Party going Pharisees - 2:15-16

There are teachers of the law – the actual word is scribes- why does the NIV put teachers of the law? I'm not sure why it's scribes who were pharisees, something there in the Greek I don't get- seems to me to say the scribes of the pharisees. Anyway- they are at this gathering- how did they get invited? Were they friends of Levi? How did they each view the other? There does seem to be a few layers in the politics at the time- and how they would play out in a small town. How did Peter and the others view the pharisees? What actually marked you as a pharisee? Was it something similar to being a Sydney Anglican? You came out of the same college- you sounded the same when you talked about things of faith- a definite flavour about you that others picked up. I suppose being from Cornerstone could act in the same way- though I think Sydney Anglicanism is a closer match- the insistence on the bible- the woodeness there- the distrust of experience.

It's when Jesus starts to eat with the tax collectors and sinners that they become indignant. So does that mean they don't mind people mixing with these people – but eating with them is not on- a certain amount of pragmatism on the pharisees part- draw the line at sitting down to a meal- definitely pollute yourself here.

Still can't quite work out Levi here- how has he pulled this off? How did throwing a dinner party like this – with a few hours notice, work in Capernaum. He's got this eclectic mix- tax collectors and sinners (who are the sinners? prostitutes? the town robber?- how did you join this club?) and the scribes (it seems we're taking them as pharisees) all under the same roof- and the pharisees obviously not impressed. Is it because Jesus is such a public person at this stage- that people just gate crash wherever he turns up. They'd spent a fair bit of time at Peter's place- we're over at Levi's tonight. Would this have been an unusual gathering under normal circumstances?
Or has Levi just got connections running both ways- other tax collectors is understandable- sinners (funny designation) has connections there as well- (did he need to have a group of thugs for persuasion and coercion at times?) then on the other side the pharisees...
So as completely unsubstantiated speculation- could say yes- that Levi a very interesting man- perhaps fairly robust- (whethered the ire of the people) maybe had a bent towards the pharisees and counted many as friends- had a zeal for the law himself- can be seen in the way he has structured his account of Jesus life (if he did- I think probable- though I definitely don't understand the synoptic relationship).

Or not- A man who has come full circle- repented and followed- and events just tumbled upon themselves, and the next minute he has good whack of the town in his house for a Barbie (probably by this stage quite a few from neighbouring towns as well- how much time has past since Jesus kicked off?).

Perhaps a bit of both- I think you have to allow for both in reconstructions (especially with so little to go on). Can't get too caught up in the speculation – otherwise you end up like Dave Walker- saying this is what happened – and thinking it did, when it is just your reconstruction, based at times on pretty flimsy evidence. And that whole looking back thing is often inaccurate fullstop. It gives us perspective- we can see trends and learn from things- but it is compressed and unreal time- the present, as always, is the most important time- and this is what is so hard to add to the reconstruction- as though it is all happening in present time.