And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Pharisees and their scribes focus their criticism not on Jesus, but on his disciples. This reveals their tactic: by attacking the "weaker" ones, they hoped to indirectly pressure Jesus and discredit his ministry.
And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him, and Matthew has thrown a large feast in Jesus' honor. Religious leaders, the Pharisees and their scribes, notice Jesus dining with tax collectors and other "sinners" and openly question his disciples about why he associates with such people. This incident highlights the deep division between Jesus' inclusive ministry and the exclusivity of the religious establishment.
The Pharisees were deeply concerned with religious purity. Why did Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners so deeply offend them?
The Pharisees and scribes operated under a strict system of purity laws, dividing the world into 'clean' and 'unclean.' Tax collectors, due to their association with Roman authorities and their often questionable business practices, were considered ritually unclean. 'Sinners' was a broad term for anyone living outside the accepted religious norms. For the Pharisees, associating with these groups was seen as contamination, a violation of the very laws God had given. Their question, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' wasn't just about social etiquette; it was a sharp accusation that Jesus was disregarding God's established boundaries and making Himself unclean.
Jesus didn't shy away from the 'unclean.' What was His deeper purpose in embracing those on the fringes?
Jesus's response to the Pharisees' grumbling reveals His mission. He saw Himself as a physician for the spiritually sick. The healthy don't need a doctor, but those who are unwell do. Jesus wasn't associating with these 'sinners' to condone their lifestyle, but to offer them healing and redemption. His table fellowship was a powerful declaration that God's kingdom was open to all, especially those who recognized their need for Him. He was calling the 'sick'—the outcasts and the broken—to repentance and a new life, demonstrating God's boundless grace.
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Pharisaioi · Greek Noun
A Jewish religious group known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and the oral traditions. They sought to maintain purity by separating themselves from any who did not conform to their interpretation of the Law.
grammateus · Greek Noun
Experts in the interpretation and application of the Mosaic Law. They were responsible for teaching, copying, and preserving the Scriptures, often serving as theological authorities.
gongyzō · Greek Verb
An expression of discontent or complaint, often murmuring against divine authority or those acting under it. In a biblical context, it frequently reflects a heart of unbelief or pride.
hamartōlos · Greek Noun
Individuals recognized by the religious community as failing to adhere to the Law, often used to categorize those considered ritually unclean or morally corrupt. Jesus sought these people specifically to offer them repentance.
The Pharisees and their scribes, deeply invested in the traditions and purity laws that had become central to Jewish identity after the exile, viewed Jesus's meals with tax collectors and sinners as a profound violation of their established order.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple by the Babylonians marks the start of the Jewish exile. This event profoundly shaped Jewish identity, leading to a greater emphasis on religious law and communal observance.
c. 516 BC
Second Temple Completed
After returning from exile, the Jewish people rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. This became a central focus of religious life and national identity, but also saw the rise of new religious interpretations and groups.
c. 400 BC - 1st century AD
Development of Scribe Tradition
Following the exile, scribes (Sopherim) emerged as key interpreters and teachers of the Law. Their authority grew, forming the basis of the 'oral law' and a tradition of meticulous, sometimes rigid, adherence to religious statutes.
c. 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Rise of the Pharisees
The Pharisees gained significant influence, advocating for strict adherence to both the written Law and the developing oral traditions. They were deeply concerned with ritual purity and often clashed with those they deemed less observant.
Early 1st century AD
Roman Tax Collection Intensifies
Under Roman rule, tax collectors (publicans) were often local Jews employed to gather taxes for the empire. These individuals were widely despised for their greed and collaboration with foreign oppressors.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and healing throughout Galilee. His unconventional approach, including associating with 'sinners' and tax collectors, begins to draw criticism from religious authorities.
This passage describes the same event from Matthew's perspective, highlighting the scribes' question about why Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, reinforcing the theme of religious leaders' judgment of Jesus' associations.
Luke 15:1-2These verses immediately follow Jesus' actions in Luke 5, showing the Pharisees and scribes grumbling again, this time because he welcomes sinners and eats with them, demonstrating a recurring pattern of their disapproval.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29This passage speaks to God's wisdom in choosing the weak and lowly to shame the wise and strong, which parallels Jesus' choice to associate with 'sinners' and tax collectors, confounding the religious elite.
Galatians 2:11-14Here, Paul confronts Peter for withdrawing from Gentile believers due to pressure from Jewish believers, illustrating a similar tension around table fellowship and association with those considered 'outsiders' by religious standards.
clarkeLuke 5:30: "But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?"
Why do ye eat and drink, etc. - See what passed at this entertainment considered at large on Matthew 9:10-17 (note); Mark 2:15-22 (note).
cambridgeLuke 5:30: "But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?"
30 . their scribes and Pharisees ] Some MSS. read ‘ the Pharisees and their scribes ,’ i. e. those who were the authorised teachers of the company present. The scribes ( Sopherîm from Sepher ‘a book’) were a body which had sprung up after the exile, whose function it was to copy and explain the Law. The ‘words of the scribes’ were the nucleus of the body of tr…
The Pharisees and their scribes focus their criticism not on Jesus, but on his disciples. This reveals their tactic: by attacking the "weaker" ones, they hoped to indirectly pressure Jesus and discredit his ministry.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him, and Matthew has thrown a large feast in Jesus' honor. Religious leaders, the Pharisees and their scribes, notice Jesus dining with tax collectors and other "sinners" and openly question his disciples about why he associates with such people. This incident highlights the deep division between Jesus' inclusive ministry and the exclusivity of the religious establishment.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him, and Matthew has thrown a large feast in Jesus' honor. Religious leaders, the Pharisees and their scribes, notice Jesus dining with tax collectors and other "sinners" and openly question his disciples about why he associates with such people. This incident highlights the deep division between Jesus' inclusive ministry and the exclusivity of the religious establishment.
"And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”" — The Pharisees and their scribes focus their criticism not on Jesus, but on his disciples. This reveals their tactic: by attacking the "weaker" ones, they hoped to indirectly pressure Jesus and discre…
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Last reviewed October 2026