Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 9:11
And when the Pharisees saw [it,] they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
11. when the Pharisees saw it ] The Pharisees were not guests, but came into the house, a custom still prevalent in the East. A traveller writes from Damietta, “In the room where we were received, besides the divan on which we sat, there were seats all round the walls. Many came in and took their place on those side-seats, uninvited and yet unchallenged. They spoke to those at table on business, or the news of the day, and our host spoke freely to them. We afterwards saw this custom at Jerusalem first one and then another stranger opened the door and came in, taking seats by the wall. They leaned forward and spoke to those at table.” Scripture Manners and Customs, p. 185.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Why eateth and drinketh … – To eat and drink with others denotes intimacy and familiarity. The Pharisees, by asking this question, accused him of seeking the society of such people, and of being the companion of the wicked. The inference which they would draw was, that he could not be himself righteous, since he delighted in the company of abandoned people.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mat 9:11
Publicans and sinners.
Appreciation an elevating influence
You cannot elevate, you cannot improve any man whom you utterly despise. You cannot bring the best out of a man if you do not believe that the best is somewhere in him. There is a shocking insolence in human judgments, and the tendency of them is to crush men down to their own base level, till the whole world is all thistles and all mole-hills, never a mountain and never a forest tree. When Cowper was a Westminster boy, he was despised as a shrinking, moping, ineffectual creature; it was not until the age of fifty, that in the warmth of loving appreciation, like flowers in the sun, the powers unfolded within him, which made him one of the sweetest of English poets. When Clyde became the hero of Plassy and the conqueror of India, his father said that he did not think the booby had so much sense. When Dal-garno, the ablest and most eloquent man of his day, went to an English countess as a candidate for the post of tutor to her sons, she insulted him with the remark that she could not possibly engage a person so stupid. So it is, we judge men not by what they are, not by what they might be, but by our own dull prejudices and ignorant misconceptions.
Men are elevated by an appeal to their best qualities
My brethren, the love that sees goodness and beauty in all human nature helps to make goodness, and to make beauty in human nature. The moon turns but one side to the earth; it has another side in which there may be silver lights and shades undreamed of, seen only by the angels of God. So there are two sides to your character and mine. The woman whom you despise when you meet her as so dull and commonplace is an angel of God to her husband, and the man whom you think so singularly stupid and ineffectual is a very idol to his mother and his sisters. What makes the difference? The man is the same. It is love makes the difference, it is appreciation, it is sympathy. To those in whom the man is not one of a class, he is not a publican or a sinner, or a heretic, or a Samaritan, but he is a human soul, who walks in the transfiguring glory of their affection. You think a person dull-why, that is because you are dull. An angel has been with you and you have known it not, and I imagine that to a spirit full of malice and self-conceit an angel would be very dull. Each human soul is like a cavern full of gems. The casual observer glances into it through some cranny, and all looks dark and sullen and forgotten. But let light enter into it; lift a torch up to the walls, let Gods sunlight fall into it and flood its open recesses, and lo! it will flash with crystals and with amethysts, and each separate crystal will quiver under the touch of brightness with a transporting discovery of its own nature. If souls do not shine before you it is because you bring them no light to make them shine. Throw away your miserable, smouldering, fuming torch of conceit and hatred, lift up to them the light of love, and lo! they will arise and shine; yea, flame and burn with an undreamt of glory. (Canon Farrar.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 11. When the Pharisees saw it] He who, like a Pharisee, never felt himself indebted to infinite mercy for his own salvation, is rarely solicitous about the salvation of others. The grace of Christ alone inspires the soul with true benevolence. The self-righteous Pharisees considered it equal to legal defilement to sit in company with tax-gatherers and heathens. It is certain that those who fear God should not associate, through choice, with the workers of iniquity, and should only be found with them when transacting their secular business requires it, or when they have the prospect of doing good to their souls.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark hath the same, Mar 2:16; so hath Luke, Luk 5:30, only he saith they murmured. The Pharisees having a perfect malice to Christ, did not only seek all means to carp at him, but to bring him under a popular odium: this seemed a fair opportunity. The publicans being an order of persons who both for their employment, and perhaps also their ill management of it, were abominated by the Jews, and reckoned amongst the more notorious sort of sinners; they therefore come to his disciples clamouring against their Master, that he kept communion with publicans and sinners.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. And when the Pharisees“andscribes,” add Mark and Luke (Mar 2:6;Luk 5:21).
saw it, they said“murmured”or “muttered,” says Luke (Lu5:30).
unto his disciplesnotventuring to put their question to Jesus Himself.
