Why did the Pharisees question Jesus about eating with "tax collectors and sinners"? The Immediate Setting • Luke 5:27-32 recounts a real, historical moment when Jesus called the tax collector Levi (Matthew) and then attended a large banquet in Levi’s home. • Luke 5:30 records the complaint: “But the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled to His disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’” Who Were the Pharisees? • A lay movement devoted to strict observance of the Law and oral traditions (Matthew 23:2-3). • Their very name comes from a Hebrew root meaning “separated ones,” signaling intentional distance from perceived impurity. • They believed holiness was preserved through avoidance of anything or anyone ceremonially or morally unclean (Isaiah 52:11). Why Tax Collectors Were Despised • They collected levies for Rome, the occupying power—viewed as traitors (Luke 19:7). • They commonly over-charged, enriching themselves at their countrymen’s expense (Luke 3:12-13). • Association with them implied approval of unjust gain (Exodus 23:8). “Sinners” in First-Century Usage • A catch-all term for people publicly known to disregard God’s Law—prostitutes, thieves, swindlers, and the irreligious (Luke 7:37-39). • Pharisees viewed contact with such people as defiling (Psalm 1:1). Table Fellowship and Its Meaning • Sharing a meal signified close fellowship, even covenant acceptance (Genesis 31:54). • To recline at table with someone declared them part of one’s circle; so the Pharisees saw Jesus’ actions as sanctioning sin. Reasons Behind the Pharisees’ Objection • Fear of ceremonial and moral contamination (Leviticus 15:31). • Desire to maintain a visible boundary between the “righteous” and the “lawless” (Proverbs 29:27). • Threat to their authority—Jesus’ popularity among outcasts undermined their influence (John 11:48). • Misunderstanding of God’s heart for mercy over sacrifice (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13). Jesus’ Answer Reveals the Heart of God • Luke 5:31-32: “Jesus answered, ‘It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” • He likened Himself to a doctor—healing requires contact. • By affirming repentance, Jesus upheld holiness while extending grace (Romans 2:4). Supporting Passages • Luke 15:1-2—similar grumbling; leads to parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son, showing heaven’s joy over one sinner who repents. • Mark 2:16-17 and Matthew 9:11-13—parallel accounts stressing the same lesson. • 1 Timothy 1:15—“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Takeaways for Believers Today • True holiness is expressed not by withdrawal but by compassionate outreach that aims at repentance and restoration (Galatians 6:1). • Separation from sin never excuses separation from sinners who need the gospel (Jude 22-23). • The gospel’s credibility grows when believers demonstrate Christ-like welcome without compromising truth (John 1:14). |
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