But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
Luke 5:17,21 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them…
Luke 7:29,30,34,39 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John…
Luke 15:1,2 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him…
complained to Jesus’ disciples
The Pharisees and scribes often questioned Jesus' actions and teachings, seeking to undermine His authority. By addressing the disciples, they aimed to create doubt and division among Jesus' followers. This reflects a common tactic of challenging a leader by targeting their followers, seen throughout biblical narratives.
“Why do you eat and drink
In Jewish culture, sharing a meal was a sign of fellowship and acceptance. Eating and drinking with someone implied a level of intimacy and approval. The Pharisees were concerned with ritual purity and believed that associating with certain groups could lead to defilement. This question highlights their focus on external purity rather than internal transformation.
with tax collectors and sinners?”
Tax collectors were despised in Jewish society for collaborating with the Roman occupiers and often extorting money. They were seen as traitors and were socially ostracized. "Sinners" referred to those who did not adhere to the Pharisaic interpretation of the law, including those with morally questionable lifestyles. Jesus' association with these groups demonstrated His mission to seek and save the lost, as seen in Luke 19:10, and foreshadowed the inclusive nature of the Gospel. This interaction also prefigures the New Covenant, where salvation is offered to all, regardless of social or religious standing.
• These religious leaders prided themselves on strict observance of the Law and their own traditions (cf. Matthew 23:1-4).
• Their presence in nearly every scene of Jesus’ ministry shows how closely they watched Him, often seeking grounds for accusation (Mark 3:2).
• Their very title—“separated ones”—reveals a mindset of spiritual distance from the common people, which sets the stage for their complaint (Luke 18:11-12).
• Rather than approach Jesus Himself, they grumbled to His followers, a strategy also seen in Exodus 16:2 where Israel “grumbled against Moses and Aaron.”
• Luke later records the same spirit of murmuring in Acts 6:1, reminding us that complaining can infect any community.
• Their criticism exposes a heart issue: instead of rejoicing that needy people are meeting the Savior, they focus on perceived religious impropriety.
• Sharing a meal in that culture signified acceptance and fellowship (Ruth 2:14; Revelation 3:20).
• The Pharisees assume holiness is preserved by distance, yet Jesus demonstrates that holiness moves toward the lost (Luke 19:10).
• Their question echoes the language of Matthew 9:11 and Mark 2:16; all three Synoptic accounts underscore the tension between ritual purity and redemptive mission.
• Tax collectors were despised collaborators with Rome, often guilty of extortion (Luke 19:2, 8).
• “Sinners” refers to those openly violating God’s law or marginalized by society (Luke 7:37-39).
• Jesus’ table fellowship prefigures the gospel invitation to “whoever will” (Revelation 22:17), affirming that “the healthy do not need a physician, but the sick” (Luke 5:31-32).
• By labeling others “sinners,” the Pharisees overlook their own need of grace (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6).
Luke 5:30 exposes a clash between self-righteous religion and the Savior’s redeeming heart. The Pharisees, sure of their own purity, grumble that Jesus’ ministry welcomes the very people they avoid. Their question, meant as an accusation, actually highlights the gospel’s glory: the holy Son of God sits at the table of the unholy to call them to repentance and new life.
(30) Murmured.--Better, were murmuring. In reporting what was said by others, St. Luke naturally gives the word "sinners" as it was actually spoken.Verse 30. - But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples. Many of the older authorities here omit "their" αὐτῶν before "scribes." The older authorities vary slightly in the position of the words here. The best reading and translation would give, "The Pharisees and the scribes among them" - "among them," that is, among the Capernaites; in other words, "They among them who were Pharisees and scribes." These scribes (Hebrew, sopherim), under this appellation, first appear after the Exile. Their occupation was to copy and to expound the Law. They were the recognized teachers of the Jews, and seem to have succeeded that great and influential class or order, the "sons of the prophets," originally founded by Samuel. These "sons of the prophets" are repeatedly mentioned in the books of the Old Testament which treat of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The scribes were succeeded, in the year , by the tanaim (repeaters), under which name the scribes were officially, though apparently not popularly, known until A.D. , after which date these scribes were termed amoraim. The Talmud (Mishna and Gemara) may be said to have been the work of this great and enduring teacher order. The Talmud was finally closed in A.D. , by Rabbina Abina, the last of the amoraim. Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?.