Why eateth your Master withpublicans and sinners?(See on Lu15:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when the Pharisees saw it,…. The feast Matthew made, the guests that were invited, and particularly that Christ sat down to meat with such vile and wicked company; they and the Scribes, as Mark and Luke add, who generally were together, of the same complexion, equally enemies to Christ, and watchful observers of his conduct, and pretending to a more strict and religious way of life, were offended at all this;
and said to his disciples, which they chose to do, rather than to Christ himself; partly, because they were afraid to engage in a dispute with him, who had just given them a full proof of his omniscience, that he knew the very thoughts and reasonings of their minds, and had so confounded them already, both by his arguments and miracles; and partly, because they might think themselves a match for the disciples, and might hope to stumble and ensnare them, and prevail upon them to quit their profession, and leave following him, whom they would suggest could not be a good man, that was guilty of so evil an action; which, with them, was very unlawful and abhorrent, as that for which they accuse and reprove him,
why eateth your master with publicans and sinners? The “publicans”, or gatherers of the Roman tax, toll, or tribute of any sort, whether Jews or Gentiles, were persons of a very infamous character; and, as here, so often, in Jewish writings, are ranked with “sinners”, and those of the worst sort: so false swearing was allowed to be made
, “to murderers, and to robbers, and to publicans” o; and so “publicans and thieves” are joined together by Maimonides p, and a publican is said by him to be as a thief. And indeed this was not only the sense of the Jews, but also of other people, according to those words of Zeno the poet,
q, “all publicans are all of them robbers”: though this was not originally their character; for formerly the best of the Roman gentry were employed in this office, till by malpractices it became scandalous, when the meaner sort of people, yea, even vassals, were put into it r. Now, with such sort of men as these the Pharisees held it unlawful to have any sort of conversation; they expelled such their society, would not dwell with them in the same house, nor eat or drink with them; concerning which, their rules and methods are these;
“a companion, or friend, who becomes the king’s collector, or a “publican”, or the like, they drive him from society with them: if he abstains from his evil works, then he is as any other man s.”
Again,
“when the king’s collectors enter into a house to dwell, all that are in the house are defiled t.”
Moreover, it is u said, that
“the former saints ate their common food with purity, i.e. with their hands washed, and took care of all defilements every day; and these were called Pharisees; and this sect was exceedingly holy, and was the way of piety; for such a man was separated, and he abstained from the rest of the people, and he did not touch them, , “nor did he eat and drink with them”.”
It was a general rule with them, that a clean person ought not to eat with an unclean, as they judged the common people to be; nay, that a Pharisee, who was unclean himself, might not eat with another person that was so, and which they boast of, as a great degree of holiness.
“Come and see, (say they w,) to what a pitch purity has arrived in Israel; for they not only teach, that a pure person may not eat with one that is defiled, but that one that has a “gonorrhoea” may not eat with another that has one, lest he should be used to transgress this way; and a Pharisee that has a “gonorrhoea” may not eat with a common person that has one, lest he should be used to do so.”
Hence they looked upon Christ and his disciples as such, and would insinuate that they were evil men, who had no regard to purity of life and conversation.
o Mis. Nedarim, c. 3. sect. 4. p Hilch. Gezela, c. 5. sect. 9. 11. q Apud Fabricii Graec. Biblioth. l. 2. c. 22. p. 755. r Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 29. s Maimon. Mishcab & Moshab, c. 10. sect. 8. t lb. c. 12. sect. 12. u lb. Hilchoth Tumaot Okelim. c. 16. sect. 12. w T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 13. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “And when the Pharisees saw it,” (kai idontes hoi pharisaioi) “And the Pharisees upon seeing it,” what was happening. Mark and Luke add “and the scribes,” who as Jewish legalists were generally enemies of Jesus. Mr 2:16; Luk 5:20.
2) “They said unto his disciples,” (elegon tois mathetais autou) “Said critically to his disciples,” in a fault-finding, accusatory, scandalous manner, not venturing to put their questions to Jesus themselves. Out of envy and pride they criticized, though Jesus neither gave the feast or invited the guests.
3) “Why eateth your Master,” (dia ti esthiei ho didaskolos humon) “For what reason does your Master teacher eat,” eat to socialize, have company with, a convention of publicans and sinners? Heb 4:15-16.
