Calling of Levi and Eating with Sinners
Mark 2:13-17
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Mark.2.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- παλιν: ADV
- παρα: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θαλασσαν·και: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- πας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- οχλος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ηρχετο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- προς: PREP
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εδιδασκεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 3:7-9 (verbal): Jesus withdraws to the sea and a great multitude follows him from surrounding regions — closely parallels the movement 'by the sea' and the crowd gathering in Mark 2:13.
- Luke 5:1-3 (verbal): People press upon Jesus to hear the word while he stands by the lake and then teaches (from Simon's boat) — very similar wording and setting (crowd by the water, Jesus teaching).
- Matthew 4:23 (thematic): Summary of Jesus’ Galilean ministry: going about teaching, preaching and healing — echoes the general activity in Mark 2:13 of Jesus teaching large crowds by the sea.
- John 6:2-3 (structural): A great multitude follows Jesus because of his signs; he withdraws (to a mountain) and then sits to teach — parallels the pattern of crowds drawn to Jesus and his withdrawal to a place where he teaches.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he went out again beside the sea; and all the multitude came to him, and he taught them.
- And he went out again by the sea; and all the crowd came to him, and he taught them.
Mark.2.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παραγων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- ειδεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- Λευιν: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Αλφαιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- καθημενον: VERB,pres,mid,ptc,acc,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- τελωνιον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Ακολουθει: PRON,dat,sg,3 + VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- αναστας: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ηκολουθησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 9:9 (verbal): Near-identical call narrative: Jesus sees a tax collector (Matthew/Levi) at the tax booth, says 'Follow me,' and the man immediately gets up and follows.
- Luke 5:27-28 (verbal): Parallel account of the call of Levi (Λευῒ): same verb Ἀκολούθει μοι and the immediate response of rising and following; Luke expands the context but preserves the core wording.
- John 1:43 (verbal): Jesus' call to Philip uses the same imperative 'Follow me' (Ἀκολούθει μοι), reflecting the common Gospel trope of Jesus summoning disciples with this command.
- Mark 1:16-20 (structural): Earlier Markan calling of the first disciples: Jesus calls fishermen and they immediately leave their nets to follow—same narrative pattern and function as the call of Levi.
- Luke 19:1-10 (thematic): Another encounter with a tax collector (Zacchaeus) that results in a transformative response and salvation, thematically paralleling Jesus' outreach to and acceptance of tax collectors like Levi.
Alternative generated candidates
- And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he rose up and followed him.
- And as he passed by he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he rose up and followed him.
Mark.2.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- γινεται: VERB,pres,mp,ind,3,sg
- κατακεισθαι: VERB,pres,mp,inf
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- οικια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- τελωναι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αμαρτωλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- συνανεκειντο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,pl
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- μαθηταις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- γαρ: PART
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ηκολουθουν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 9:10-13 (verbal): Parallel account of the same scene: Jesus reclines at table with tax collectors and sinners; Pharisees question his association with them and Jesus speaks of calling sinners.
- Luke 5:29-32 (verbal): Luke’s version of the event: a banquet at Levi’s house where tax collectors and sinners eat with Jesus, prompting Jesus’ statement that he came to call sinners, matching Mark’s context.
- Luke 15:1 (verbal): Similar description of crowds—'all the tax collectors and sinners' drawing near to Jesus to hear him, emphasizing the attraction of marginalized sinners to Jesus’ ministry.
- Matthew 11:19 (thematic): Summarizes the controversy over Jesus’ table fellowship—'The Son of Man came eating and drinking'—highlighting the theme of Jesus’ association with sinners that Mark 2:15 depicts.
- Luke 7:34 (thematic): Parallel to Matthew 11:19: critics accuse Jesus of being a glutton and drunkard because he eats and drinks with sinners, reflecting the same social and theological tension in Mark 2:15.
Alternative generated candidates
- And it came to pass, as he sat at table in his house, that many tax collectors and sinners sat also with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him.
- And it came to pass, as he sat at table in his house, that many tax collectors and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they followed him.
Mark.2.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- γραμματεις: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- Φαρισαιων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ιδοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- εσθιει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- μετα: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αμαρτωλων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- τελωνων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ελεγον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- μαθηταις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου·Οτι: PRON,gen,sg,m
- μετα: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- τελωνων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αμαρτωλων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- εσθιει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 9:11-13 (verbal): Pharisees object to Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners; Jesus defends his ministry ('those who are well have no need of a physician'), parallel criticism and response to the same behavior.
- Luke 5:30-32 (verbal): Nearly identical account: the Pharisees and scribes grumble that Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners, and Jesus replies that he has come to call sinners to repentance.
- Matthew 11:19 (verbal): Jesus is reproached for eating and drinking ('a glutton and a drunkard'), echoing the same charge about his association with tax collectors and sinners and opponents' criticisms of his conduct.
- Luke 15:1-2 (thematic): Tax collectors and sinners draw near to Jesus while the Pharisees grumble—provides the wider thematic context (welcome of outcasts) that prompts Jesus' parables about seeking the lost.
Alternative generated candidates
- And when the scribes of the Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?'
- And when the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he ate with tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?'
Mark.2.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ακουσας: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- οτι: CONJ
- Ου: PART,neg
- χρειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εχουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ισχυοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,m,pl
- ιατρου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αλλ᾽οι: CONJ
- κακως: ADV
- εχοντες·ουκ: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,m,pl
- ηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- καλεσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- δικαιους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- αλλα: CONJ
- αμαρτωλους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Luke 5:31-32 (verbal): Nearly identical wording and context: Jesus replies that the healthy do not need a doctor but the sick, and that he came to call sinners, not the righteous.
- Matthew 9:12-13 (verbal): Parallel saying in Matthew’s account (Jesus compares himself to a physician for sinners) and immediately cites Hosea to justify calling sinners.
- Hosea 6:6 (quotation): OT background quoted by Jesus in Matthew 9:13 ('I desire mercy, not sacrifice'); undergirds Jesus’ mission to call sinners rather than the self-righteous.
- Luke 7:34 (cf. Matthew 11:19) (thematic): Both passages highlight opposition to Jesus’ association with tax collectors and sinners (e.g., 'friend of sinners'), thematically linked to his mission to call sinners.
Alternative generated candidates
- When Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'Those who are whole have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'
- And when Jesus heard it, he said unto them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'
And he went out again by the sea; and all the crowd came to him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And it came to pass that, as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And when the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he ate with tax collectors and sinners, they questioned his disciples, "How is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"
When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are whole have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."