Luke 15:2
And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easily missed is that the Pharisees and scribes weren't just observing Jesus, they were "loudly murmuring," a sign of their deep displeasure. Their complaint isn't just that Jesus associates with sinners, but that he receives them cordially and eats with them—actions considered defiling by their standards. They couldn't grasp that Jesus's inclusive table was precisely where God's seeking love was most powerfully at work.
Jesus had just been teaching and eating with tax collectors and other social outcasts, people the religious elite considered deeply sinful. The Pharisees and scribes, appalled by this association, grumbled among themselves, accusing Jesus of accepting and even enjoying the company of sinners. This accusation directly sets the stage for Jesus to respond with a series of parables that reveal God's heart for the lost.
When religious leaders saw Jesus with 'sinners,' their immediate reaction was criticism. But their grumbling actually highlighted Jesus' core purpose.
The Pharisees and scribes saw Jesus receiving and eating with people they deemed
The offense wasn't just that Jesus was present with sinners, but that He actively received them. What did this mean in practice?
The Pharisees and scribes were scandalized because Jesus didn't just tolerate sinners; He welcomed them warmly. The Greek word used implies a cordial, affectionate reception, as if taking them into his embrace. For them, associating with sinners was seen as condoning their sin. But Jesus’ actions revealed a deeper truth: his divine mission was precisely to seek and save the lost. His table fellowship was a sign of God's open invitation and redemptive love, not an endorsement of sin.
Sharing a meal in ancient culture was deeply significant. Why was Jesus sharing meals with sinners so provocative to the religious elite?
In Jesus' day, sharing a meal was a profound act of fellowship and acceptance. By eating with 'sinners'—people considered ritually unclean and morally corrupt by the Pharisees—Jesus was declaring them welcome. This wasn't just casual association; it was a declaration that God's kingdom was breaking into their world, and it included those the religious establishment had written off. The scribes and Pharisees, focused on their own perceived righteousness, couldn't grasp that Jesus’ very purpose was to extend God’s grace, which shines brightest when received by those who know they desperately need it.
Understand the original words
Pharisaioi · Greek Noun
A major Jewish religious group known for strict adherence to the oral and written Law of Moses; they often emphasized separation from those deemed 'unclean' to maintain holiness.
grammateis · Greek Noun
Experts and scholars of the Torah responsible for interpreting and teaching the Law; they held significant influence in Jewish society and usually aligned with the Pharisees.
The scribes and Pharisees' accusation stems from a time when social and religious purity laws strictly dictated who one could associate with. Jesus' willingness to eat with 'sinners' was a radical act, challenging their understanding of righteousness and revealing God's inclusive love and pursuit of the lost.
Late 1st century BC - Early 1st century AD
Roman Occupation and Tax Collection
Judea was under Roman rule, and local tax collectors (publicans) were employed to gather taxes for Rome. These individuals were often corrupt, extorting money from their own people, and were thus despised and considered outcasts by Jewish society.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples. His message of the Kingdom of God and his inclusive approach to people began to attract a wide following, including those considered sinners.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Eats with Tax Collectors and Sinners
Jesus intentionally associates with and eats meals with 'sinners,' including tax collectors. This behavior was a deliberate act of evangelism and inclusion, but it deeply scandalized religious leaders like the Pharisees and scribes.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus Teaches Parables of Lost Things
This passage describes a similar situation where the Pharisees and their scribes question Jesus' disciples, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' echoing the same religious elite's disapproval of Jesus associating with those considered outcasts.
Matthew 9:10-13This parallel account in Matthew details Jesus eating at Matthew's house with tax collectors and sinners, directly leading to the Pharisees complaining to Jesus. Jesus' response here, 'I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,' is a foundational statement explaining His mission.
Ezekiel 34:11-16This Old Testament passage speaks of God Himself as the Shepherd who will seek out His sheep, rescue them from all places where they have been scattered, and bring them back to their pasture. This divine shepherd's heart for the lost is precisely what Jesus is demonstrating in Luke 15.
1 Samuel 16:7When Samuel was looking for a king, God told him, 'Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.' This verse highlights the Pharisees' superficial judgment of Jesus based on His company, contrasting with God's true assessment of character and Jesus' purpose.
calvinLuke 15:1-10: "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him."
- For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12. What think you? If a man shall have a hundred sheep, and one of them shall go astray, doth he not leave the ninety-nine, and go to the mountains, and seek that which had gone astray? 13. And if he happen to find it, verily, I say to you, he rejoiceth more on account of that sheep than on account of the ninety-nine which had gone astray. 14. So it…
jfbLuke 15:2: "And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."
- murmured, saying, &c.—took it ill, were scandalized at Him, and insinuated (on the principle that a man is known by the company he keeps) that He must have some secret sympathy with their character. But oh, what a truth of unspeakable preciousness do their lips, as on other occasions, unconsciously utter., Now follow three parables representing the sinner: (1) in his stupidity; (2)…
What's easily missed is that the Pharisees and scribes weren't just observing Jesus, they were "loudly murmuring," a sign of their deep displeasure. Their complaint isn't just that Jesus associates with sinners, but that he receives them cordially and eats with them—actions considered defiling by their standards. They couldn't grasp that Jesus's inclusive table was precisely where God's seeking love was most powerfully at work.
Jesus had just been teaching and eating with tax collectors and other social outcasts, people the religious elite considered deeply sinful. The Pharisees and scribes, appalled by this association, grumbled among themselves, accusing Jesus of accepting and even enjoying the company of sinners. This accusation directly sets the stage for Jesus to respond with a series of parables that reveal God's heart for the lost.
Jesus had just been teaching and eating with tax collectors and other social outcasts, people the religious elite considered deeply sinful. The Pharisees and scribes, appalled by this association, grumbled among themselves, accusing Jesus of accepting and even enjoying the company of sinners. This accusation directly sets the stage for Jesus to respond with a series of parables that reveal God's heart for the lost.
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In response to the grumbling of the religious elite, Jesus tells the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son to explain his mission and God's heart for sinners. These parables highlight God's active seeking and joyous reception of those who repent.
"And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”" — What's easily missed is that the Pharisees and scribes weren't just observing Jesus, they were "loudly murmuring," a sign of their deep displeasure. Their complaint isn't just that Jesus associates…
