And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed is that Matthew himself, the author of this Gospel, is likely hosting this meal. He's inviting his former associates, the very people society shunned, to encounter Jesus, demonstrating a profound humility by omitting his own hospitality from his account. This wasn't just a meal; it was a deliberate act of grace, a bridge built from his past life to his new calling.
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This scene unfolds during a meal, likely a feast hosted by Matthew (also called Levi) to celebrate his new calling as a disciple. It's a gathering of Jesus's followers and Matthew's former associates – tax collectors and other people considered "sinners" by religious society. Immediately following this, the Pharisees will witness this meal and question Jesus about why he eats with such people, prompting Jesus's profound response about needing a physician for the sick.
Imagine walking into a party and seeing Jesus at the main table. But what if the guests around him weren't the 'religious elite'?
This scene, set in a house likely belonging to Matthew himself (who was a tax collector), is a powerful picture of God's kingdom breaking in.
A Farewell Feast
Matthew, newly called by Jesus, throws a feast. It's described as being in 'the house' and for Jesus, but commentators suggest it was a farewell gathering for his old associates before he fully committed to following Jesus. He was inviting his former friends – the very people society looked down on.
Open Doors, Open Hearts
The 'tax collectors and sinners' were the outcasts of Jewish society. Tax collectors were often seen as corrupt and collaborators with the Romans. 'Sinners' was a broad term for those living openly immoral lives. Yet, they came and reclined at the table with Jesus and his disciples. This wasn't just a meal; it was an intentional act of inclusion by Jesus.
Why would Jesus, the Son of God, hang out with people labeled 'sinners'?
The Pharisees, who prided themselves on their righteousness, were scandalized by Jesus's table companions. Their question, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' reveals their misunderstanding of Jesus's purpose.
More Than Just Company
Ask a follow-up
Jesus's response cuts to the heart of the matter: 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.' He wasn't just socializing; He was ministering. These 'sick' individuals – the tax collectors and sinners – were precisely the ones He came to call to repentance and healing.
Mercy Over Ritual
Jesus further states, 'Go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”' His mission was to show God's compassionate love, actively seeking out those who were lost and broken, rather than merely observing religious rituals from a distance.
Understand the original words
hamartōlos · Greek Noun/Adjective
Those who violate God's law. In the Gospels, this term often describes those excluded from religious society, emphasizing the need for repentance and God's grace toward the outcast.
This meal highlights Jesus' radical approach to ministry, intentionally bridging social divides and associating with those marginalized by society, directly challenging the religious establishment's exclusive practices.
c. 27-30 AD
Jesus' Ministry Begins in Galilee
Jesus begins his public ministry after his baptism, calling his first disciples and teaching in synagogues and towns throughout Galilee.
c. 27-30 AD
Matthew Called to Discipleship
Jesus encounters Matthew (also known as Levi), a tax collector, at his tax booth and calls him to follow. Matthew immediately leaves his post and follows Jesus.
c. 27-30 AD— this verse
Matthew Hosts a Great Feast
To celebrate and express gratitude for his calling, Matthew throws a large feast in his home, inviting Jesus, his disciples, and many of his former associates, including other tax collectors and people considered 'sinners'.
c. 27-30 AD
Pharisees Criticize Jesus' Company
Pharisees and their scribes observe Jesus eating with tax collectors and 'sinners' and question him and his disciples about why he associates with such people.
c. 27-30 AD
Jesus Explains His Mission
Jesus responds to the criticism by stating that he came to call sinners to repentance and that 'those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.' He emphasizes his mission to seek and save the lost.
This passage from Luke provides the same event but from a different perspective, specifically mentioning that Matthew (then Levi) 'hosted a great banquet for him' in his house, which further highlights the welcoming nature of Jesus.
Matthew 11:19Jesus is called a 'friend of tax collectors and sinners' in this verse, directly echoing the theme of him dining with these groups in Matthew 9:10 and showing this was a consistent pattern of his ministry.
Luke 15:1-2The context here shows Pharisees grumbling because Jesus 'receives sinners and eats with them,' which directly reflects the criticism he faced in Matthew 9:10 and Jesus' subsequent explanation of His mission.
Matthew 9:12-13Immediately following this meal, Jesus declares, 'I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners,' providing the theological reason for why He was dining with 'tax collectors and sinners' in the first place.
barnesMatthew 9:10: "And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples."
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house - This was at a feast given to him by "Levi" or "Matthew," Luke 5:29 . This is another circumstance favorable to Matthew, but omitted by him, and recorded by Luke; showing also that the apostles were averse to praising themselves. To receive Christ hospitably and kindly was a commendable ac…
meyerMatthew 9:10: "And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples."
Matthew 9:10 . Ἐγένετο … καί ] see note on Luke 5:12 . ἀνακειμένου ] In classical Greek, to recline at table is represented by κατακεῖσθαι , as frequently also in the N. T. ( Mark 2:15 ; Mark 14:3 ), though in Polybius, Athenaeus, and later writers ἀνακεῖσθαι , too, is by no means rare. Phrynichus, ed. Lobeck, p. 217. On the custom itself (with…
What's easily missed is that Matthew himself, the author of this Gospel, is likely hosting this meal. He's inviting his former associates, the very people society shunned, to encounter Jesus, demonstrating a profound humility by omitting his own hospitality from his account. This wasn't just a meal; it was a deliberate act of grace, a bridge built from his past life to his new calling.
This scene unfolds during a meal, likely a feast hosted by Matthew (also called Levi) to celebrate his new calling as a disciple. It's a gathering of Jesus's followers and Matthew's former associates – tax collectors and other people considered "sinners" by religious society. Immediately following this, the Pharisees will witness this meal and question Jesus about why he eats with such people, prompting Jesus's profound response about needing a physician for the sick.
This scene unfolds during a meal, likely a feast hosted by Matthew (also called Levi) to celebrate his new calling as a disciple. It's a gathering of Jesus's followers and Matthew's former associates – tax collectors and other people considered "sinners" by religious society. Immediately following this, the Pharisees will witness this meal and question Jesus about why he eats with such people, prompting Jesus's profound response about needing a physician for the sick.
"And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples." — What's easily missed is that Matthew himself, the author of this Gospel, is likely hosting this meal. He's inviting his former associates, the very people society shunned, to encounter Jesus, demonst…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026