The Call of Mercy - Part 1

Here we see Jesus teaching as He walks with the multitude. He calls the tax collector , Levi, to be a disciple. Levi, as a tax collector and a Jew, was considered a traitor, a sinner, a thief and an enemy of Israel. Surely he had heard about Jesus and that He could forgive sin. He recognized his sin and the failures in his life. Jesus discerned the heart of Levi (now Matthew) and was now given an invitation to follow Him.
Later in Verse 16 the Scribes and Pharisees see Jesus dining at the home of Matthew and say "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners"