Matthew 9:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

NIV: As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

NASB: As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s office; and He *said to him, 'Follow Me!' And he got up and followed Him.

CSB: As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the toll booth, and he said to him, "Follow me," and he got up and followed him.

NLT: As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. 'Follow me and be my disciple,' Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

KJV: And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

NKJV: As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

Tax collectors are rarely beloved, in any country, or any era of history. Jewish tax collectors in the time of Christ worked for the occupying Roman government, so they were especially hated in Israel. If that were not enough, tax collectors commonly took more than was required by the Romans in order to pay themselves. This meant tax collectors were frequently much wealthier than most Jewish citizens, who were just barely getting by day by day. The typical stereotype of a tax collector, in that time, was that of a greedy, sinful, traitorous sinner.

Matthew, the man referenced in this verse, is writing this book. He was a tax collector. He does not mention himself until well after several of the other disciples have been introduced. His writing is often arranged by topic, not time, so it's likely he was called by Christ before some of the other stories he's told so far in this gospel. Some scholars believe he was present at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2), and possibly recording it word-for-word.

When Matthew does introduce himself, it is in the most low-key way possible. He describes Jesus walking by his tax booth and saying, simply, "Follow me." Matthew reports that he rose and followed Jesus. This may have taken place near Capernaum. Scholars suggest a tax booth may have been set up on the border there between two territories for the purpose of handling customs and excise taxes.

Matthew is sometimes called Levi in the books of Mark and Luke. Luke uses that name in describing this same moment, adding the detail that Levi left everything behind (Luke 5:27–28). Matthew and Mark both still list him as Matthew in various lists of disciples. It's unclear why Matthew/Levi was called by both names. One theory is that Matthew went by the name Levi, or was simply of the tribe of Levi, and was re-named by Jesus as Matthew upon his call.

Matthew 9:9–13 begins with Jesus calling Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him as His disciple. Soon, Jesus and His disciples are having dinner in Matthew's home with many tax collectors and others labelled as "sinners." In answer to a question from the Pharisees about why Jesus would eat with these people, He responds that the sick need a doctor, not the healthy. He tells the Pharisees to go learn the meaning of the Scripture in which God says that He desires mercy, not sacrifice. Jesus declares that He has come to call sinners, not the righteous.

Matthew 9 continues to show how Jesus authenticated His claims to be the Messiah by powerful miracles of healing and casting out demons. He heals a paralyzed man after telling the man his sins are forgiven. He calls Matthew to follow Him and eats dinner with Matthew and other tax collectors. He answers questions from Pharisees and others. A woman who touches His cloak is healed from a 12–year illness, and Jesus raises a dead girl back to life. He restores sight to blind men and speech to one who is demon oppressed. He is filled with compassion for the crowds.

Matthew 9 follows the same pattern of Matthew 8, showing through miraculous works of healing that Jesus is truly the Messiah. Christ forgives the sins of a paralyzed man and heals him. He calls Matthew to follow Him and eats with tax collectors and sinners. A woman is healed by touching His garment and a dead girl is given life by the touch of His hand. Two blind men see, and Jesus casts out a demon, restoring speech to its victim. Finally, Jesus declares that the harvest is plentiful and tells His followers to pray for workers. Chapter 10 builds on this compassion as Jesus commissions the Twelve to go and deliver His gospel to the people.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.