Luke 15:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

NIV: But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

NASB: And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.'

CSB: And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

NLT: This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people — even eating with them!

KJV: And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

NKJV: And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

A crowd of spiritual outcasts has swarmed Jesus (Luke 15:1). We don't know if they have repented of their sins or not—it's probably a mix. A "sinner," in this situation, is someone who does not follow societal mores. They are those considered blatantly out of fellowship with God, such as prostitutes, thieves, and open non-believers. Pharisees place tax collectors in the same category as the "extortioners, unjust, [and] adulterers" (Luke 18:11). Tax collectors were hired by the occupying Roman government to collect a minimum amount from their fellow Jews. If they took more, they were allowed to keep it—many were deeply corrupt.

That doesn't stop Jesus from associating with them. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus called Matthew the tax collector to be His disciple. In turn, Matthew invited Jesus to a formal banquet with his friends, many of whom were also tax collectors. When the Pharisees and scribes condemned Jesus' attendance, He responded, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:27–32).

To eat with someone is to publicly show fellowship with them. Jesus doesn't condone their sin, but He knows the best way to bring someone to repentance isn't to stand off to the side and insult them (Luke 18:9–14). It's to invite them into a relationship. It's to show them a better way. The Pharisees value perfection to the exclusion of repentance; often we do, too.

"This man" or "this one" is a derogatory, dismissive term. "Receive" doesn't just mean to accept into one's presence but to greet warmly. Paul will later use the word to refer to how we should interact with other believers (Romans 16:2; Philippians 2:29). The Pharisees believe Jesus is breaking the Old Testament tradition of disassociating from anyone who is a known sinner (Psalm 1; Isaiah 52:11); they interpret Jesus' actions to mean He is indifferent to sin.

In response, Jesus gives three parables. Jesus is not only willing to seek those who have strayed from God through foolishness or ignorance, He will even happily welcome the return of open rebels who repent. In any of these cases, reconciliation is cause for celebration (Luke 15:3–32). May we have the same grace.

Luke 15:1–2 sets the scene for three upcoming parables. Smug religious leaders think it disgusting that Jesus would interact with people they deem immoral. The religious leaders have forgotten their purpose; they are not to bar the repentant from God, but to gently lead people towards obedient worship of God. In the stories of the lost sheep, coin, and son, Jesus invites them to celebrate repentance instead of focusing on past failure. The setting is reminiscent of Luke 5:27–32. These parables are only found in Luke.

To answer criticisms that He associates with sinners, Jesus tells three parables. A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to rescue a single lost member. A woman searches diligently to locate a lost coin. A father eagerly forgives his wayward son when the young man returns in humility and repentance. All these lead to celebration. In the same way, Jesus teaches that God cares about restoring those who have fallen, and we should mirror His joy whenever that happens.

Luke 15 contains three parables with the theme of something "lost." The lost sheep, coin, and son represent sinners who leave God foolishly, unknowingly, or rebelliously. God seeks the foolish and the ignorant and waits patiently for the rebel to return to Him in humble repentance. Next is a collection of teachings on the differences between worldly and kingdom living (Luke 16:1—17:10). After two more groups of a miracle, teachings on the kingdom, and teachings on salvation (Luke 17:11—19:27), Jesus will enter Jerusalem and prepare for the crucifixion.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.