Levi's Great Feast - Luke 5:29

The beloved physician Luke shared how Jesus, “went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-nine of his book Luke shares how, “Levi made him a great feast” where we read:

And Levi made him a great feast in his own house:

and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

The verse reads, “And Levi made him a great feast in his own house:” Luke began with the words, “And Levi” or “the tax-collector Jesus called to be His disciple whose name means joined and was the son of Alphaeus” “made him a great feast” which means “made ready and prepared for Jesus a large and massive banquet or reception” “in his own house” or “within Levi's personal home, dwelling place and abode”. Luke shared how “Levi” prepared a “large” banquet within his home for Jesus.

The verse goes on to say, “and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.” Luke continued with the words, “and there was a great company” which means “and there existed and was present a large and massive group, multitude or collection of people” “of publicans” or “belonging to the tax gatherers, collectors or ones employed by a farmer general in the collection of taxes and tolls” “and others that sat down” which means “and other people who were seated, fixed and established” “with them” or “alongside of the tax-collectors”. Luke shared how there were many people who were “tax-collectors” and “others” who were assembled for Levi's feast.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how Levi responded to the “call” and “commission” of Jesus. Levi prepared a “large banquet” for Jesus and invited fellow “tax-collectors” and many “others” to join their festivities. People usually have “friends” who are of similar stations in life, and Levi's friends, family, acquaintances and colleges were within the “tax-collector” field. We can use our imaginations to envision this wonderful feast for Jesus and realized everyone invited was from the “sinful” field of “tax-collectors” or “sinners”. These are the people Jesus came to save, and everyone in one way or another belongs to a “sinful” group because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (See Romans 6:23). Those who believe and trust in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins, inherit everlasting life and be invited to the “banquet” God has prepared for all who yield their lives to Him. (See Revelation 19:9)

Next time Luke shares how, “their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".