Do we really understand the love and compassion of Christ? The tax collectors in Jesus’ day were literally called "Pariah dogs." They were considered as dogs who foraged off of the town dump. They were the lowest of all cheats, crooks, liars, and hated by all men. The tax collector in Jesus’ day was demanded to charge whatever the fee was that was owed, BUT in addition to that, whatever extra they could cheat you out of, was their own to keep. They were ruthless and the most hated of all men. Read any of the Gospels where it says that Jesus first saw Matthew, and they all will say that Jesus saw a tax collector. They saw a refuse eating pariah dog!! The chief of sinful men! Only Matthew, writing after the fact, and knowing the surpassing love of Christ wrote something different in his Gospel! Matthew wrote, "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man," (Matthew 9:9). A MAN??? Yes, Jesus saw a man! The sinners of that day, and this day as well, very much needed someone like Matthew. They needed a pariah dog so they could look at him and say they were so much better than this lowly scum tax collector. Only Jesus, who needed no one to look at with contempt, was free to look in Matthew's eyes with the love of God and see A MAN.