Matthew 9:10 kjv
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
Matthew 9:10 nkjv
Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
Matthew 9:10 niv
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.
Matthew 9:10 esv
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
Matthew 9:10 nlt
Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.
Matthew 9 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 9:11 | When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" | Pharisaic criticism of Jesus' associations. |
| Mt 9:12-13 | On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick... For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." | Jesus' purpose to heal spiritual sickness and call sinners. |
| Mk 2:15 | While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples... | Parallel account of Jesus dining with sinners. |
| Mk 2:16-17 | When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ... Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” | Parallel account highlighting Jesus' mission to sinners. |
| Lk 5:29-32 | Then Levi gave a great banquet for Jesus at his house... But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” | Luke's parallel, emphasizing "to repentance." |
| Lk 15:1-2 | Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” | Pharisees' recurring complaint about Jesus' inclusiveness. |
| Lk 19:7 | When the people saw this, they all muttered, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” | Public perception of Zacchaeus's conversion, echoing the theme. |
| 1 Tim 1:15 | Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. | Paul affirming Jesus' universal mission to save sinners. |
| Hos 6:6 | For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. | Old Testament principle echoed by Jesus in Mt 9:13, prioritizing compassion over ritual. |
| Ps 145:9 | The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. | God's compassionate nature towards all people. |
| Isa 53:12 | He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. | Messiah associated with sinners, even in death. |
| Jn 1:17 | For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. | Jesus brings grace that goes beyond legalistic distinctions. |
| Acts 10:28 | He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.” | Peter's revelation about not distinguishing people as unclean. |
| Rom 5:8 | But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | God's love extending to sinners before their transformation. |
| Eph 2:13-14 | But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier... | Jesus breaking down social and religious barriers. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | The principle of unity and lack of discrimination in Christ. |
| 1 Cor 5:9-11 | I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people... but now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. | Context of table fellowship as a symbol of church communion. Jesus ate with sinners to call them; Paul forbids eating with unrepentant believers who profess Christ but live contrary. Distinct purpose. |
| Rev 3:20 | Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. | Invitation to intimate fellowship with Christ for those who respond. |
| Isa 25:6 | On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine, choicest meats and finest wines. | Prophecy of a future messianic banquet for all peoples. |
| Lk 7:34 | The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' | A summary of the criticism leveled against Jesus for his table habits. |
| Ps 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. | God's preference for inner transformation over external rituals, foundational to accepting sinners. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! | The transformation that comes to those who embrace Jesus' call, applicable to the 'sinners'. |
| Heb 7:26 | Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, yet exalted above the heavens. | Contrast with Jesus' unique sinless nature, yet His mission to sinners, not isolation from them. |
Matthew 9 verses
Matthew 9 10 Meaning
Matthew 9:10 reveals Jesus' profound mission to the marginalized and spiritually lost. It describes Jesus engaging in a meal with many tax collectors and sinners at Matthew's house. This act of table fellowship symbolized acceptance, intimacy, and a break from conventional religious purity standards, showcasing Jesus' inclusive love and His intention to reach those considered outcasts by the religious elite of His day. It underscores the open accessibility of God's grace and the nature of His kingdom, which welcomes all who respond to His call, irrespective of their past or social standing.
Matthew 9 10 Context
Matthew 9:10 follows Jesus' call of Matthew, the tax collector, to be His disciple (Mt 9:9). Matthew immediately leaves his lucrative, yet socially despised, profession to follow Jesus. The dinner described in verse 10 is likely a celebration hosted by Matthew to honor Jesus and introduce Him to his former colleagues and social network. Historically, tax collectors (Latin: publicani; Greek: telones) were among the most detested individuals in Jewish society, often extorting their own people for Rome, placing them outside mainstream religious and social acceptance, and often lumped with prostitutes and notorious "sinners." For Jesus, a respected Rabbi, to share an intimate meal with such individuals, especially in their home environment, was a profound defiance of prevailing social and religious norms. The entire passage highlights the tension between Jesus' inclusive, grace-focused ministry and the exclusive, law-focused piety of the Pharisees who observed and criticized Him.
