Eating With Publicans and Sinners by Mrs. Iva F. Cady

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jan 8, 1914

Eating With Publicans and Sinners

By Mrs. Iva F. Cady

MRS. IVA F. CADY

We have heard about the caste system of India, where the customs of the people forbid their eating with or taking food from one of lower caste, even if they are starving, and we regard this as a deplorable condition. We also denounce the pride and religious bigotry of the Jews in the days of the apostles, which led them to refuse to eat with the Gentiles. But while the Christians of this enlightened age profess not to believe in the caste system, do they not sometimes have a way of acting that is quite similar to this which they condemn in others, though their method may not be called by the same name? Do you ever turn a cold shoulder to even your brother in the church and shun him because you have heard some evil report concerning him, or because you have heard that he spoke disparagingly of you? Perhaps you have gone so far as to refuse to eat at the same table with one whom you judge as a sinner.

We may be sure that it will be safe and right to follow the example of Christ in such matters, as well as in everything else. Though he was the Son of God, what did he do? We find that while he knew of the deceit and unfaithfulness of Judas, he ate of the Passover with him, sitting at the same table. Notice also the course he took as he mingled with the people. “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 when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?” Matt. 9: 10, 11.

Because Jesus ate with publicans and sinners, the Pharisees condemned him, and accused him of being a friend of such people (Matt. 11: 19), in the sense of being one of them. Jesus answered them by saying, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matt. 9: 12, 13.

There are professed Christian people who, like the Pharisees, choose to associate only with so-called respectable persons who have a high standing in society, while they look with disdain upon the poor or those who have a questionable reputation. Might not these same Pharisaical persons feel highly flattered if some corrupt and immoral king or great man of this earth should condescend to be friendly with them? Would they not overlook his wicked character, and consider it an honor to be called his friend? But sin is sin wherever it is found, and the wicked rich man is no better in the sight of God than is the wicked poor man. And we are told that if we have “respect to persons,” we commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

We may have a refined taste, so that the rude, uncouth ways of the uncultured are distasteful to us, and we turn from them in disgust. The sins of criminals and outcasts may appear very black to us; but while we abhor the sin, we should at the same time love the sinner, because Jesus loves him and died just as much to save him as to save us. It is such as these that we are to “save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” Jude 23. If sin appears bad to us, how much worse must it be regarded by Christ, the sinless one! And yet he mingled freely with all classes, even with the most degraded, and improved every opportunity of helping such by feeding them when hungry, healing their sicknesses, and pointing out to them the way of life. His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, with the woman taken in the act of adultery, with Simon the Pharisee and Mary Magdalene when she washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head; with Zaccheus the publican, with the man in the country of the Gadarenes out of whom he cast the unclean spirits,—these and many other instances show that Christ was not a respecter of persons, but that he labored to save both high and low, rich and poor, not making any difference between them.

The parable of the lost sheep was given to show the loving care that we should have for the straying ones, and the diligent efforts we should put forth to bring them back into the fold. Luke 15: 2-7. Let us so cherish the Spirit of Christ and labor for the backsliders as we shall wish we had when we stand before God to give an account of our stewardship. If they will repent and turn to him, the Lord will receive them; for he says, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” Jer. 3: 22. And if Christ accepts them and casts their sins behind his back, should not we be willing to do the same?

Though we are to put forth every legitimate effort to save sinners, we are not to throw ourselves in the way of temptation by joining with them in their worldly pleasures, or by yoking up with them as bosom friends or boon companions. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Eph. 5: 11. We do not need to lower our standard of holiness and purity and descend to their level, but by our example we must seek to lift them up to a higher plane. We can never help them by keeping entirely away from them, or by passing them coldly by without recognition when we meet them on the street. We must show them that we have an interest in their welfare, that we love them and care for their souls; then we may hope to win them to Christ. But if we have the spirit of the Pharisee, who thanked the Lord because he was better than other men, we are sure to manifest that spirit, and such a spirit is so unlike Christ that it can never draw souls to him.

College Place, Wash.