2. Eating with Tax Collectors & Sinners

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Posted on June 30, 2014 by Father Joe

The Second Scandalous Mystery

Jesus was tainted by his associations. Tax collectors were working for the Romans, in other words, they were viewed as traitors to their own people. If Jesus were the Messiah, then how would he dare associate with those who had compromised themselves with their enemies? Tax collectors were judged collectively as thieves. Since the righteous Pharisees, scribes and others would not freely mingle with them; their social relations were usually only with those who were judged as sinners and reprobates. Jesus did not shy away from the sordid crowd. It may be that they were also shocked that a holy teacher and prophet would sit with them. But I suspect they were also moved. Jesus would let them know that God had not abandoned them. They also had an immeasurable worth in the eyes of God. Jesus responded to his critics by saying, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” The message lost on the religious leaders was that they too were sinners needing redemption.

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One Response

jaboutte, on June 30, 2014 at 9:06 pm said:

I often hear as an objection to making correct judgements regarding sin that Jesus ate with Tax Collectors, so DON’T JUDGE.

In what way should we interpret Paul’s letter to the Corinthians? St. Paul says do not even eat with evil doers among you inside the Church.

Thanks!

1 Corinthians 5:9-13

9 In my letter, I wrote to you that you should have nothing to do with people living immoral lives.10 I was not including everybody in this present world who is sexually immoral, or everybody who is greedy, or dishonest or worships false gods — that would mean you would have to cut yourselves off completely from the world.11 In fact what I meant was that you were not to have anything to do with anyone going by the name of brother who is sexually immoral, or is greedy, or worships false gods, or is a slanderer or a drunkard or dishonest; never even have a meal with anybody of that kind.12 It is no concern of mine to judge outsiders. It is for you to judge those who are inside, is it not?13 But outsiders are for God to judge. You must banish this evil-doer from among you.

FATHER JOE:

The tax collectors and other sinners were such in the sight of the law. Many of them were condemned by association. We see that certain tax collectors like Matthew were good men. Jesus comes to them for purposes of inclusion. They are God’s people too and he calls them back to full membership as the children of Israel. The situation that Paul faces is somewhat different. There is the constant temptation among the Gentiles of backsliding. The immorality of some of these pagans even includes incest. He is telling them to beware of the greed, lusts and idolatry of these pagans. Their activities were often sordid. It would be as if a devout Christian partied in a strip club, a gross contradiction. People of faith would be sinning just to be engaged with these “immoral people.” The Church speaks about this as avoiding bad companions. Association would make us accomplices in sin and forfeit sanctifying grace.