gryan wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:33 am
The Call of Levi, son of Alphaeus
Mark 2:14-17 (NET)
As he went along, he saw
Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth.
“Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.
As Jesus was having a meal in [Levi’s] home, many
tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with
tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard this he said to them,
“Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The call of Levi, paternity erased
Luke 5:27-32 (NET)
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector
named Levi sitting at the tax booth.
“Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him, leaving everything behind.
Then
Levi gave a great banquet in his house for Jesus, and there was a large crowd of
tax collectors and others (ἄλλων) sitting at the table with them.
But the Pharisees and their experts in the law complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with
tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus answered them,
“Those who are well don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
The Call of Matthew, Mercy, not Sacrifice
Matt 9:9 (NET)
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named
Matthew sitting at the tax booth.
“Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.
As Jesus was having a meal in [Matthew’s] house, many
tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with
tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.
Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’
For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
'Levi of Alphaeus' is the original text of Mark 2:14, as bible editions show with the italicized 'son' for the addition by copyists:
ASV
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the
son of Alphaeus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
KING JAMES
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the
son of Alphaeus sitting at the record of custom, and said unto him, follow me.
DARBY
And passing by, he saw Levi the [son] of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-office, and says to him, Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.
WYCLIFFE
And when he passed, he saw Levi of Alphaeus sitting at the tollbooth, and he said to him, Follow me. And he rose, and followed him.
YOUNG'S LITERAL TRANSLATION
and passing by, he saw Levi of Alpheus sitting at the tax-office, and saith to him, `Be following me,' and he, having risen, did follow him.
Levi the tax collector, being also Matthew the tax collector was the [ .. ] of Alphaeus. Probably not a son of Alphaeus, for he is not depicted together with the sons of Alphaeus, identified as James and Judas¹.
In context, tax collector or creditor of Alphaeus could be considered, something of relevance is meant by Mark, other insights than the earlier gospels have given.
¹James and Judas sons of Alphaeus:
James the Less was the biological son of Alphaeus and his first wife, Mary [History of Joseph the Carpenter]. Alphaeus was the son of Clopas. Clopas was the brother of Joseph the Carpenter. James the Less was the great nephew of Joseph the Carpenter.
Joseph and the Virgin Mary became foster/redeemer parents of James the Less and his brother Judas when Alphaeus was widowed [History of Joseph the Carpenter]. Joseph enrolled James with Mary and kin in Bethlehem. James the Less was the brother of Jesus son of Joseph — The James Ossuary.