Matthew 9:9First Nations VersionCreator Sets Free (Jesus) left there, and as he walked on, he saw a tribal tax collector named Gift from Creator (Matthew) sitting at his tax booth. Tribal tax collectors were often Tribal Members who were given the right to collect taxes for the People of Iron (Romans). They could force their own people, under the threat of violence, to pay them. To make a living, they would take more than the People of Iron (Romans) required. But many of them became greedy and took even more than they were permitted. They were hated and looked down on by the people. Creator Sets Free (Jesus), to the surprise of all, walked up to the tribal tax collector and said to him, “Gift from Creator (Matthew), come and walk the road with me.” So he got up from his tax booth, left it all behind, and began to walk the road with Creator Sets Free (Jesus). See the chapter |
16 Cross References
So the followers of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) walked down Olive Mountain and returned to the village and to the place where they were staying, at a lodging house in an upstairs room. Here are the names of some of the followers of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) who were gathering together to pray: Stands on the Rock (Peter), He Shows Goodwill (John), He Takes Over (James), Stands with Courage (Andrew), Friend of Horses (Philip), Looks Like His Brother (Thomas), Son of Ground Digger (Bartholomew), Gift from Creator (Matthew), He Takes Charge (James) son of First to Change (Alphaeus), One Who Listens (Simon) the Firebrand (Zealot), and Speaks Well Of (Judas), the son of He Takes Hold (James).
He also chose Friend of Horses (Philip) and Son of Ground Digger (Bartholomew) and Looks Like His Brother (Thomas) along with Gift from Creator (Matthew), the tribal tax collector. Then he chose He Takes Charge (James), the son of First to Change (Alphaeus), along with Strong of Heart (Thaddaeus) and
In the house of Gift from Creator (Matthew), Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and his followers were sitting down at the table eating with the guests. Among the guests were many tax collectors and outcasts. The Separated Ones (Pharisees) called certain people outcasts. They used their strict interpretation of tribal law as a way to point them out. These outcasts were not permitted to enter the gathering houses. They were looked down on and despised by the Separated Ones (Pharisees). Outcasts included tribal tax collectors, prostitutes, people who ate and drank too much, the ones with diseases that made them ceremonially unclean, and anyone who was not a member of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel).