Mark 2:16
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When the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
HEALING OF A PARALYTIC. ( = Mat 9:1-8; Luk 5:17-26). (Mar 2:1-12) And again he entered into Capernaum--"His own city" (Mat 9:1). and it was noised that he was in the house--no doubt of Simon Peter (Mar 1:29).
Open source ↗In this chapter, we have, I. Christ's healing a man that was sick of a palsy (Mar 2:1-12). II. His calling of Matthew from the receipt of custom, and his eating, upon that occasion, with publicans and sinners, and justifying himself in so doing (Mar 2:13-17). III. His justifying his disciples in not fasting so much as those plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath day (Mar 2:23-28). All which passages we had before, Mt. 9 and 12.
Open source ↗2:16 The teachers of religious law who were Pharisees understood Jesus’ act of eating with sinners as intentionally accepting them as friends (Luke 15:1-2; 19:5, 7; Acts 11:2-18; Gal 2:11-12). Jesus indicated that these tax collectors and sinners were invited to share in the Kingdom of God. In Jesus’ ministry, even Gentiles were invited to share the Kingdom (Mark 5:1-20; 7:24-30; cp. Matt 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10; John 4:43-54).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
And all who saw this began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinful man!”
The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.
A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
“Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.