Matthew 9:11-13
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The Pharisees didn't just see Jesus eating; they observed him doing it with people they considered utterly defiled, which implied to them that Jesus himself must be impure. Their question to the disciples, rather than to Jesus directly, reveals a calculated strategy to sow doubt and potentially alienate Jesus' followers from him.
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is attending a meal hosted by Matthew, a tax collector, which includes many other people considered "sinners" by religious society. The Pharisees, who rigidly adhered to the Law and saw themselves as righteous, observe this gathering. Not daring to confront Jesus directly, they approach his disciples to question why their teacher would associate so intimately with such disreputable company.
The Pharisees were aghast. Jesus was eating with people they considered 'unclean.' What was so scandalous about sharing a meal?
The Scandal of Table Fellowship
In ancient Jewish culture, sharing a meal was a profound act of fellowship and acceptance. It wasn't just about food; it was about relationship. The Pharisees, deeply committed to a life of ritual purity, viewed association with 'tax collectors and sinners' as defiling.
By eating with them, Jesus was signaling to the world that these people were not beyond His reach. He was demonstrating that the Kingdom of God was a place of radical inclusion, not exclusive holiness.
The Pharisees didn't ask Jesus directly. They went to his disciples. What does this subtle shift reveal about their motives?
Indirect Accusation and Undermining
The Pharisees chose to confront Jesus's disciples rather than Jesus himself. Several reasons likely fueled this strategy:
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This approach reveals a critical, manipulative spirit, more interested in discrediting Jesus than in understanding his mission.
Why would Jesus deliberately associate with those considered 'unwell' spiritually? He had a clear purpose.
Calling the 'Sick' to Health
Jesus directly addresses the Pharisees' unspoken accusation in the following verses (though not included here, they are crucial context). His response is profound:
Jesus uses a powerful metaphor: he is the divine physician, and his mission is to bring healing to those who are spiritually ill. Tax collectors and sinners, in the eyes of the religious elite, were the very definition of the 'sick.'
This statement clarifies his divine mandate. While the Pharisees prided themselves on their righteousness, Jesus's primary calling was to those who recognized their need for repentance and transformation. His table fellowship was not an endorsement of sin, but an active outreach to bring people from darkness into God's light.
Understand the original words
Pharisaioi · Greek Noun
A religious and political party in first-century Judaism known for their strict adherence to the oral and written Law and their separation from those they deemed impure.
telōnai · Greek Noun
Individuals tasked by the Roman Empire to collect taxes from the Jewish populace; they were deeply despised by their fellow Jews, often viewed as traitors and ceremonially unclean due to their frequent contact with Gentiles.
hamartōlos · Greek Noun/Adjective
Individuals who fail to conform to the standards of the Law of Moses or social moral codes; in a biblical context, it refers to all humanity, though it specifically identifies those openly living in rebellion against God's standards.
iatros · Greek Noun
One who practices medicine or healing; metaphorically, it describes Christ's role in diagnosing the spiritual malady of sin and providing the cure of repentance and salvation.
eleos · Greek Noun
Kindness, compassion, or loyalty shown to others, especially those in need or distress; in a covenantal context, it often refers to God’s faithful love (hesed) that outweighs mere ritualistic obedience.
thysia · Greek Noun
The act of offering something to God, specifically animal offerings under the Mosaic Law; it signifies worship and atonement, but is rejected by God when divorced from inward obedience and moral integrity.
dikaios · Greek Adjective
Those who consider themselves justified by their own adherence to the law; in this context, it refers to those who trust in their own self-righteousness, rendering them unable to receive the gospel.
The Pharisees' outrage wasn't just about social etiquette; it stemmed from a deeply held belief that associating with 'unclean' people like tax collectors would defile one's own religious standing. Jesus' meal deliberately challenged this exclusivity, showing his mission was to bring God's kingdom to all, regardless of their past.
Late 1st century BC
Roman Tax System Established
Rome implemented a system of taxation across its territories, including Judea. Tax collectors, often Jews themselves, were hired to collect taxes, and they were notorious for their greed and corruption, often extorting more than was owed.
Early 1st century AD
Pharisaic Movement Gaining Influence
The Pharisees, a prominent religious group, emphasized strict adherence to Jewish law and tradition. They viewed association with tax collectors and 'sinners' as a source of ritual impurity and social contamination.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus Begins Public Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching, healing, and calling disciples. His ministry is marked by inclusivity, drawing people from all walks of life, which often drew the attention and criticism of religious leaders.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus Eats with Matthew the Tax Collector
Jesus attends a banquet hosted by Matthew, a former tax collector, in his home. This meal includes Jesus, his disciples, Matthew, and other 'tax collectors and sinners,' sparking outrage among the observing Pharisees.
This passage shows the Pharisees grumbling about Jesus receiving sinners and eating with them, directly mirroring the sentiment in Matthew 9:11 and highlighting their consistent disapproval of Jesus's ministry to the marginalized.
Matthew 11:19Here, Jesus directly addresses the criticism of eating with tax collectors and sinners, calling Himself 'a friend of tax collectors and sinners,' which provides Jesus's own defense against the very accusation seen in Matthew 9:11.
1 Corinthians 15:9Paul, like Jesus in this instance, describes himself as 'the least of the apostles' and one who 'persecuted the church,' drawing a parallel between his own past as an 'outsider' and Jesus's association with those the religious establishment deemed outcasts.
Galatians 2:11-13This passage recounts Peter’s hypocrisy in separating himself from Gentiles when certain Jewish believers arrived, demonstrating the very kind of exclusivism and self-righteousness that the Pharisees embodied in Matthew 9:11.
barnesMatthew 9:11: "And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"
Why eateth and drinketh ... - To eat and drink with others denotes intimacy and familiarity. The Pharisees, by asking this question, accused him of seeking the society of such people, and of being the companion of the wicked. The inference which they would draw was, that he could not be himself righteous, since he delighted in the company of abandoned people.
cambridgeMatthew 9:11: "And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"
11 . when the Pharisees saw it ] The Pharisees were not guests, but came into the house,—a custom still prevalent in the East. A traveller writes from Damietta, “In the room where we were received, besides the divan on which we sat, there were seats all round the walls. Many came in and took their place on those side-seats, uninvited and yet unchallenged. They spoke to…
The Pharisees didn't just see Jesus eating; they observed him doing it with people they considered utterly defiled, which implied to them that Jesus himself must be impure. Their question to the disciples, rather than to Jesus directly, reveals a calculated strategy to sow doubt and potentially alienate Jesus' followers from him.
Jesus is attending a meal hosted by Matthew, a tax collector, which includes many other people considered "sinners" by religious society. The Pharisees, who rigidly adhered to the Law and saw themselves as righteous, observe this gathering. Not daring to confront Jesus directly, they approach his disciples to question why their teacher would associate so intimately with such disreputable company.
Jesus is attending a meal hosted by Matthew, a tax collector, which includes many other people considered "sinners" by religious society. The Pharisees, who rigidly adhered to the Law and saw themselves as righteous, observe this gathering. Not daring to confront Jesus directly, they approach his disciples to question why their teacher would associate so intimately with such disreputable company.
"And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn…" — The Pharisees didn't just see Jesus eating; they observed him doing it with people they considered utterly defiled, which implied to them that Jesus himself must be impure. Their question to the di…
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Last reviewed October 2026
