Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 2:16
And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
16. they said unto his disciples ] Overawed by the miracles He had wrought and the overthrow they had lately experienced at the healing of the paralytic, and not as yet venturing on any open rupture with Him, they vent their displeasure on His disciples. It is not likely that the Pharisees were present at the feast, or they would have involved themselves in the same blame. Probably they looked in while it was in progress, and afterwards came forward to the disciples coming out.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See the notes at Mat 9:12-13.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mar 2:16
And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners.
The curse of bigotry
The sins society winks at are worse than those it censures. The most alarming sin is the self-delusion that we have no sin. The pride of the Pharisees had made them so callous that a sharp lancet was needed to get at the wound.
I. Bigotry bespatters with mire the fairest deed. According to its creed, better that a tree of fruitful goodness should not grow than that it should depart by a hairbreadth from the prescribed shape.
II. Bigotry blindfolds its own eyes. It can only see sin when sin wears a particular hue. It can see avarice or theft, but not insincerity or pride.
III. Bigotry seeks its bad ends by crooked ways. These scribes lacked courage, so instead of attacking Christ openly they tried to undermine His authority with His disciples.
IV. Bigotry cheats itself of largest blessing. Christ would have illuminated and enriched these proud Pharisees if they had allowed Him to. But they were too proud to admit their hunger, and so they starved. He who thinks himself already perfect is past improvement. Like hide-bound animals he cannot grow. (D. Davies, M. A.)
An implied charge set aside
Negatively:
1. That Christ did not associate with publicans and sinners because He entertained too humble an opinion of Himself. He knew that He was intellectually and morally superior to them.
2. That Christ did not associate with publicans and sinners because He was not choice as to His society. Evil communications corrupt good manners.
3. That Christ did not associate with publicans and sinners because of His sympathy with them. It was not their wickedness that drew Him to them; morally He had nothing in common with them.
Positively:
1. That to have refused Levis invitation would not have been courteous.
2. That in accepting Levis invitation Christ displayed a spirit of condescension.
3. That by eating and drinking with publicans and sinners Christ exhibited a friendly disposition towards them.
4. That attending Levis feast gave Christ an excellent opportunity of doing Publicans and sinners good. (G. Cron.)
Christs relations with the world
To come, then, to the root of the whole matter; the supreme Lover of the universe, God, is in the tenderest relations to everything that is. Not that we are to make no difference between good and evil. We are to make a difference between them. If we have the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ our goodness will make us more lenient, more charitable, more patient with bad men and bad things. And remember one thing-that no human heart is ever cured till you can find another heart to brood it; for the cure of the heart is of the heart, and a loving heart cures an unloving heart; and as God lives by His purity to make more pure, by His love to heal mens selfishness, by His beauty and majesty and power to draw men up out of animal life into spiritual life; so His followers may imitate Him in those respects, and make atonement for those who are ready to perish-the atonement that love is always making-and as far as they carry that out they may redeem men. (H. W. Beecher.)
Christ welcoming sinners
We are told that in stormy weather it is not unusual for small birds to be blown out of sight of land on to the sea. They are often seen by voyagers out of their reckoning and far from the coast, hovering over the masts on weary wings as if they wanted to alight and rest themselves, but fearing to do so. A traveller tells us that on one occasion a little lark, which followed the ship for a considerable distance, was at last compelled through sheer weariness to alight. He was so worn out as to be easily caught. The warmth of the hand was so agreeable to him that he sat down on it, burying his little cold feet in his feathers, and looking about with his bright eye not in the least afraid, and as if feeling assured that he had been cast amongst good kind people whom he had no occasion to be so backward in trusting. A touching picture of the soul who is aroused by the Spirit of God and blown out of its own reckoning by the winds of conviction; and the warm reception which the weary little bird received at the hands of the passengers conveys but a faint idea of that welcome which will greet the worn-out, sin-sick souls who will commit themselves into the hands of the only Saviour. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ in company with sinners; or, the law of social intercourse in the Christian life
We have in this narrative a beautiful illustration of the law of social intercourse in the Christian life, given by Christ, and which, therefore, may be regarded as of authority. We observe-
I. That the morally good must associate with the socially depraved. How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
1. That the morally good may take part in the social festivals of the depraved, but not for the mere purpose of social enjoyment or intellectual companionship. Christ did not go to the house of Levi merely to enjoy a sumptuous banquet, or to participate in the festivities of unholy men.
2. The morally good may associate with the depraved in the commercial enterprise of life. The good must have dealings with the unholy in the commerce of the world. The tares and the wheat must grow together until the harvest.
3. The morally good are sometimes brought into incidental companionship with the depraved.
II. That the morally good in companionship with the socially depraved must be animated by remedial motives, and must give forth influences ennobling to the soul. They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick.
