by Jilene Scherenske
Matthew’s First Action After Salvation – the Feast
Matthew’s salvation is recorded in Luke 5:27-28. 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. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. What a marvelous salvation it was! “And he left all, rose up, and followed him.” Wow! Matthew left it all. He walked away from his table of gain and immediately followed Jesus! Imagine the people in line waiting to be taxed. How stumped they must have been. The tax collector just walked away! Matthew left all that profit behind. He also left behind all his greed, all his longing for more stuff, all his love for riches. All his cravings. He simply walked away from all of it! Immediately! Amazing! It is obvious that God had indeed been working on his soul for this transformation to occur so quickly.
In the very next verse we see evidence of his salvation. He throws a huge party! Look who is on his guest list – other despised tax collectors! Lu 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. Most likely the only friends Matthew had were coworkers or others of the same trade. Since tax collectors were so despised, they had no other friends! Matthew is so joyous over his newfound faith that he must tell his buddies. We see the proof of his wealth in that he threw a huge feast, the Bible calls it a “great feast” and “a great company”. The Greek word for ‘great’ is megas. In other words, a mega feast. He spared no amount of lavishness in this feast. The second ‘great’ (“great company”) means that there was an abundance of people there indicating that Matthew’s home was big enough to entertain a large crowd. The tax collectors must have come from far and wide since it was such a great crowd. The verse calls the guests “publicans and sinners”, so I wonder what other professions were also there? Harlots? Yes! One commentator says it was a multitude of social outcasts, the scum of society, greedy, money-hungry men, deceivers, liars. It might be compared to some gangster today, some hoodlum, inviting all of the robbers, thieves, prostitutes, and the like to his home for a huge party! But look Who the Guest of honor is sitting at the head of the table. It is Jesus! Matthew was now experiencing such joy, such peace, such forgiveness that he wanted to tell all his buddies, everyone he knew about Jesus! He spares no expense. He does not limit the guest list. Matthew wanted to see every one of them saved! I wonder how many of that crowd followed after Jesus because of that feast? Mark 2:15 records that “…there were many, and they followed him.” Matthew’s transformation alone would have convinced them. Perhaps his testimony is one reason why this group of scoundrels continued to draw near to Jesus for ten chapters later in Luke they are still seeking Jesus. Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. Lu 15:1 Indeed, many of these social outcasts indeed found salvation in Jesus. Look what Jesus says in Matthew 21:28-32: But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
Remember the parable of the publican and the sinner? One prayed pridefully that he was glad he was not like the publican. But the publican bowed himself humbly and begged God for mercy. I have never thought of the publican as a tax collector, but he was! Yes, it was a parable, but easily could have been an actual event of a tax collector seeking Jesus’ forgiveness! Remember, he had to stand “afar off” because, as a tax collector he was not permitted into the temple, he could only go as far as the Gentiles could enter. So there is great evidence that many tax collectors and other sinners were saved. I have to wonder if the publicans and harlots that believed in Jesus, as we just read in Luke 15:32, came to Jesus because of Matthew’s testimony?
Let us not forget that the disciples were also present at this party.This feast happened quickly after Matthew’s salvation.The disciples must have been reeling.Now Matthew was a part of their group!This was their hated tax collector!!What must they have thought as they found themselves a part of this party that was nothing but sinners and hated tax collectors?Were they uncomfortable?Yet there was Jesus accepting these sinners just like He had accepted each one of the disciples.What a testimony Jesus’ love and forgiveness must have been to these disciples!