New Life

Jesus has just done something extraordinary in the presence of the religious leaders of Judaism (5:17). He had done what God alone can do (5:21). He had forgiven sins (5:20). In today’s passage, Jesus is going to effectually call a person named Levi to follow Him. Everyone would have agreed that Levi was in the group of the worst of the worst when it came to being a sinner. Basically, Jesus moves from proclaiming he can forgive sins to immediately freeing the heart of the person known as the worst sinner. He is going to give him a new and fresh life by the power of His word, while the old religious leaders are going to take up an old issue.