Day 16 : Mark 2:13-17

Read Mark 2:13-17 

Helpful Background Information: 

• In Mark 2:13-17, Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow Him. Tax collectors were seen as traitors and extortionists, working for the oppressive Roman government and profiting from overcharging their fellow Jews. Despite Levi’s reputation, Jesus invites him to be a disciple. Levi responds immediately, leaving behind his lucrative but corrupt career to follow Jesus.

• Later, Jesus eats at Levi’s house, surrounded by other tax collectors and sinners. In the ancient world, sharing a meal symbolized friendship and acceptance, making this act shocking to the Pharisees, who prided themselves on avoiding contact with sinners. When confronted by the Pharisees, Jesus responds, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” His words reveal the essence of His ministry: to seek and save those who recognize their need for Him. 

Reflection Questions: 

• Jesus intentionally sought out Levi, a tax collector despised by society. Who in my life might Jesus be calling me to reach out to?

• Levi left his old life to follow Jesus. Is there anything Jesus might be asking you to leave behind to follow Him more closely?

• Jesus saw the spiritual “sickness” in those He dined with and addressed it. How can I balance extending grace while also lovingly addressing sin in others?

• Do I struggle to admit my spiritual sickness or my need for Jesus’s healing? What fears or barriers keep me from being honest about my need for Him?