(a) Highlight Jesus' encounter with Matthew, the tax collector. [9 marks (b) What three lessons can be drawn from the encounter in (a) above? [6 marks]

Answer Details

(a) Jesus' encounter with Matthew, the tax collector (Matthew 9:9-13; cf. Mark 2, Luke 5)

• As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew (also known as Levi) sitting at the tax office (the place of toll).
• Jesus said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew rose at once, left everything, and followed Him.
• Afterward Matthew made a great feast in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners came and sat at table with Jesus and His disciples.
• When the Pharisees saw this, they complained to His disciples, asking, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
• Hearing it, Jesus answered, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."
• He told them to go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice," and declared, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

(b) Three lessons from the encounter

1. Jesus calls all kinds of people, including outcasts and sinners, to follow Him; no one is beyond His grace.
2. True discipleship demands immediate and total response; Matthew left his lucrative work at once to follow Jesus.
3. Christ came to seek and save sinners and desires mercy rather than self-righteous judgement of others.