T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
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JULY 29, 1923 MATTHEW THE PUBLICAN Golden Text: “ I am not com e'to call th e righteous hu t sinners.” Lu. 5:32. LESSON TEXT Mt. 9:9-13; Lu. 5:27, 28. (Read Mk. 2:13-22; and the Gospel of Matthew.) Devotibnal Reading.-—Is. 55:1-7. Time.—May or Jun e A. D. 29. Outline: (D Matthew Found and Following, v. 9. (2) Pharisees and Scribes: Public ans and Sinners, vs. 10-13. (3) F asting Through F ear and F easting Through Favor, v. 14. (4) Vanishing Shadows and Visible Substance, vs. 15, 16. Introduction: Place.— Capernaum . Matthew was a tax-gatherer for the Roman government and his place of business was no doubt a t th e Sea of Galilee. In order to become a publican, to quote one w riter, “ one had 'to sell his country.” He was really a repre sentative of Rome.
The position was a hated one. The publican was looked upon as a hireling, an efiemy to his own people, a man w ithout a country and w ithout con science. He had no doubt been well ac quainted w ith Peter, Jam es and John, for he collected taxes from them . Jesus, passing his place of business one day, and seeing him a t his desk, called him, “Follow me,” and “he forsook all and followed him .” W hat did he leave? A hatefu l oc^ cupation which subjected him to th e contempt of his countrymen. W h at did he gain? The high honor of being one of th e chosen apostles b f th e Lord Jesus Christ, th e privilege of w riting th e Gospel which bears his name. He manifested the genuineness of his con version by his in stan t ob,edience to the call of Jesus, by his submission, his hum ility, his generosity. (2) PHARISEES A N D SCRIBES: PUBLICANS AND SINNERS. “The Pharisees * * * said * * * Why eateth your Master w ith publicans and sinners?” Luke tells us th a t following Mat thew ’s call, he made a g reat feast in his own house for th e Lord. Imagine the scene,&M atthew , the host, publi cans and sinners, th e guests; Jesus th e chief guest; Pharisees and Scribes look ing on. No g reater con trast could be imag- ened th a n is h ere presented between
The Lesson Committee have suggest ed a lesson on th e life and character of Matthew, which is a little strange, as th ere are h u t five allusions to Mat thew in th e Bihle, LESSON viz: Matt. 9:9-13; EXPOSITION Luke 5:27-32 (which T. C. H o rton corresponds to Matt. 9 :9 ) and th ree times where his name is mentioned together w ith th e o ther apostles,—Matt. 10:3; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:3. All th a t we know of him is found in Matt. 9:9-13, (which tells of th e feast he made for Jesus) and th e Gospel of Matthew itself. Of course it would he impossible in th e sho rt period allowed for teaching th e lesson, to attem p t any exposition of the en tire Gospel of Mat thew ; h u t th ere is an opportunity to give some definite, helpful, and greatly needed lessons from the passage chosen. (1) MATTHEW FOUND AND FOLr LOWING. “Follow me. * * * And he * * * followed him .” Matthew is th e Jew ish name of Levi, th e Galilean. It was customary for men to have two names, as Saul, who became P au l; Simon, who became Peter. Matthew probably assumed th a t name when he became a follower of Jesus.
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