Matthew 9 10 Word analysis
- While Jesus was having dinner: The Greek word is anakeimai (ἀνακεῖμαι), which means "to recline at table." In ancient Near Eastern and Roman culture, people reclined on couches while eating, especially at a festive meal. This posture indicated a relaxed and intimate fellowship, not a formal gathering. It highlights close association and shared life, emphasizing Jesus' deliberate act of breaking purity barriers.
- at Matthew's house: This signifies Matthew's welcoming of Jesus into his private sphere. For Matthew, a tax collector, to host Jesus was a significant public statement of his new allegiance. It suggests an open-door policy for his old acquaintances, who might now hear Jesus' message.
- many tax collectors: Greek: telonēs (τελώνης). These were Jews employed by the Roman Empire to collect taxes from their own people. They were notoriously corrupt, often demanding more than legally required, and were seen as collaborators with the foreign occupiers. Due to their contact with Gentiles and unrighteous financial dealings, they were considered ritually unclean and religiously ostracized by mainstream Jewish society, especially the Pharisees. Their presence indicates a sphere of society normally avoided by religious teachers.
- and sinners: Greek: hamartōlos (ἁμαρτωλός). This term, in the Jewish context of the time, often referred to a class of people who lived in open disregard of the Law of Moses or common religious/moral conventions. This included prostitutes, extortioners, and anyone not adhering to the Pharisaic standards of ritual purity and meticulous adherence to every part of the Law. It implies public outcasts, not merely individuals who committed isolated sins (which applies to everyone). Their presence confirms Jesus' focus on those alienated from religious life.
- came and ate with him: This denotes initiative on their part (they came) and active participation in the meal (ate with him). The act of sharing food and reclining together symbolized intimate communion, acceptance, and brotherhood in ancient cultures. For Jesus, a teacher and holy man, to participate in such fellowship with these outcasts was a radical and intentional breach of prevailing social and religious purity codes.
- and his disciples: The disciples, chosen by Jesus, were participating in this breaking of norms. This demonstrates their obedience to Jesus' example and their readiness to learn new ways of relating to people, transcending their own traditional Jewish upbringings and prejudices. It illustrates Jesus forming a new community.
- While Jesus was having dinner... many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him: This entire phrase describes the scandal. Jesus' presence drew these despised individuals, and His willingness to share a meal with them validated their presence and extended them acceptance, implying forgiveness and potential for new life, contrary to societal and religious expectations.
- at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners: The location, a tax collector's home, combined with the company, solidified the provocative nature of the event. Matthew, newly called, immediately opens his life and home as a locus of divine interaction, signaling his transformed identity and mission to those still in his old life.
Matthew 9 10 Bonus section
The concept of "table fellowship" in ancient Jewish culture was deeply significant. To eat with someone signified not just physical sustenance but shared life, acceptance, and covenant. Religious leaders would carefully guard who they ate with to maintain their ritual purity and social standing. Jesus’ repeated practice of dining with "tax collectors and sinners" was therefore a profound counter-cultural and theological statement. He wasn't simply tolerant of them; He initiated intimate communion. This prefigured the messianic banquet, where all peoples, regardless of their past, are invited to feast with God. Jesus modeled radical inclusion and compassion, challenging the prevailing notion that holiness meant segregation. He demonstrated that true holiness involves drawing people near to God for cleansing and restoration, not pushing them away.
Matthew 9 10 Commentary
Matthew 9:10 presents a pivotal moment revealing the core of Jesus' mission and character. His willingness to recline and eat with tax collectors and "sinners" at Matthew's house was not an accidental occurrence but a deliberate act of grace and outreach. In a society deeply stratified by ritual purity and social standing, sharing a meal implied fellowship and acceptance, which the religious establishment rigorously denied to such "unclean" individuals. This act directly challenged the Pharisees' rigid understanding of righteousness, which prioritized separation from sin and sinners over engaging them. Jesus, the Great Physician, sought out the spiritually sick, demonstrating that the Kingdom of God is open to those who recognize their need for salvation, rather than those who self-righteously believe themselves already whole. This meal was a tangible demonstration of divine love breaking down human-made barriers, initiating a new community centered on mercy and transformation.