THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
FEASTING AND FASTING: Mt 9,9-17
By omitting Mk 2,13, Matthew has left out the crowd being taught by Jesus as the background to this call. The focus is now on Matthew and the call itself.
In verse 9, Jesus chooses Matthew and Matthew immediately responds. Jesus' call of Matthew is similar to the earlier calls of Peter, Andrew, James and John (4,18-22). The men are at work, Jesus appears and calls them to follow him. Immediately they do so We are not told what was so compelling about Jesus.
In the lists of the twelve (10,3 and Mk 3,18), a Matthew is included. As Matthew's list comes soon after the call, naming Levi as Matthew in 9,9 fits well.
The call is similar to Elisha called by Elijah ( 1 Kings 19,19-21) but without the attempt to lay down conditions.
Then in verses 10-13 we hear about Jesus feasting with tax collectors (Matthew and his like) and sinners (such as the paralytic just healed, 9,2). It is in this setting of the feast that the question of fasting considered in verses 14-17 arises quite appropriately.Then, in verses 10-13, Matthew has typically improved on Mark by adding in verse 13 a quotation from the prophets, Hosea 6,6. A quotation like this, "I want mercy not sacrifice", shows Jesus acting in full continuity with the teachings of the prophets of Israel of old. The quotation is repeated in 12,7; the repetition brings out its importance for the evangelist. The righteous here can be understood as the self-righteous.
In verse 13, Jesus says to the Pharisees "Go and learn". That's a standard rabbinic expression they would have understood. But they won't.
In verse 14 we have the disciples of John the Baptist questioning Jesus like the scribes (9,3) and the Pharisees (9,11). Matthew omits the scribes as mentioned by Mark so that Jesus is always speaking with only one group.
We can note that Jesus speaks first to scribes (9,1-8), then to Pharisees (9,9-13) and now to the disciples of John (9,14-17)
Jesus's reply in verse 15 speaks of mourning rather than fasting. This echoes the marriage imagery of Isaiah (Is 62,4-5) and also Joel 2,15-16 where the fast is proclaimed.
For the two parables about mixing the new and the old, one stresses shrinkage, the other expansion. Matthew thenadds to Mark "and both are preserved". This echoes 15,32 where the store holder brings out treasures old and new. Continuity is important for Matthew while accepting that there is something new as well.
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Sunday week 10: Mt 9,9-13
We have a good example of the lectionary editors' policy of avoiding repetition with this Gospel reading. Mark 2,1-12 is read on 7th Sunday in cycle B and Mark 2,18-22 (equivalent to the verses on fasting not read this Sunday) is read on the 8th Sunday.
That leaves the call of Levi, Mk 2,13-17, to be read in cycle A as Mt 9,9-13, the 10th Sunday we are considering. The reason I suppose is to highlight the call of Matthew in Matthew's Gospel.
But just how Matthew/Levi the tax collector, Matthew the Apostle and Matthew the evangelists are connected is another matter. Tradition may say that the three are the same person and we respect that knowing that there is in fact no proof. The earliest connection we have comes from the late 2nd century.
The Old Testament reading is the passage from Hosea which is quoted by the evangelist. It is an appropriate choice therefore. The oracle is actually Hosea 6,4-6. The first verse belongs to the preceeding oracle which includes Hosea 6,2 which is itself famous in Christian tradition.
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