Chapter 27

Hem Kolem Matthew

NO LONGTAEM bihaen hem healim datfela cripple man, Jesus lusim Capernaum and go long Sea Bilong Galilee. Long there tu planti pipol kam long hem, and hem start for teachim them. Taem hem wakabaot, hem lukim Matthew, wea nara nem bilong hem Levi, hem sidaon long tax office. “Kamap follower bilong mi,” Jesus hem say.

Luk olsem Matthew savvy finis long olketa teaching bilong Jesus, olsem Peter, Andrew, James, and John. And olsem olketa hia, Matthew stret awe followim Jesus. Hem get ap, lusim work olsem man for tekem tax, and followim Jesus.

Bihaen, maet from hem hapi hao Jesus kolem hem, Matthew mekem bigfela kaikai long haos bilong hem. Jesus and olketa disaepol bilong Hem, and samfela wea work withim Matthew bifor, they kam tu. Olketa Jew luk daonem olketa man olsem bikos they tekem tax for gavman bilong Rome wea they hate-im. And planti taem olketa hia ravem pipol taem they tekem moa shilling winim wanem gavman hem askim.

Taem they lukim Jesus kaikai withim pipol olsem, olketa Farisi askim olketa disaepol bilong hem: “Why nao teacher bilong iufela hem sidaon and kaikai withim olketa man for tekem tax and olketa sinner?” From hem herem datfela kwestin, Jesus ansarem olketa Farisi olsem: “Olketa wea healthy no needim doctor, but olketa wea sik they needim. Go, and learnim meaning bilong disfela samting, ‘Mi wantim mercy, and no sakrifaes.’ From mi kam for kolem, no raeteous pipol, but olketa sinner.”

Luk olsem Matthew hem invitim olketa man for tekem tax long haos bilong hem mekem they savvy listen long Jesus and kasem healing long spiritual way. So Jesus kampani withim them for helpem them kasem gudfela way for fren withim God. Jesus hem no luk daonem olketa, olsem olketa Farisi wea ting hae tumas long olketa seleva. But from hem garem fasin for feel sorry, hem olsem wanfela spiritual doctor for olketa.

So mercy wea Jesus showim aot long olketa sinner no meanim hem say olketa sin wea they duim hem gud nomoa, but hem sem kaen fasin for feel sorry wea hem showim aot long olketa wea sik long body. Tingim taem wea hem feel sorry and touchim datfela leprosy man and say: “Mi wantim. Kamap klin.” Letem iumi tu showim aot mercy taem iumi helpem pipol wea garem need, main way hem for helpem them long spiritual way. Matthew 8:3; 9:​9-13; Mark 2:​13-17; Luke 5:​27-32.

▪ Matthew stap long wea taem Jesus lukim hem?

▪ Wanem nao work bilong Matthew, and why nao olketa otherfela Jew luk daonem olketa man olsem?

▪ Wanem nao olketa Jew talem for complain againstim Jesus, and hao nao hem ansarem them?

▪ Why nao Jesus kampani withim olketa sinner?