Luke 5:30
But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
The verse records the great feast Levi made in his own house after leaving tax work to follow Christ, where Jesus sat as honored guest and ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners while the scribes and Pharisees murmured with contempt and accused His disciples to stir up prejudice against Him.
Their complaint grew from prejudice that despised tax collectors and sinners as outcasts, from deliberate exclusiveness that held aloof from others, and from self-righteousness that felt no spiritual need.
Jesus shared the table on purpose as a physician to the sick, to call sinners who knew their need to repentance and to reach the depths of human woe with hope and spiritual life.
His presence showed sympathy, mercy and respect for their dignity without approving dissipation or worldly levity, and it broke down Pharisaic exclusiveness because He came as Redeemer of the world to seek all classes in streets, homes, synagogues and feasts.
It is a lesson for all churches and gospel ministry to do the same personal medical missionary work, using social contact to recommend Christ and turn thoughts to eternal things rather than hiding from contamination and losing opportunities to enlighten humanity.
Feast and Pharisees' Complaint
The murmuring arose at the great feast Levi made in his own house after leaving his tax work to follow Christ, where Jesus sat as an honored guest and He and His disciples ate and drank with publicans, that is tax collectors, and sinners. Jesus accepted hospitality from people of every class at that gathering.
The scribes and Pharisees, including priests, rulers and elders, murmured with contempt against Jesus and condemned, faulted and accused His disciples for eating, drinking and mingling with those people. They made all possible capital out of His action and questioned the disciples in order to stir up prejudice and alienate them from Him.
Their objection arose from prejudice against tax collectors and people they judged sinful and regarded as social outcasts. It came from deliberate exclusiveness and tradition, for they associated only with their own class, held themselves aloof not only from Gentiles but from the majority of their own people, and taught all classes to separate from the rest of the world. They resented that one who had influence among the people honored Matthew and mingled with people they despised.
They complained in self-righteousness, egotism and intolerance, believing themselves spiritually sound, failing to recognize their own spiritual need, and rejecting the lessons they needed. They were moved by envy and resistance to His example of welcoming sinners. Their exclusiveness narrowed their influence and created prejudice.
Christ's Mission and Example
Jesus sat at the table with tax collectors and sinners on purpose, as a physician with the sick, the great Medical Missionary and Restorer, come to call to repentance not the self-satisfied but sinners who knew their need and were willing to admit it. In parables He set before them their true condition, reaching down to the very depths of human woe and misery to bring hope and spiritual life to all who would receive Him. By meeting them where they were, even at the table, He let the light of truth shine through a godly character to sow truth in hearts ready to own their sin.
His presence there was sympathy and social kindness, generous mercy and respect that recognized their human dignity, tender forgiving love reaching to satisfy the inmost longings of sore-troubled souls in need of guidance and encouragement. It was no wrongdoing, and it gave no approval to dissipation, worldly levity, luxuries, amusements, or feasting. His words of encouragement on such occasions were such as priests and rulers would not speak, yet always wise, always exalting truth.
He never refused invitations of this kind, but went into the busy thoroughfares of travel to find souls, sow seeds of truth, ask and answer questions that would diffuse light, and speak words suited to the needs of His hearers. Those principles searched the recesses of the heart, reached the diseased imagination, and drew the mind out after eternal realities. His words fell on thirsty souls with blessed, life-giving power, awakening new impulses, making men long to become worthy of His confidence, giving social outcasts hope and opening to them the possibility of a changed, new life when hearts later responded.
He mingled with them on purpose to break down Pharisaic exclusiveness and open the way for freer mingling, so that His mission might be felt upon all classes, for He came not only as the Messiah of the Jews but as the Redeemer of the world. For that reason He sought men in the public streets, in private houses, on boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lakes, and at marriage feasts, coming forth from earnest prayer in the mountains braced and strengthened to work among men in real life. There He enlightened and relieved the poor, the sick, the ignorant, and those bound by Satan, as well as teaching the rich and honorable. Through His teaching and conduct He gave sinners a chance to know Him and to see the contrast between His life and teaching and those of the Pharisees.
The feast is thus a lesson for all churches and for gospel ministry to do the same definite, personal medical missionary work for spiritual and physical need everywhere. Those in that work are to learn His meekness and lowliness of heart, testify to His power to restore, and share His saving spirit rather than take pleasure in afflicting or destroying those who do not worship according to a prescribed plan. They are to use association with unconverted people and social contact to recommend Christ and turn thoughts toward spiritual and eternal things, and by that example to teach disciples how to behave among both religious and nonreligious people and how to deal with the erring. Practical religion is to be expressed through self-denial, patience, kindness, and forbearance, trusting truth to influence people over time as God draws them, and not trying to preserve religion by hiding within stone walls to escape contamination, which only loses golden opportunities to enlighten and benefit humanity.