of pardon, even for this reason themselves also do not despair of salvation. And they come to Jesus, not remaining in their former sins, as the Pharisees and Scribes complain, but in penitence, as the following words of the Evangelist show, saying, For there were many who followed him. For the Lord went to the feasts of sinners, that he might have an opportunity of teaching them, and might set before his entertainers spiritual meats, which also is carried on in mystical figures. For he who receives Christ into his inward habitation is fed with the highest delights of overflowing pleasures. Therefore the Lord enters willingly, and takes up His abode in the affection of him who hath believed on Him; and this is the spiritual banquet of good works, which the rich cannot have, and on which the poor feast.
Catena Aurea by AquinasNor would the name of publicans have been so execrable in the eyes of the Lord, unless as being a "strange" name,-a (name) of such as put up the pathways of the very sky, and earth, and sea, for sale. Moreover, when (the writer) adjoins "sinners" to "publicans," it does not follow that he shows them to have been Jews, albeit some may possibly have been so; but by placing on a par the one genus of heathens-some sinners by office, that is, publicans; some by nature, that is, not publicans-he has drawn a distinction between them.
On ModestyAnd when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες αὐτὸν ἐσθίοντα μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἔλεγον τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· τί ὅτι μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει;
И҆ кни́жницы и҆ фарїсе́є, ви́дѣвше є҆го̀ ꙗ҆дꙋ́ща съ мытари̑ и҆ грѣ̑шники, глаго́лахꙋ ᲂу҆чн҃кѡ́мъ є҆гѡ̀: что̀ ꙗ҆́кѡ съ мытари̑ и҆ грѣ̑шники ꙗ҆́стъ и҆ пїе́тъ;
And the scribes and Pharisees seeing that he was eating with sinners, etc. If through Matthew's choosing and calling the faith of the publicans is expressed of the gentiles, who first coveted the gain of the world, but now are refreshed with the Lord at the feast of charity and with diligent devotion of good works, surely the pride of the scribes and Pharisees indicates the envy of the Jews, troubled about the salvation of the gentiles. He speaks to them: Amen I say to you, that the publicans and prostitutes will precede you into the kingdom of God.—Hearing this Jesus said to them: The healthy do not need a physician, but those who are ill. For I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. He reproaches the scribes and Pharisees, who, thinking themselves righteous, shunned the company of sinners. He calls himself a physician, who by a marvelous kind of healing was wounded for our iniquities, and by his bruises we are healed (Isaiah 53). Moreover, he calls healthy and righteous those who, ignorant of God's righteousness, and wanting to establish their own, have not subjected themselves to the righteousness of God (Romans 10); who, presuming on the law, do not seek the grace of the Gospel. Furthermore, he calls the ill and sinners those who, overcome by the consciousness of their fragility, and seeing that they cannot be justified by the law, submit their necks to the grace of Christ by repenting.
On the Gospel of Mark(ubi sup.) If by the election of Matthew and calling of the publicans, the faith of the Gentiles is expressed, who formerly were intent on the gains of this world; certainly the haughtiness of the Scribes and Pharisees intimates the envy of the Jewish people, who are vexed at the salvation of the Gentiles. It goes on: When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick. He aims at the Scribes and Pharisees, who, thinking themselves righteous, refused to keep company with sinners. He calls Himself the physician, Who, by a strange mode of healing, was wounded on account of our iniquities, and by His wound we are healed. And He calls those whole and righteous, who, wishing to establish their own righteousness, are not subject to the righteousness of God. Moreover He calls those rich and sinners, who, overcome by the consciousness of their own frailty, and seeing that they cannot be justified by the Law, submit their necks to the grace of Christ by repentance. Wherefore it is added, For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, &c.
Catena Aurea by AquinasWhen Jesus is attacked for mixing with sinners, and taking as his disciple a despised tax collector, one might ask: What could he possibly gain by doing so? Only the salvation of sinners. To blame Jesus for mingling with sinners would be like blaming a physician for stooping down over suffering and putting up with vile smells in order to heal the sick.
ORATION 45, ON HOLY EASTER 26And the Pharisees begin to blame the Lord, presenting themselves, of course, as pure people. But the Lord said to this: "I have come to call not the righteous," that is, you who justify yourselves (He says this by way of mocking them), "but sinners," to call them, however, not so that they might remain sinners, but "to repentance," that is, so that they might turn back. "To repentance," He said, lest you think that by calling sinners He does nothing to reform them.
