The young master of the house, Matthew the toll collector—who must not be confused with Matthew who was only an official scribe, which is why Scripture adds the designation ‘toll collector’ when referring to the householder—called My disciples, the Pharisees and scribes inside. And they went in and sat down and set about eating and drinking heartily. Only Judas kept himself very moderate this time, for he feared a heavy bill, and, as was only too well known, he was no great friend of paying.
When we were together in such good spirits and the Pharisees and scribes had also got along better and better with the toll collectors and so-called sinners, a kitchen maid comes to the master of the house and says: ‘What are we going to do now? The fishermen have only just come, have brought fish, and want something to eat and drink. But since we have happened to receive so many visiting guests today, who have almost consumed today’s supplies, we in the kitchen do not know what we should do now?’ Matthew the toll collector asks: ‘How many are there?’ The maid says: ‘There must be about twenty.’ Matthew the toll collector says: ‘Then let them come in, all of you; there are still supplies in abundance here!’
The maid goes and tells the fishermen this, and they enter the large guest room and immediately sit down at a small table from which (Matt. 9:14) the midday guests have already risen.
But when the fishermen recognize Peter and several of their former business companions, they greet one another, and the fishermen, somewhat sullen because things look a little scantier on their table than on ours, immediately say to Peter: ‘For us it will do, of course, for we are still true, faithful disciples of John, and our law is fasting; but as Jesus’ new disciples you can eat as you please, as we see!? For there seems to be no more talk of fasting among you!?’
Peter says: ‘John fasted for what we have, and we fasted with him according to his teaching and stern preaching. John proclaimed the One with whom we are and bore witness to Him; but when this One came and even received water baptism from John, John did not fully trust his senses, and neither did you. For while John, impelled by the Spirit, bore witness to Jesus and, as this One approached him, said to us: “Look, the One who is coming! This is He of whom I told you that He would come after me, the straps of whose shoes I am not worthy to untie,” he nevertheless secretly doubted within himself, just as you did, and still doubts at this hour. That is why he still fasts, and you fast too; but for us believers fasting has come to an end. That you still fast is your fault alone. And that is right too; for just as the blind man cannot satisfy his sight with the light and its colors, so the person blind in heart will be able to satisfy neither his heart nor his stomach. Do you understand that?
‘Had John believed, he would have followed the Lamb who, according to the testimony of his spirit, takes away the sins of the world. But because his soul itself doubted the One of whom his spirit bore witness within it and through it, he stayed behind in the wilderness until Herod arrested him, as we have heard!?
‘Why, then, did he not follow Him, since through the Spirit he said to us: “This is the One you should hear!” Why did he not wish to hear Him?! Why did he not follow Him immediately, when previously he had practiced and led his whole life so strictly for the sake of this One who has come? We do not know that this One, whom we followed, ever forbade him to follow Him!? So tell me just one tenable reason why John did not follow Jesus immediately?!’
Here John’s disciples grow disconcerted and do not know what they should answer Peter. Only one of them said that the report of John’s having been arrested by Herod was false; Herod had merely called him to his residence in Jerusalem to learn from him there everything about Jehovah’s coming Anointed One. Herod esteemed John too highly to put him in a prison.
But Peter said somewhat humorously: ‘If it should not yet have happened in full, it will certainly happen very soon! For Herod is a cunning fox, and is as little to be trusted as a snake!’