1. The Christian must go into the company of the morally depraved with right views of their sad condition, and with an intense desire for their recovery.
2. The Christian can give forth healing influences to the morally depraved by kindly words, by gentle disposition, by judicious teaching, and by unpretentious example.
Lessons:
1. That the morally good must go into the company of the socially depraved.
2. That the morally good are the physicians of the race; they must be careful not to take the infection of sin, and to exercise judiciously their healing art.
3. That society will best be regenerated by individual effort. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 16. Sinners] By , the Gentiles or heathens are generally to be understood in the Gospels, for this was a term the Jews never applied to any of themselves, See Clarke on Mt 9:10.
How is it that he eateth] Some very good MSS., several versions, with Chrysostom and Augustin, read, Why doth YOUR MASTER eat?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And when the Scribes and Pharisees saw him eat,…. They were offended at his eating and drinking, though it was in moderation; because he did not fast as they, and their disciples did; and especially, that he eat
with publicans and sinners; men of very infamous characters, and bad lives, with whom the Pharisees disdained to keep company:
they said unto his disciples, how is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, “your master”, [See comments on Mt 9:11]; so some Greek copies here.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The scribes of the Pharisees ( ). This is the correct text. Cf. “their scribes” in Lu 5:30. Matthew gave a great reception (, Lu 5:29) in his house (Mr 2:15). These publicans and sinners not simply accepted Levi’s invitation, but they imitated his example “and were following Jesus” ( ). It was a motly crew from the standpoint of these young theologues, scribes of the Pharisees, who were on hand, being invited to pick flaws if they could. It was probably in the long hall of the house where the scribes stood and ridiculed Jesus and the disciples, unless they stood outside, feeling too pious to go into the house of a publican. It was an offence for a Jew to eat with Gentiles as even many of the early Jewish Christians felt (Ac 11:3) and publicans and sinners were regarded like Gentiles (1Co 5:11).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Scribes and Pharisees. But the best texts read grammateiv twn Farisaiwn, scribes of the Pharisees. So Rev. Scribes belonging to the sect of the Pharisees. They had followed him into the hall where the company were seated. This hall answered to the k’hawah of Arabian houses, which is thus described by William Gifford Palgrave : “The k’hawah was a long, oblong hall about twenty feet in height, fifty in length, and sixteen or thereabouts in breadth. The walls were covered in a rudely decorative manner with brown and white wash, and sunk here and there into small triangular recesses, destined to the reception of books, lamps, and other such like objects. The roof was of timber, and flat; the floor was strewn with fine, clean sand, and garnished all round alongside of the walls with long strips of carpet, upon which cushions, covered with faded silk, were disposed at suitable intervals. In poorer houses, felt rugs usually take the place of carpets” (” Central and Eastern Arabia “).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when the scribes and Pharisees,” (kai hoi grammateis ton Pharisaion) ”And the scribes of the Pharisees,” who had either sat at the meal, or at least been observers of the occasion, perhaps old friends of Matthew or Levi,
2) “Saw Him eat with publicans and sinners,” (idontes hoti esthiei meta ton hamartholon kai telonion) “Seeing or realizing that He was eating or ate with sinners, even tax-collectors (publicans),” for whom He too had come to bring redemption, to seek and to save, Luk 19:10; Tit 2:13-14.
3) “They said unto His disciples,” (elegon tois mathetias) ”They inquired to His disciples,” directed inquiries to or toward His disciples. From silent reasoning and questioning in their skeptical hearts, they began to converse, not with Jesus but with His disciples.
5) “With publicans and sinners?” (meta ton telonon kai hamartholon) “With the tax collectors and known sinners,” or notorious sinners, breakers of Moses’ Law-;, To associate with such was “taboo” among the circles of the self-righteous, pious pharisees and scribes, who considered themselves righteous and “despised others,” Luk 18:9; Rom 10:3. How can He be a good man and lead you disciples into their company or to associate with them? they asked, to unsettle their minds.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And the Scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners”.’
The sight of Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners offended the Scribes. They were still following Him about in order to observe Him, still upset because of what He had previously said. Now they felt that they had indeed been justified in their views and criticism. He was mixing with the wrong kind of people and showing a lack of concern for ritual cleanliness. Eating with such people was against all that they believed in.
Let us first be fair to them. There was some truth in their attitude that mixing with riffraff and immoral people was not advisable. Such company could lead men into sin and worse. That is common sense. And they had made great efforts to lift themselves above the average man, and did not want to be in danger of being dragged down. But where they failed was in their self-satisfaction and in their failure to recognise the difference between general partying on the one hand, and mixing with such people when they were genuinely seeking spiritual help on the other. Their view was that such people must sort themselves out first, and then acceptance of them could be considered. But until then they must be avoided.
