Matthew 9:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

As Jesus passed—thence, he saw a man, &c.— St. Luke, in the parallel place, calls St. Matthew a publican, which was a very odious name among the Jews, as the employment was attended with so much corruption and temptation, that there were but few honest men supposed to be engaged in it. They were generally persons of so infamous and vile a character, that publicans and sinners are often joined together as synonymous terms. See on ch. Matthew 5:46 Matthew 9:11 Matthew 11:19. The original word Τελωνιον properly signifies the custom-house; some have rendered it tolbooth; which, say Beausobre and Lenfant, was a place near the lake and harbour; there were toll-booths on the great roads, as also on the lakes and rivers. The other Evangelists call St. Matthew by the more honourable name of Levi. Porphyry and Julian have blamed St. Matthew for following one of whom he had so little knowledge, thus rashly, as they are pleased to call it. But as it is evident that this publican lived in Capernaum, or near it, he must have often heard our Lord preach; for it was the town where he ordinarily resided; and probably he might have been witness to a number of Christ's miracles: wherefore the opposers of our religion must forgive us if we affirm, that there was neither rashness nor imprudence in the readiness which Matthew shewed to follow Jesus. He might have been his disciple long before this, and only waited for permission to attend him. But farther; why may we not suppose that a divine and supernatural influence attended this call of our Lord? which, considering all its circumstances, may well be acknowledged as great a miracle as any ofthosewhichwehave before reviewed. Dr. Doddridge makes the following pleasing and pious remarks upon the event. "Let us view, with humble wonder and pleasure, this farther instance of the condescension and grace of the Redeemer, in the call of Matthew: his condescension, in calling to so near an attendance, and so intimate a friendship, a man who was a publican, infamous as that employment was; and his grace, which could immediately inspire this publican with so firm a resolution of quitting all the profits of that employment; that he might reduce himself to circumstances of life as precarious as those of his divine Master. Many, no doubt, censured him as a rash enthusiast and a lunatic, rather than as a sober convert; but he is even now reaping the abundant reward: his loss is gain, and his contempt glory." See on ch. Matthew 10:2, &c.