Section 47b
Banquet at Matthew's house
Capernaum
| Matthew 9:10-13 | Mark 2:15-17 | Luke 5:29-32 |
|---|---|---|
| 10Later, as Jesus reclined at the table in Matthew's house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why is your teacher eating with tax collectors and sinners?” | 15Later, as Jesus was reclining at the table in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners reclined with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16When the scribes and the Pharisees saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, “Why is he eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” | 29Then Levi gave a great banquet for Jesus in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others reclining at the table with them. 30But the scribes of the people and the Pharisees were grumbling at his disciples, saying, “Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” |
| 12When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “It is not the healthy who have need of a physician, but the sick. 13Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” | 17When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who have need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” | 31Jesus answered them, “It is not those who are well who have need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” |
Notes
Capernaum
Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ ministry, is no longer inhabited. Although abandoned after the Islamic conquest of the seventh century, the earthquake of 747 A.D. left the town desolate, and only remains are left. It was once a thriving town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. As you pass the vibrant colors of the bougainvillea, eucalyptus and palm trees at the entrance, you are reminded of the fertility of the soil and the mild climate.
Only part of the city lies within the walls of the Franciscan compound. To the east of the walls is another part of the city owned by the Greek Orthodox Church. Most of the city in which Jesus ministered lies unexcavated, eastward along the shore and northward toward the hills. You can see black basalt stones in the fields, indicating the remains of buildings below the soil. This lovely village, with its white limestone synagogue and black basalt houses, gives evidence of its prosperity over several centuries.