And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the
house
That is, as the Arabic version reads it, in the house of Matthew,
not in the toll house, but in his own house; for he immediately
quitted the toll booth, and his office there, and followed
Christ, and had him to his own house, where he made a great feast
for him, as Luke says, to testify the sense he had of the
wondrous grace which was bestowed on him; and also, that other
publicans and sinners might have an opportunity of hearing
Christ, and conversing with him, whom he invited to this feast;
his bowels yearning towards them, and sincerely desiring their
conversion, which is the nature of true grace: for, when a soul
is made a partaker of the grace of God, it is earnestly desirous
that this might be the case of others, especially its sinful
relations, friends, or companions; and it takes every opportunity
of using, or bringing them under the means; so did Matthew: hence
it is said,
behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with
him and
his disciples;
not of their own accord, but by the invitation of Matthew, and
with the good will, and full consent of Christ, who was far from
being displeased with their company and freedom; but gladly
embraced every opportunity of doing good to the souls of the
worst of men; for such as these he came to call and save.
