NOTES for Mat 9:9-13

Every believer would consider it shameful to do what the future apostle Matthew does: collect taxes for the occupying Roman authorities. Nevertheless, the Lord calls such a man to be an apostle. Matthew himself emphasizes in his Gospel that this was not an isolated case, and the evangelist Luke also testifies to it. This is important because, according to the logic of religious psychology followed by the Pharisees, Christ should have called only those who had devoted their whole lives to religion: Pharisees and scribes, theorists and practitioners of piety. Some of them do indeed become His disciples, but they are few.

For the most part, the Lord calls ordinary people who are accustomed to working constantly and do not claim social importance or spiritual authority. Of course, as the evangelist John writes, the Lord had no need for anyone to testify to Him about a person, for He Himself saw into the human heart. Of course, He calls those who are ready and able to answer His call. Yet perhaps the fact that these are mostly ordinary people tells us something important about the essence of Christian faith: it concerns practical life first and contemplation only afterward.