Jesus' Calling of "Sick" Disciples

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Jesus' Calling of "Sick" Disciples

Mark 2:13-17

Walt Russell

 

 

The Jewish Rabbis' List of the Structure of the National Jewish Community*

Legitimate Descent Families

  1. Priests
  2. Levites
  3. (Full) Israelites

Slightly blemished Illegitimate Descent

  1. Illegitimate children of priests

(impaired stock)

  1. Proselytes
  2. Freedmen

Gravely blemished Ancestry

  1. Bastards
  2. Temple slaves
  3. Fatherless
  4.  Foundlings (abandoned infants)

 

The Jewish Rabbis' List of Despised Trades (that increasingly defile the tradespersons)

  1. Gambler with dice
  2. Usurer (lender/banker)
  3. Pigeon-trainer
  4. Dealer in produce of the sabbatical year
  5. Herdsmen (i.e., shepherds)
  6. *Tax-collectors
  7. Publicans

(also included in 3 other rabbinical lists)

Shopkeeper

Physician

Butcher

Barber

Launderer

Bath-attendant

*From Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus (Fortress Press, 1969) 271-72; next chart from pg. 304.

 

 

Mark 2:13-14  Out of all those in the multitude who were following Jesus, He calls Levi (likely surnamed "Matthew") the tax-collector to follow Him!

Mark 2:15-17  Jesus' calling of Matthew as a disciple opens the door to many of Matthew's tax-gathering colleagues to follow and dine with Jesus.

 

(2:15)  Eating with people in their home is very significant for multiple reasons.

 

(2:16)  The Pharisees & their theologians question Jesus' disciples about Jesus' "defiling"behavior.

 

(2:17)  Jesus validates eating with "defiled" people & His choice of "defiled" disciples by giving a proverbial statement ("the healthy don't need the physician, but the sick") an ironic twist.

 

 

The Significance of Jesus' Choices to us

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