馬可福音2:13-17 Mark 2:13-17
- 馬克牧師
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
參考書目：每日靈糧天路系列 - 馬可福音讀經
呼召利未
（太9‧9－13；路5‧27－32）
13耶穌又出到海邊去，眾人都就了他來，他便教訓他們。 14耶穌經過的時候，看見亞勒腓的兒子利未坐在稅關上，就對他說：「你跟從我來。」他就起來，跟從了耶穌。 15耶穌在利未家裏坐席的時候，有好些稅吏和罪人與耶穌並門徒一同坐席；因為這樣的人多，他們也跟隨耶穌。 16法利賽人中的文士看見耶穌和罪人並稅吏一同吃飯，就對他門徒說：「他和稅吏並罪人一同吃喝嗎？」 17耶穌聽見，就對他們說：「康健的人用不着醫生，有病的人才用得着。我來本不是召義人，乃是召罪人。」
各位平安，我們今天要繼續來讀馬可福音第二章十三到十七節。這是一個非常美的故事，是耶穌呼召利未的過程——也就是後來《馬太福音》的作者，馬太。
經文說，耶穌又出到海邊。就在祂路過的時候，看見利未坐在稅關上。
其實在當時的加利利，這個地點非常關鍵。因為加利利位在一個重要的交通樞紐上，是歐洲通往非洲的陸地橋樑。所有陸路運輸，幾乎都會經過這裡，再抵達像家百農這樣的城市。所以加利利不只是一個城市，它同時也是一個重要的稅關。在當時，是由希律王的兩個兒子分別治理不同區域，而加利利正好落在交界的位置。也因此，所有進出邊境的貨物，都必須在這裡繳稅。
利未，也就是馬太，就是坐在這個稅關上的稅吏。而且他不是地方小官，他是直屬羅馬政府的，換句話說，他是中央國稅局派駐在地方的官員。但問題是——在那個時代，稅吏是一個非常不受歡迎的職業。
法律上，當然有規定什麼貨物該繳多少稅；可是實際執行的時候，稅率的裁量權幾乎都在稅吏手上。他們常常會多收，壓榨百姓，而多出來的部分，就進了自己的口袋。所以，稅吏是一個可以「很快賺大錢」的工作，但同時，也是被所有人 —— 包括自己的猶太同胞，甚至連羅馬人 —— 都嫌棄的職業。
在當時猶太人的社會觀念裡，妓女、殘疾、稅吏這些，都是被視為社會最底層的人。而那些所謂的「正統宗教人士」，像法利賽人這樣的高階宗教領袖，是絕對不可能跟這些人混在一起的。
——偏偏，耶穌就是在這樣的情況下，走到稅關前，看著利未，呼召了他。同樣這一段故事，其實也記載在《馬太福音》和《路加福音》裡面。我們看到，利未——也就是後來的馬太——在被耶穌呼召的時候，沒有任何猶豫。他沒有問問題，也沒有多做回應，經文裡就是一句話：他起來，就跟隨了耶穌。
你要知道，這樣的離開，並不是換一份工作那麼簡單。這等於是把自己原本最賺錢、最穩定的生財方式，一次全部放下。彼得和安德烈相對簡單，他們的工作是漁夫，如果跟隨耶穌行不通，他們頂多就是回去捕魚而已。但馬太不同，如果他今天離開，輕則可以被定爲辦事不立，被政府開除永不錄用，重的可以說是擅離職守，還有責罰要給他。而且他已經受到猶太同胞的厭惡和憎恨，如果跟隨耶穌是錯誤的，那麼他就萬劫不付了。而你也看到，馬太沒有猶豫的原因，很可能是因為：他已經良心不安很久了。這一份讓他賺大錢的工作，同時間也在天天責備他的良心，每一塊他賺到口袋的錢，每次拿出來花用的時候，他聽到的都是被榨取者的哭泣或咒詛。
當他選擇跟隨耶穌的那一天，我相信，那天晚上他一定睡得非常好——可能是他很久以來，第一次睡得那麼安穩。因為從那一刻開始，他不再需要用壓榨的方式對待自己的同胞，不再需要用不擇手段去累積財富。
從此以後，他一輩子都不會再像以前那樣有錢，甚至要一輩子窮困，受到迫害。但他碰到了救主，拯救他靈魂的那一位。所以我們今天知道馬太的名字。他的名字，被永遠地記載下來，就是馬太福音的作者。
這段故事，真的對我們很多人都非常有啟發。
是不是有很多人，其實也曾經「遇見過」耶穌？但卻用各種理由拒絕、推諉，或者說：「改天再說」、「等以後再信」。而正是這樣的猶豫與拖延，讓人一次又一次，與真理擦身而過。
在接下來的經文裡，我們也會看到那位「財主少年官」。他看起來非常清高，遵守律法，行為正直。但當耶穌邀請他變賣一切、來跟隨自己的時候，他猶豫了，然後轉身離開。
馬太卻不是這樣。他抓住了那一刻。
在耶穌還沒多說什麼的時候，他就立刻起來，彷彿跳起來一樣說：「耶穌，我跟你走。我什麼都不要了。」而這一個沒有猶豫的決定，徹底改變了他的一生。
所以，問題從來不是——「耶穌會不會接納我？」
真正的問題是——我願不願意承認，我需要祂。
法利賽人離耶穌很近，卻始終聽不懂祂的話；稅吏和罪人看起來很遠，卻在那一天，坐在耶穌的桌子旁邊。耶穌不是來找完美的人，祂來找的是願意承認自己不完美的人。
不是自認為義的人，而是知道自己有罪，需要祂醫治的人。今天，耶穌同樣站在我們面前。祂不是問你：「你夠不夠好？」祂只問一個問題：「你願不願意起來，跟我走？」
願我們都不要錯過，那一個改變一生的呼召。
今日反思：
1. 耶穌今日也在對你說，來跟從我，你可能需要放下什麼來回應他？
感謝你的聆聽，願上帝祝福你！
Peace be with you all.Today we continue our reading of Mark 2:13–17. This is a truly beautiful story—the account of how Jesus called Levi, who later became known as Matthew, the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
Scripture tells us that Jesus went out again by the sea. As He passed by, He saw Levi sitting at the tax booth.
