May 2,2020

“And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”” (Luke 15:2 NKJV)

Today it may be hard to understand what “Pharisees and scribes” means. To translate we could say priest and pastors as well as great religious teachers. They complained, which means they murmured about Jesus.

Like gossipy people they murmured and whined to others and not directly to Jesus. Gossip is an infection which hurts those it is aimed at but also those who begin it.

These murmurers murmured “this man”, a very unnice way to say Jesus was cavorting with sinners and even eating with them. We may not understand the full meaning of the second charge but a Jew was very selective about who they ate with lest they be contaminated.

There is the story about some religious leaders who were fighting a liquor by the drink law being proposed. Someone said “didn’t Jesus turn water into wine?” A religious leader responded “Yes, I have always been disappointed in Jesus for doing that!”