Commentary on MarkBut the Pharisees blame this, making themselves pure. Whence there follows: And when the Scribes and Pharisees saw him eat, &c.
Not indeed that they should continue sinners, but be converted to that repentance.
Catena Aurea by AquinasWhen Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς· οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ, ἀλλ᾿ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες· οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν.
И҆ слы́шавъ і҆и҃съ гл҃а и҆̀мъ: не тре́бꙋютъ здра̑вїи врача̀, но болѧ́щїи: не прїидо́хъ призва́ти првⷣники, но грѣ́шники на покаѧ́нїе.
By those who are well he means those being made righteous. Sinners are compared to those who are ill. Let the sick man, then, not presume on his own strength, because "he shall not be saved by his great strength." The strength of self-deceivers is not that strength that well people enjoy, but like those in delirium. They are like those out of their minds, who imagine themselves in such good health that they do not consult a physician, and even fall upon him with blows as if he were an intruder! In the same way, these delirious people, with their mad pride, fall upon Christ with blows, so to speak, because they have felt no need of his kindly help to those who seek to be just according to the prescriptions of the law. Let them, then, put away this madness. Let them understand, as far as they are able, that they have free will, and that they are called not to despise the Lord's help with a proud heart, but to call upon him with a contrite heart. The free will then will be free in proportion as it is sound, and sound in proportion as it is submissive to divine mercy and grace.
LETTER 157, TO HILARIUSPray for us that we may be saved by that salvation of which it is said: "They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill; for I am not come to call the just but sinners." Pray, then, for us that we may be made upright. This is indeed something which one cannot do unless he knows and wishes it; and he will become so as constantly as he wishes it fully—but it will not be through his own effort that he is able, unless he is healed and helped by the grace of the Spirit.
LETTER 145, TO ANASTASIUSThe greatest barrier I have met is the almost total absence from the minds of my audience of any sense of sin. This has struck me more forcibly when I spoke to the R.A.F. than when I spoke to students: whether (as I believe) the proletariat is more self-righteous than other classes, or whether educated people are cleverer at concealing their pride, this creates for us a new situation. The early Christian preachers could assume in their hearers, whether Jews, Metuentes, or Pagans, a sense of guilt. (That this was common among Pagans is shown by the fact that both Epicureanism and the mystery religions both claimed, though in different ways, to assuage it.) Thus the Christian message was in those days unmistakably the Evangelium, the Good News. It promised healing to those who knew they were sick. We have to convince our hearers of the unwelcome diagnosis before we can expect them to welcome the news of the remedy.
God in the Dock, from God in the DockA recovery of the old sense of sin is essential to Christianity. Christ takes it for granted that men are bad. Until we really feel this assumption of His to be true, though we are part of the world He came to save, we are not part of the audience to whom His words are addressed. We lack the first condition for understanding what He is talking about. And when men attempt to be Christians without this preliminary consciousness of sin, the result is almost bound to be a certain resentment against God as to one who is always making impossible demands and always inexplicably angry. Most of us have at times felt a secret sympathy with the dying farmer who replied to the Vicar's dissertation on repentance by asking "What harm have I ever done Him?" There is the real rub. The worst we have done to God is to leave Him alone--why can't He return the compliment? Why not live and let live? What call has He, of all beings, to be "angry"? It's easy for Him to be good!
The Problem of Pain, Chapter 4: Human Wickedness[Lewis explains why he spent the prior chapters establishing the Moral Law before introducing Christianity]
My reason was that Christianity simply does not make sense until you have faced the sort of facts I have been describing. Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness. It therefore has nothing (as far as I know) to say to people who do not know they have done anything to repent of and who do not feel that they need any forgiveness. It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk. When you know you are sick, you will listen to the doctor. When you have realised that our position is nearly desperate you will begin to understand what the Christians are talking about.
Mere Christianity, Book 1, Chapter 5: We Have Cause to be UneasyThere is even, when you come to think it over, a reason why nasty people might be expected to turn to Christ in greater numbers than nice ones. That was what people objected to about Christ during His life on earth: He seemed to attract 'such awful people'. That is what people still object to and always will.
Mere Christianity, Book 4, Chapter 10: Nice People or New MenThey who use the knife or heat to remove certain unnatural growths in the body, such as cysts or warts, do not bring to the person they are serving a method of healing that is painless, though certainly they apply the knife without any intention of injuring the patient. Similarly whatever material excrescences are hardening on our souls, which have been made carnal by collusion with inordinate passions, will be, in the day of the judgment, cut and scraped away by the ineffable wisdom and power of him who, as the Gospel says, "healed those that were sick." For as he says, "they who are well have no need of the physician, but they that are sick." Just as the excision of the wart gives a sharp pain to the skin of the body, so then must there be some anguish in the recovering soul which has had a strong bent to evil.
