“And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.”
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him — the dinner at Levi's house is the kingdom's social vision in action: many tax collectors and sinners eating with Jesus and the disciples. The word sinners (hamartōloi) in this context refers not to the morally worst but to those who were considered outside the boundaries of covenant faithfulness by the religious establishment — people who did not observe the purity laws, who worked in degrading occupations, who were not Torah-observant. Jesus eats with them, which in the ancient world communicated acceptance, solidarity, and covenant relationship.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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