And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
The Pharisees, being faithful to strict religious rules, believed that a correct and godly person should avoid people who were considered “sinful” or “unclean.” The Pharisees often condemned Jesus’ actions, because it was hard for them to accept that Jesus, on the one hand, showed God’s love and mercy, and on the other hand, sat at the table with sinners. Yet these actions of Jesus emphasized that He came to save the lost and the sick, not to judge them.