THE GREAT CATECHISM 8For no persons of any kind would act properly, if they should advise blind men, just about to fall over a precipice, to continue their most dangerous path, as if it were the right one, and as if they might go on in safety. Or what medical man, anxious to heal a sick person, would prescribe in accordance with the patient's whims, and not according to the requisite medicine? But that the Lord came as the physician of the sick, He does Himself declare saying, "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." How then shall the sick be strengthened, or how shall sinners come to repentance? Is it by persevering in the very same courses? or, on the contrary, is it by undergoing a great change and reversal of their former mode of living, by which they have brought upon themselves no slight amount of sickness, and many sins? But ignorance, the mother of all these, is driven out by knowledge. Wherefore the Lord used to impart knowledge to His disciples, by which also it was His practice to heal those who were suffering, and to keep back sinners from sin. He therefore did not address them in accordance with their pristine notions, nor did He reply to them in harmony with the opinion of His questioners, but according to the doctrine leading to salvation, without hypocrisy or respect of person.
Against Heresies Book IIIThere are two ways of interpreting the saying "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." The first is by analogy with the accompanying phrase: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." The other way is to put a more literal construction on the statement, like this: Since no one is perfectly righteous, Christ has not come to call those who are not there, but the multitudes of sinners who are there, with whom the world is filled, remembering the Psalm which says "Help, O Lord, for there is no longer any one who is godly."
Against the Pelagians 2.12Quite true, say they; yet the flesh is a sinner, so much so, that it forces the soul to sin along with it. And thus they vainly accuse it, and lay to its charge alone the sins of both. But in what instance can the flesh possibly sin by itself, if it have not the soul going before it and inciting it? For as in the case of a yoke of oxen, if one or other is loosed from the yoke, neither of them can plough alone; so neither can soul or body alone effect anything, if they be unyoked from their communion. And if it is the flesh that is the sinner, then on its account alone did the Saviour come, as He says, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Since, then, the flesh has been proved to be valuable in the sight of God, and glorious above all His works, it would very justly be saved by Him.
On the Resurrection - Fragments, Chapter VIIIIt is a greater work to establish those things that are falling than those that still stand. Thus also did Christ desire to save those who are perishing. He has saved many by coming and calling us just when we were hastening to destruction.
2 CLEMENT
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Καὶ παράγων εἶδε Λευῒν τὸν τοῦ Ἀλφαίου, καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· ἀκολούθει μοι. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ·
И҆ мимогрѧды́й ви́дѣ леѵі́ю а҆лфе́ова, сѣдѧ́ща на мы́тницѣ, и҆ гл҃а є҆мꙋ̀: по мнѣ̀ грѧдѝ. И҆ воста́въ в̾слѣ́дъ є҆гѡ̀ и҆́де.
Jesus found him sitting in the tax collector's place, with his stubborn intellect avid for temporal gain. His new name was Matthew, the gospel says. The name Matthew in Hebrew means "granted" in Latin, a name aptly corresponding to one who received the favor of heavenly grace.
Homilies on the Gospels 1.21By "follow" he meant not so much the movement of feet as of the heart, the carrying out of a way of life. For one who says that he lives in Christ ought himself to walk just as he walked, not to aim at earthly things, not to pursue perishable gains, but to flee base praise, to embrace willingly the contempt of all that is worldly for the sake of heavenly glory, to do good to all, to inflict injuries upon no one in bitterness, to suffer patiently those injuries that come to oneself, to ask God's forgiveness for those who oppress, never to seek one's own glory but always God's, and to uphold whatever helps one love heavenly things. This is what is meant by following Christ. In this way, disregarding earthly gains, Matthew attached himself to the band of followers of One who had no riches. For the Lord himself, who outwardly called Matthew by a word, inwardly bestowed upon him the gift of an invisible impulse so that he was able to follow.
Homilies on the Gospels 1.21And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, etc. At the custom house, he says to the care and duty of collecting taxes; for τέλος in Greek is called tax in Latin: moreover, the same Levi is also Matthew. But Luke and Mark, out of respect and honor for the evangelist, did not want to put the well-known name. However, Matthew himself, according to what is written, a righteous man is his own accuser: in the beginning of his discourse, he names himself Matthew and a publican; to show those reading that no one who is converted should despair of salvation, since from being a publican he was suddenly changed into an apostle, from a tax collector into an evangelist.
