Jesus owned a house?
(Mark 2:15 KJV) And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat
in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his
disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
On p 133 of EBE Dennis McKinsey
complains that in Mat 19:21, Mark 10:21, and Luke 3:11, 11:41, 12:33, 14:33 and
18:22 Jesus told his followers to dispose of all their possessions; yet, he
himself owned a house, according to Mark 2:15, which says, "And it came to
pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house." Here we have another
example of Do as I say, not as I do. Jesus not only owned a house but was bold
enough to say in Mat 8:20, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air
have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head" (RSV). What
prevarication! Some apologists have tried to allege the home referred to in
Mark 2:15 is owned by Levi, but one need only read the comment in context to
see that this defense won't stand the light of scrutiny.
Here is the passage in full using the same KJV that McKinsey used.
(Mark 2:14-17 KJV) And as he passed by, he saw
Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him,
Follow me. And he arose and followed him. {15} And it came to pass, that, as
Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also
together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed
him. {16} And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and
sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh
with publicans and sinners? {17} When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They
that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came
not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Now it is not clear whether "his house" refers to
that of Levi or Jesus. However the parallel passage in Luke 5:27 makes it quite
clear that the house belonged to Levi, because it states in verse 29 And
Levi made him a great feast in his own house.
(Luke 5:27-32 KJV) And after these things he
went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom:
and he said unto him, Follow me. {28} And he left all, rose up, and followed
him. {29} And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there
was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. {30}
But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do
ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? {31} And Jesus answering said unto
them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. {32} I
came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
See Tekton's comments:
"And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his
house..." Skeptic Dennis McKinsey clams that this verse indicates
"prevarication" in that Jesus has his own house, while later telling
others to give up their possessions. He is aware that the answer is that the
house is Levi's, but only says that "one need only read the comment in
context to see that this defense won't stand the light of scrutiny." What
this context is, we are not told, but the parallel stories in Matthew and Luke
indicate that the house is Levi's. This critique is merely borrowed
uncritically from Remsburg.
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