Day by Day with Martin Luther

Read: Genesis 44:1-49:33 Matthew 14:13-16:12 Proverbs 4:11-27

“Comrades in Sin”

“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.”
[Matthew 9:9]

And it is a wondrous comfort that he chooses such unworthy sinners as apostles, so that they might not become prideful about having such a lofty office or, rather, so that no sinner might lose heart or despair of Christ. For who are the ones who sit in the highest choir and innermost senate of the saints? They are none other than the splendid sinners and tax collectors who, according to their own righteousness, would deserve to sit in the midst of hell. Therefore, Peter has no reason to look down on me or boast against me, no matter how great a sinner I am. For Peter has good reason to recall that he was my comrade in sin. Sinners, one and all – forgiven, one and all.