On the Gospel of MarkAnd rising, he followed him. In the Gospel of Luke, it is written more fully: And leaving all, he rose and followed him (Luke 5). Therefore Matthew, understanding what it truly means to follow the Lord, leaves all things and follows. To follow indeed is to imitate. And so, in order to follow the poor Christ not so much in steps as in affection, he left what was his own, who was accustomed to seizing what belonged to others. And giving us a perfect form of renunciation of the world, he not only left the profits of taxes but also disregarded the danger that could come from the leaders of the world, because he left the accounts of the taxes unfinished and disordered. For he was led by such a great desire to follow the Lord that he retained no regard or thought for this life at all. Indeed, the Lord himself, who outwardly called him with human speech to follow him, inwardly kindled him with divine inspiration to follow immediately when called, and he taught invisibly how it ought to be followed. On account of this, he rightly became a faithful steward of the Lord's talents while abandoning human affairs with disdain.
On the Gospel of Mark(i. 11. in Marc.) So also the same person is called Levi and Matthew; but Luke and Mark, on account of their reverence and the honour of the Evangelist, are unwilling to put the common name, while Matthew is a just accuser of himself, (Prov. 18. Vulg.) and calls himself Matthew and publican. He wishes to show to his hearers that no one who is converted should despair of his salvation, since he himself was suddenly changed from a publican into an Apostle. But he says that he was sitting at the 'teloneum,' that is, the place where the customs are looked after and administered. For 'telos' in Greek is the same as 'vectigal,' customs, in Latin.
Catena Aurea by Aquinas(ubi sup.) Now to follow is to imitate, and therefore in order to imitate the poverty of Christ, in the feeling of his soul even more than in outward condition, he who used to rob his neighbour's wealth, now leaves his own. And not only did he quit the gain of the customs, but he also despised the peril, which might come from the princes of this world, because he left the accounts of the customs imperfect and unsettled. For the Lord Himself, Who externally, by human language, called Him to follow, inflamed him inwardly by divine inspiration to follow Him the moment that He called him.
Catena Aurea by AquinasThe Apostle Matthew, if you consider his former life, did not leave a holy occupation, but came from those consumed with tax-gathering and overreaching one another.
PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5(non occ.) Now this is the same publican who is named by all the Evangelists; Matthew by Matthew; simply Levi by Luke; and Levi, the son of Alphæus, by Mark; for he was the son of Alphæus. And you may find persons with two names in other parts of Scripture; as Moses' father in law is sometimes called Jethro, sometimes Raguel.
Catena Aurea by AquinasThus then Levi, which means Appointed, followed from the custom-house of human affairs, the Word, Who says, He who doth not quit all that he has, cannot be my disciple.
Catena Aurea by AquinasDo you hesitate about arts, and trades, and about professions likewise, for the sake of children and parents? Even there was it demonstrated to us, that both "dear pledges," and handicrafts, and trades, are to be quite left behind for the Lord's sake; while James and John, called by the Lord, do leave quite behind both father and ship; while Matthew is roused up from the toll-booth; while even burying a father was too tardy a business for faith.
On IdolatryHowever, He departed from there as well, and along the way He caught Levi-Matthew. He who is now called Levi by Mark is Matthew, for he had two names. Therefore Luke and Mark, concealing his real name, call him Levi. But he himself is not ashamed; on the contrary, he openly says of himself: Jesus saw Matthew the tax collector (Mt. 9:9). So too let us not be ashamed to reveal our sins. Levi was sitting at the tax booth, occupied, as was his duty, either with collecting taxes from someone, or with drawing up accounts, or with something else that tax collectors usually did at their places of business. But now he proved so zealous for Christ that, leaving everything, he followed Him, and in great joy invited many to a meal.
Commentary on MarkThe Lord passing on from thence called Matthew; wherefore there follows, And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting, &c.
For he sat at the receipt of custom, either, as is often done, exacting from some, or making up accounts, (λογοπραγῶν apud Theo.) or doing some actions of that sort, which publicans are wont to do in their abodes, yea this man, who was raised on high from this state of life that he might leave all things and follow Christ. Wherefore it goes on, And he saith to him, Follow me, &c.
But he who used to plot against others becomes so benevolent, that he invites many persons to eat with him. Wherefore it goes on; And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at meat in his house.
Catena Aurea by Aquinas