but notice first of all with reference to the setting verse 9 tells us that Jesus passed on from there or as Jesus passed on from there he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office he's also called Levi in the parallel accounts in Mark 2 and in Luke 5 so two names were common then as they are now uh Simon Peter John Mark so it wasn't uncommon to have two names so this Matthew is the Le I that we see in the synoptics notice as well where he is sitting he's sitting at the tax office because he's a tax collector in Matthew 10:3 he likely knew the four disciples who were fishermen Andrew and Peter I'm sorry Peter Andrew James and John by virtue of his work he probably collected taxes from these particular fellows now in terms of being a tax collector in the first century it wasn't any more popular than being a tax collector in the 21st century probably the least favorite person on your list are Tax Collectors they hated taxes then similar to the way that we despise them now don't think there's anything new Under the Sun with reference to taxes and paying them