At that time, Galilee was a critically important location. It sat at a major crossroads of trade, serving as a land bridge between Europe and Africa. Nearly all overland transportation passed through this region before reaching cities such as Capernaum. Therefore, Galilee was not merely a city; it was also a significant customs checkpoint. It lay on the border between territories governed by two of Herod’s sons, making it a strategic boundary region. As a result, all goods entering or leaving the area were required to pay taxes there.
Levi—also known as Matthew—was the tax collector stationed at this booth. He was not a minor local official; he worked directly for the Roman government. In modern terms, he was like an agent of the central tax authority assigned to a local post. And therein lay the problem—at that time, being a tax collector was one of the most despised professions.
Although tax laws existed specifying how much tax should be paid, in practice, tax collectors held great discretion. They often overcharged the people, exploiting them, and kept the excess for themselves. As a result, tax collecting was a fast way to become very wealthy—but it was also a profession hated by everyone, including their fellow Jews and even the Romans.
In Jewish society at the time, prostitutes, the disabled, and tax collectors were all considered the lowest of the low. So-called “religious elites,” such as the Pharisees, would never associate with people like these.
—And yet, it was precisely in this situation that Jesus walked up to the tax booth, looked at Levi, and called him.
This same story is also recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. We see that when Levi—later called Matthew—was called by Jesus, he showed no hesitation. He asked no questions and gave no explanation. Scripture simply says: he got up and followed Him.
This departure was not merely a career change. It meant abandoning the most profitable and secure source of income he had, all at once. For Peter and Andrew, following Jesus was relatively simpler—they were fishermen, and if things did not work out, they could always return to fishing. But Matthew was different. If he left his post, at best he could be dismissed by the government and permanently barred from service; at worst, he could be charged with dereliction of duty and face punishment. Moreover, he was already despised by his own people. If following Jesus turned out to be a mistake, he would have lost everything, with no way back.
Why, then, did Matthew not hesitate? Most likely because his conscience had been troubled for a long time. The very job that made him rich also condemned him daily. Every coin he put into his pocket, every time he spent that money, he could hear the cries and curses of those he had exploited.
On the day he chose to follow Jesus, I believe he slept very well that night—perhaps for the first time in a long time. From that moment on, he no longer needed to oppress his own people or use unscrupulous means to accumulate wealth.
From then on, he would never be rich again. He might even live a life of poverty and persecution. But he had encountered the Savior—the One who saved his soul. That is why we know Matthew’s name today. His name has been recorded forever as the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
This story is deeply challenging for many of us.
Have there not been many who have, in some way, encountered Jesus—yet responded with excuses, delays, or “maybe another day,” or “I’ll believe later”? And it is precisely this hesitation and postponement that causes people, again and again, to miss the truth.
Later in the Scriptures, we also read about the rich young ruler. He appeared upright, obedient to the law, and morally respectable. But when Jesus invited him to sell everything and follow Him, he hesitated—and then walked away.
Matthew did not do that.He seized the moment.
Before Jesus could say much more, Matthew rose immediately—almost as if he jumped up—and said, “Jesus, I will follow You. I will leave everything behind.” That decision, made without hesitation, completely changed his life.
So the real question has never been,“Will Jesus accept me?”
The real question is,“Am I willing to admit that I need Him?”
The Pharisees were physically close to Jesus, yet never truly understood Him. The tax collectors and sinners seemed far away, yet on that day, they were sitting at Jesus’ table.
Jesus did not come to call perfect people.He came to call those who are willing to admit they are not perfect.Not those who consider themselves righteous, but those who know they are sinners in need of healing.
Today, Jesus still stands before us.He is not asking, “Are you good enough?”He asks only one question:
“Are you willing to get up and follow Me?”
May we never miss that call—the call that changes a life.
Reflection for Today:
1. Jesus is calling you today to follow Him. What might you need to lay down in order to respond?
Thank you for listening.May God bless you.
Comments