THE TAX-COLLECTOR.

Matthew 9.9-13. After Jesus healed the paralyzed man, and when Jesus walked out from His city, perhaps Capernaum, as indicated in Mark, He saw Matthew sitting in the tax office, and Jesus call him to follow Him, and entering the house of Matthew Jesus reclined (dined) with other tax-collectors, sinners, and Pharisees.

Mark 2.14-16. After healing the paralyzed man in Capernaum, and when Jesus left Capernaum, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax office, and Jesus call him to follow Him, and entering the house of Levi Alphaeus, Jesus reclined with other tax-collectors, sinners, and Pharisees.

Luke 5.27-30. After healing the paralyzed man, no town mentioned, Jesus left the house, and saw Levi tax-collector, sitting in the tax office, and Jesus call him to follow Him, and entering Levi's house Jesus reclined with many tax-collectors, some other people, and Pharisees.

Luke 19.1-10. In this chapter Luke indicated that when Jesus got close to Jerusalem, and He was passing through Jericho, a certain chief of tax-collector named Zaccheus wanted to see Him, but because he was of small stature, and cannot see Jesus because of the crowd that surrounded Him, he climbed up on a sycamore tree in order to see Him.

And when Jesus saw him, Jesus said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, today I must stay at your house." Zaccheus promised Jesus, "Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much."

Jesus answered, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham."


So, here in the 19th chapter of Luke, we can see some differences comparing this account to another three accounts mentioned above. One difference is in place of meeting Zaccheus the tax-collector, because this time Jesus met tax-collector in Jericho and not in Capernaum.

Another difference is that Zaccheus was not ordinary tax-collector, but chief tax-collector.

Conversations between Jesus and Zaccheus are also different than in another three accounts.

And of course, the names of these tax-collectors.

In Mathew 10.3, in reference to Apostles, Matthew indicated as the tax-gatherer.

Mark 3.18 and Luke 6.15, in their reference of Apostles Matthew is not indicated as a tax-gatherer, but as a certain James the son of Alphaeus is mentioned in all these three accounts, and no name such as Levi is appeared.

But in Mark 2.14, Mark called Matthew as Levi the son of Alphaeus.

And here is the question, is Levi (Matthew) the son of Alphaeus and James the son of Alphaeus are brothers? Personally, I have no definitive answer to this question.

And here is another question, are the Matthew, Levy, and Zaccheus is the same man who has different names, or they are three different people?