καὶ ἐγένετο. See note, ch. Matthew 11:1.

ἀνακεῖσθαι, late in this sense for the classical κατακεῖσθαι, ‘to recline at table.’

ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ. St Luke says ‘and Levi made him a great feast,’ which makes it clear that the meal was in Levi’s house.

πολλοὶ τελῶναι. The fact that the tax-gatherers were numerous enough to form a large class of society points significantly to the oppression of the country. ἁμαρτωλοί, men of impure lives, or esteemed impure by the Pharisees.

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Old Testament