Matthew 11:19
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Tax collectors (publicans) were Jews who collected taxes for Rome—considered traitors and extortioners. 'Sinners' included prostitutes, criminals, and the ritually unclean—'people of the land' (am ha'aretz) whom Pharisees avoided. Jesus's table fellowship with such people was scandalous: shared meals signified acceptance and fellowship. Rabbis taught that eating with sinners conveyed ritual impurity. Jesus deliberately broke these barriers, demonstrating that the gospel welcomes the outcast and transforms sinners. Luke records specific instances: eating with Levi/Matthew (Luke 5:29-32), Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), Simon the Pharisee's house where a prostitute anointed Him (Luke 7:36-50). In each case, religious authorities criticized His associations. Yet these associations demonstrated the gospel: Christ came to call sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13), not to maintain comfortable distance from them. The early church struggled to maintain this balance: welcoming sinners without condoning sin, showing grace without compromising holiness.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you balance Jesus's example of befriending sinners with the biblical call to holy living and separation from sin?
- What groups of 'publicans and sinners' do Christians today tend to avoid or judge rather than welcome as Jesus did?
- How does this verse challenge both legalistic avoidance of sinners and antinomian tolerance of sin?
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Analysis & Commentary
'The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.' In stark contrast to John's asceticism, Jesus participated normally in social life—attending feasts (John 2:1-11, Luke 7:36-50, 14:1-24, 19:1-10), eating and drinking with various groups including notorious sinners. Yet critics accused Him of gluttony and alcoholism—charges as false as those against John. Jesus's point: the same people rejected both John's asceticism and His normal social participation. The real issue wasn't behavior but hardness of heart. They rejected God's messengers regardless of how those messengers lived. The phrase 'friend of publicans and sinners' was meant as insult but became beautiful truth: Jesus genuinely befriended outcasts, demonstrating God's grace. Reformed theology sees this as the incarnation's scandal: God entered fully into human life, associating with sinners (while remaining sinless, Hebrews 4:15) to save them. Critics misconstrued His gracious condescension as moral compromise.