4) “With publicans and sinners?” (meta ton telolon kai hamartolon) “With tax-collectors, tribute or custom agents, and with lawless and unethical sinners?” With men who are immoral and unethical? The Jews themselves hated the publicans, tax collectors; This is in keeping with their general murmurings against Jesus, Luk 7:34; Luk 15:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mat 9:11
. Why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners? The scribes attack the disciples of Christ, and, with the view of soliciting them to revolt, reproach him with what was at first sight base and shameful.” Of what use was it that he should be their Master, if it were not to withdraw them from the majority of men to lead a holier life? On the contrary, he withdrew them from a respectable and passable condition in life to ungodly licentiousness, and to pollute themselves by wicked companions.” Ignorant and wavering disciples might have been induced by such reproaches to desert their Master. But they act properly when, not finding themselves sufficiently fortified against such a calumny, they carry their complaint to their Master: for Christ, by opposing the scribes, confirms his disciples for the future.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) When the Pharisees saw it.Scribes of the Pharisees (Mar. 2:16). These were probably those who had been present at the healing of the paralytic. the scribes who had come from Jerusalem. They, of course, would not enter the publicans house, but they stood outside and watched the mingled guests with wonder, and asked their two-fold question, Why do ye eat and drink . . . (Luk. 5:30)? Why doth your Master . . .?
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Pharisees Their very name signifies separatists, indicating that they stood apart from the unholy masses. Said Why It was thought unsuitable for a rabbi to eat with the commonalty.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with the public servants and sinners?” ’
To the Pharisees what Jesus was doing was unpardonable. To them their rituals had become the be all and end all of their lives. And they could not see how Jesus could take the risk of being religiously defiled. To them that was offensive to God because of their perverted ideas about God. So they challenged His disciples as to why Jesus was not more fastidious. Why did He eat with public servants and sinners?
Such meals as this would be held in an open room or courtyard, and anyone could gain access to it, and often observe it from afar. No doubt the Pharisees had sent their spies to keep an eye on what was happening. And when they reported back it was then that the Pharisees approached the disciples about the situation. Or perhaps they had acted as spies themselves, determined to catch Him out. In their eyes a prophet who did not live in accordance with their interpretations of the Law was a scandal.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 9:11-13. And when the Pharisees saw it See on Mat 9:9. Instead of whole, we may read well. The Pharisees did not indeed direct their discourse to Jesus; but having spoken so loud as to let all the guests hear their censure, he could not avoid meekly puttingthem in mind, that it is sick people only who have need of a physician; to insinuate, that since the Pharisees thought themselves righteous persons, they had no need of his company: whereas the publicans, whom they called sinners, being sick, had the best title to it; and that as nobody ever blamed a physician for going into the company of the patients whose cure he had undertaken, so they could not blame him for conversing with sinners, since he did it to reclaim and convert them. “Murmur not, therefore, ye Scribes and Pharisees, that I eat and converse with publicans and sinners. My business is with such; and the end of my coming into the world was the salvation of these. I converse not with them to lull them in fatal security amid their vices, or to contract any taint from the contagion of their impurities; but as the physician visits the chamber of the sick, and is occupied amid the couches of the languishing and the distressed; so do I, as the great physician of the soul, seek out the sick and diseased in mind, and offer health and salvation to the children of men,suffering under a malady the most mortal and inveterate, the malady of sin: and what physician, in cases of distress and danger, stands upon the niceties of form, or the exactness of punctilio? Why then do you marvel and murmur, that I, in the like extremities, act in the like manner?” It is to be noted, that this is a proverbial expression, they that be whole, &c. which has been known to some heathen philosophers, who have made use of it in return to similar reproaches: Supervacuus inter sanos medicus, says Quintilian. When Antisthenes was asked why he conversed with wicked men, his answer was, , “Physicians are conversant with the sick.” Our Saviour moreover desired his adversaries seriously to consider the meaning of what God had declared by the prophet Hosea, Hos 5:6. I will have mercy rather than sacrifice. “Where the one or the other must be omitted, let mercy, by all means,let the work of compassion, beneficence, and love, be preferred to sacrifice; to instituted forms, and merelyexternal ordinances; which, though necessary in themselves, and highly useful as ordained of God, and as means to an important end, must yet never destroy that end, but give place and preference to it; for of all things mercy, acts of genuine benevolence, are most pleasing to the God of love; and of all acts, as being the most important and beneficent, the salvation of lost sinners from destruction and death: and this the great work for which I came into the world; this is the great end I have to accomplish: I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; the repentance of righteous persons is not the object of my attention (for there are none such by nature), but the conversion of sinners.” I come not to cure those who are whole, but those that are sick. Thus our Lord clearly proved a capital doctrine of true religion, which the teachers of those times, notwithstanding they boasted of their knowledge, seem to have lost the very idea of; namely, that ceremonial institutions should always give place to works of charity. See the note on ch. Mat 12:7. Wetstein and Macknight.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 9:11 . ] How they saw it is conceivable in a variety of ways (in answer to Strauss, B. Bauer), without our requiring to adopt the precise supposition of Ebrard and de Wette, that they saw it from the guests that were coming out of the house. May not the Pharisees have come thither themselves either accidentally or on purpose? Comp. , Mat 9:13 ; , Mat 9:19 ; and see note on Mat 9:18 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
11 And when the Pharisees saw it , they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
Ver. 11. And when the Pharisees saw it ] As envy is quick sighted. See Ovid’s description of it. . The wicked look around the saints, seeking to pick a hole in their coats; they pore and pry more narrowly than Laban did into Jacob’s stuff. “Walk circumspectly,”Eph 5:15Eph 5:15 .
