What is the meaning of Matthew 9:11? When the Pharisees saw this “When the Pharisees saw this” places us at Matthew’s house right after Jesus has called the tax collector to follow Him (Matthew 9:9-10). • The Pharisees, known for guarding ceremonial purity, immediately notice Jesus relaxing at the table with people they regarded as spiritually unclean. • Their habit of scrutinizing Jesus’ actions pops up elsewhere—“When the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath’ ” (Matthew 12:2). • Luke records the same scene: “But the Pharisees and scribes were grumbling, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ ” (Luke 5:30). • By “seeing,” they judge externally, echoing God’s reminder in 1 Samuel 16:7 that people look on the outward appearance while He looks at the heart. The verse grounds us in a literal historical moment: religious leaders physically watching Jesus break their social code. they asked His disciples “They asked His disciples” shows the Pharisees dodging direct conversation with Jesus. • Approaching the disciples feels safer; they hope to sow doubt, much like the scribes disputing with the disciples while Jesus is momentarily elsewhere (Mark 9:14-16). • Their tactic mirrors later hostility: “We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from” (John 9:29). • The disciples are still learning Who Jesus is; the Pharisees exploit that vulnerability. • Yet even in their indirect attack, they unwittingly highlight Jesus’ unique approach to sinners—a contrast drawn again in Luke 15:1-2, where tax collectors draw near to hear Him while the Pharisees murmur. Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” crystallizes the Pharisees’ shock. • Sharing a meal in that culture signified acceptance and fellowship. The question implies: “How can a holy man endorse unholy people?” • Jesus later answers, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12-13), citing Hosea 6:6. He affirms the law yet shows its goal: mercy leading to repentance. • Cross references underline His mission: – Luke 19:7-10—criticism over Jesus dining with Zacchaeus ends with “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Mark 2:17—“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” – 1 Timothy 1:15—“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.” • The title “Teacher” (didaskalos) shows even opponents concede His authority, though they miss the lesson: holiness moves toward the lost, not away from them. • Romans 5:8 frames the gospel logic behind the meal: “But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” summary Matthew 9:11 exposes a clash between religious pride and the compassionate heart of God. The Pharisees judge by sight and social rules; Jesus sees spiritual need and moves toward it. By eating with tax collectors and sinners, He demonstrates the very purpose of His incarnation—to call the needy to repentance and life. Far from compromising holiness, His table fellowship reveals the holy love that reaches out, heals, and restores. |
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