Luke 5:27-32
Jesus calls sinners, eats with sinners, and came to bring sinners to repentance.
27 After these things he went out, and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow me!”
28 He left everything, and rose up and followed him.
29 Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them.
30 Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.
32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Jesus calls sinners, eats with sinners, and came to bring sinners to repentance.
Luke records Jesus calling Levi from the tax booth and defending table fellowship with tax collectors and sinners to reveal that his mission is not to affirm the self-righteous but to call sinners to repentance.
Following the forgiveness of the paralytic, Luke shows the social implications of grace. Conflict with religious authorities intensifies.
After publicly declaring forgiveness and healing the paralyzed man, Jesus sees Levi sitting at a tax booth and calls him to follow. Levi leaves everything, follows Jesus, and hosts a great banquet where many tax collectors and others are present. Pharisees and teachers of the law complain to Jesus’ disciples about table fellowship with sinners.
The Authority of Jesus to Call, Cleanse, Forgive, and Make New
Jesus' kingdom authority calls sinners to follow Him, cleanses the unclean, forgives the guilty, restores the broken, welcomes the repentant, and brings new life centered on His presence.