The Call of Levi
Wm. Austin. Mark 2:14-15 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said to him, Follow me… Well might he sit down here; for he had a great weight upon him, the burden of his covetousness, and the desires of gold, bred in him by the often traffic he had with it. Gold is heaviest of all metals; but it is made more heavy by covetousness. For it more oppresses the heart of him that loves it, than the back of him that bears it. And where was he sitting? At the receipt of custom. "If it be more blessed to give than to receive," certainly to be a receiver of extorted oppression from the grudging people must be no happy nor blessed thing. This customhouse was such. The receiving of custom breeds a custom of receiving; and that, a desire still to receive more; which desire worldly men will ever seek to satisfy, though with the oppression of their poor brethren. This made this place and office hateful to the people. "Publicans and sinners" went ever together in their mouths...Christ found him, as he was Levi, the publican; but looked on him, as he was Matthew, the apostle...He called him to an office much more gainful...where he should still be a receiver, and a gainer too; but not, as here, ten or fifteen per centum; but where one should "bring forth thirty, one sixty, one an hundred-fold." (Wm. Austin.) Parallel Verses KJV: And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. WEB: As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.