How many of you have ever played the game “One of These Things is Not Like The Other?”

Luke 5:27-30 NASB

27 After that He went out and looked at a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began following Him. 29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling to His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”

Matthew is not like the others…

Two types of tax collectors

1) The Gabbai (Tax Gatherers in General; income, property and poll-tax)

2) The Mokhes (custom-house officials; which include taxes on roads, buildings, import/export, sales tax, bridge-money, road-money, harbor-dues, town-dues, etc.)

The Vote is over, Jesus decided, nobody else got a vote if Matthew could join them.

John 17:20-21 NASB

20 “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, 21 that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.