They said unto his disciples ] 1. Not to him; where the hedge is lowest, there the devil leaps over soonest; as he began his temptation with Eve, apart from her husband. Calumniare audacter, aliquid saltem adhaerebit, is a maxim in Machiavel. It is the property of defamations to leave a kind of lower estimation many times where they are not believed. 2. These hypocrites would seem to say this in pure pity to the seduced disciples, whom they saw to do the same with their Master. An ordinary trick among mischief makers. St Austin had these two verses written on his table,
” Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere famam,
Hanc mensam indictam noverit esse sibi.
Here is no room for railers.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
11. ] having observed this, see Mat 9:4 . These Pharisees appear to have been the Pharisees of the place: Luke adds : . . . The very circumstances related shew that this remonstrance cannot have taken place at the feast. The Pharisees say the words to the disciples: our Lord hears it. This denotes an occasion when our Lord and the disciples were present, but not surely intermixed with the .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 9:11 . . Here was a good chance for the critics, really a scandalous affair! . They spoke to the disciples, possibly, as Euthy. Zig. suggests, to alienate them from the Master, possibly lacking courage to attack Him face to face.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Pharisees. See App-120.
Master = Teacher.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
11. ] having observed this, see Mat 9:4. These Pharisees appear to have been the Pharisees of the place: Luke adds : . . . The very circumstances related shew that this remonstrance cannot have taken place at the feast. The Pharisees say the words to the disciples: our Lord hears it. This denotes an occasion when our Lord and the disciples were present, but not surely intermixed with the .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 9:11. , to the disciples) The Pharisees acted in an oblique manner, with cunning, or at least with cowardice; to the disciples they said, Why does your Master do so? to the Master, Why do your disciples do so? see ch. Mat 12:2, Mat 15:2; Mar 2:16; Mar 2:18.-, …, why, etc.) The sanctity of Jesus was held in the highest esteem by all, even His adversaries. See Luk 19:7.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
sinners
Sin. (See Scofield “Rom 3:23”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
they said: Mar 2:16, Mar 9:14-16
Why: Mat 11:19, Isa 65:5, Luk 5:30, Luk 15:1, Luk 15:2, Luk 19:7, 1Co 5:9-11, Gal 2:15, Heb 5:2, 2Jo 1:10
Reciprocal: Psa 26:5 – will Jer 8:22 – no physician Mat 5:46 – publicans Mat 16:1 – Pharisees Mar 2:15 – General Luk 7:34 – a friend Jam 3:1 – be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:11
The information given with the comments on the preceding verse shows the Moral and social standing of the publicans and sinners. The significance of eating with others was different in ancient times from what it is now. I shall quote from Funk and Wagnalls Standard Bible Dictionary on this subject: “The moral aspects of eating are taken account of in a series of prescriptions and prohibitions on the manner, time, and articles to be eaten. ‘Eating together’ was a sign of community of life, and symbolized either adoption into the household, or entrance into irrevocable [unbreakable] covenant (Jer 41:1). This conception underlies the sacrificial meal in which God is taken as a participant. It was the worst form of treason, therefore, to break a covenant entered into through the ceremony of eating together.” The Pharisees who pretended to be very righteous, wanted to appear shocked that a righteous teacher like Jesus would defile himself by associating with these low characters, especially on such an intimate occasion as eating a meal together.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 9:11. And when the Pharisees saw it. Our Lord had just returned from Gadara, and they would be on the watch for Him; or hearing that He was at the publicans feast, they pressed in. They were not at the feast; the conversation took place after dinner.
They said unto his disciples, not to Him. Bold enough to act as spies, but not to censure Him to His face.
Why eateth your Master, etc. The strict Jews would not eat with the Gentiles (comp. Act 11:3; Gal 2:12), and these classes were regarded as heathen.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See here, what a grief it is to wicked men to find others brought in to Christ; the wicked pharisees murmur, repine, and envy, instead of admiring Christ’s condescension, and adoring his divine goodness: they censure him for conversing with sinners; but Christ tells them in the following verses, that he conversed with them as their physician, not as their companion.