When Jesus called His apostles, He chose, for the most part, quite ordinary men. Some were fishermen, some had families, while others were carpenters. They were not prominent officials, nor did they have much of a public life. Matthew, however, made his living while working with the public—and he was despised for it. Calling Matthew as a disciple was quite a strategic and dangerous move, for Jesus was bringing into His inner circle precisely the type of person He was trying to reach most—a sinner.