The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 403

to a m1m in a modern connting-house or tax-collector's office. Probably the special duty of Matthew (or Levi) was to collect tolls from the fisheries on the lake, and from tbe merchants travelling southward from Damascus. Very possibly he was one of the higher officials, and his subordinates did the actMl work, and would continue to do it when he went away.· Compare the grades of officials in a modern custom- house. If Matthew was alone, we have only to think of an open shed, which shaded him from the sun. He would have his money upon his person, and he would not be likely to leave it in the shed. Van Lennep tells us that" some articles of produce are taxod as they are brought into the town. A booth of branches, or a more substantial hut, is erected at every entrance into tbe city or village, and there, both day and night, sits a man at the 'receipt of custom.' He taxes all the produce, piercing with a long, sharp iron rod the large camel-bags of wheat or cotton, in order to discover concealed copper wire or other contraband.'' Tbis leaving the custom-house should be compared with leaving the fishing, by the sons of Jona and Zebedee. How far it involved a surrender of bis means of living we are not told. I. MAKING SURRENDER AB CHRIST MAY REQUIRE. Here Christ called for an immediate following, which involved leaving at once Matthew's ordinary occupation. Compare the cases of would-be disciples given in eh. viii. 19-22. Those men could not surrender just as Christ required. Matthew could, and did. We are sure that Christ requires (1) the surrender of everything that is positively evil; (2) the surrender of everything that would hinder full service; (3) the surrender of everything that cannot be carried over and used in Christ's kingdom. It is not to be thought representative that our Lord required some disciples to leave their avocations. He may still do so, but the usual rule is, "Let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God." II. MAKING SURRENDER AS OUR OWN HEARTS MAY IMPEL us. This is illustrated in the feast which Levi made of his own free will. Christ made no demand for that surrender. If a man be true-hearted, the limitations under which he will put himself may be more severe and searching than any under which Christ puts him.-R. T. Ver. 11.- Our Lord's chosen associates. "Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?" Tbe speakers were Pharisees; they were not guests, they were only watchers. Such feasts are very open and free, and persons are s.llowed to come in, and even to take part in the conversation, who do not share in the food. An Eastern traveller says, "In the room where we were received, besides the divan on which we sat, there were seats all round the walls. Many came in and took their place on those side-seats, uninvited and unchallenged. They spoke to those at table on business, or the news of the day, and our host spoke freely to them." 'l'hese Pharisees were very particular about the company they kept, and especially about the persons with whom they ate. They represent the mischievous influence of class-feeling. They do more than that. They represent the loss of power which all men must suffer who make themselves, their feelings, their preferences, the first consideration. I. OuR LORD DID NOT 0HOOSE RIB ABSO0IATES DE0AUSE HE LIKED THEM. Tbat may be a proper ground on which to select our private friends. It is not proper for one who has the trust of power which he is to use. Whether he likes it or not, tbat man must find the sphere in which he can best use his powers. No man ever did really noble work in the world until he learned to put his likes on one side, and just do his duty. But such a man is almost sure to find that a new set of likes grows up round his duty. The refined person does not like rough and rude associations. And the folk that Christ companied with could not have been very pleasing to him. Tho elegsncies and proprieties and gentlenesses of refined society would have suited him better; and we can quite imagine the circle he would have preferred, II. OUR LORD 0HOSE BIB ASSO0IATES IN ORDER TO DO THJrn GOOD. Ho chose them as a teacher chooses bis class, he seeks those who need bis teaching. As a doctor chooses his patients,'he seeks those who need healing. As a :saviour chooses his subjects, he seeks sinners, who need delivering from their sins. Mrs. Fry, for her own sske, would bsve sought and enjoyed cultivated society. Mrs. Fry, with I\ conscious power of ministry, sought out the miserable and degraded prisoners. Accord- ing to our trust we must choose our associates. If we were here on earth only to en;'oy, wo might properly prefer luxurious Pharisees; but seeing we are here to stand rno THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. M:A.'l'THEW. [OH, IX, 1-88.