We note that they did not approach Him directly. Possibly they feared His forthright response. Even feared that somehow He might show them up. He seemed so good at doing that. But they could not withhold their condemnation. So they muttered to His disciples. Possibly they hoped to woo them from One Who was so clearly in the wrong.
We note also that these were ‘Scribes of the Pharisees’ (there were also Scribes of the Sadducees and more independent Scribes). And they were almost certainly comparatively local (the Jerusalem Scribes would be called in later – Mar 3:22). They were the local legal experts, well versed in the teachings of the Elders, that oral law that they so prized, which had taken the Law of Moses and added to it hundreds of regulations to ensure that it was properly kept. And they were Pharisees.
There were only about six to seven thousand Pharisees in all. They were generally ‘good living’ men, but often self-righteous, and strove to please God by keeping the hundreds of regulations laid down by their Scribes. By this response to the covenant they hoped to achieve eternal life. They not only accepted the Law of Moses as Scripture, but also the prophets. And they believed in the resurrection from the dead.
The people in general looked up to them and listened to and respected them and their teaching. They taught in the Synagogues and were regularly consulted, especially their Scribes. But as such people will, many of them had begun to feel themselves superior to everyone else. Many of them overlooked the fact that true goodness consists in the attitude of heart and instead concentrated on ‘doing the right thing’, a large part of which consisted of ritual acts such as various washings at different times of the day, careful tithing, and observance to the letter of the traditions of the Elders which were often clever ways of avoiding the force of the Law, ‘making the word of God void through their tradition’ (Mar 7:13). Thus their sense of superiority increased, and the result was that many became hypocritical. They ignored justice and mercy and the central demands of the Law and concentrated on making great demands on people in lesser matters, demands which they could not meet satisfactorily themselves. They often became ultra-critical, separatist and intolerant. And it was of this kind that the opposition to Jesus was mainly made up.
So it was such men who criticised Jesus, men who thought they were on the right track, possibly even almost ‘there’, and who were offended that He did not fully agree with them. That He did observe their general teaching comes out in that they never criticised Him personally for actually breaking their ritual requirements, but what they objected to was the extreme claims that He seemed to be making without their support, and His readiness to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to ordinary people without insisting on all the legal requirements. And now He had added this, that He mixed with and ate with recognised sinners and despised tax collectors. He was keeping bad company.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Ver. 16. They said unto his disciples ] They dared not say it to him, where the hedge is lowest the beast breaks over. The devil, as the poet- quae desperat renitescere posse, relinquit. What he hopes not to effect, he never attempts. (Horat. de Arte Poet.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
16. ] . ., having observed Him eating ; but not to be literally pressed. The question was after the feast , at which, being in the house of a Publican, they were not present .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 2:16 . : the scribes advance from thinking (Mar 2:6 ) to speaking ; not yet, however, to Jesus but about Him to His disciples. They note, with disapproval, His kindly relations with “sinners”. The publicans and other disreputables had also noted the fact. The story of the palsied man and the “blasphemous” word, “thy sins be forgiven thee,” had got abroad, making them prick up their ears, and awakening decided interest in these tabooed circles, in the “Blasphemer”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
and Pharisees. L and Tr. read “of the Pharisees”. App-120.
eat = eating.
with. Greek. meta. App-104.
said = kept saying.
How is it . . . ? Why [doth] . . . ?
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
16.] . ., having observed Him eating; but not to be literally pressed. The question was after the feast, at which, being in the house of a Publican, they were not present.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 2:16.[19] ) So the LXX.; Jdg 11:7, etc.
[19] Mar 2:15. , and they were following) Therefore even then already with reformed minds they were holding to [entering upon] the right way.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
sinners
Sin
(See Scofield Rom 3:23).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
How: Mar 2:7, Isa 65:5, Luk 15:2-7, Luk 18:11, Luk 19:7, Luk 19:10, 1Co 2:15, Heb 12:3
publicans: Mat 18:17
Reciprocal: Mat 9:10 – as Mat 9:11 – they said Mar 2:24 – why Mar 7:5 – General Mar 8:11 – Pharisees
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
CONSORTING WITH SINNERS
How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Mar 2:16
This question, which was asked by the scribes and Pharisees, is very instructive, for the answer to it illustrates the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in His work and Person.
I. Christ and sinners.Why was Christ at all at the feast of Matthew? Because He was and is the Friend of sinners. The magnificence of God is altogether beyond us. By His condescension He places Himself within our powers of, in some degree, understanding Him. His condescension is the visible measure of His love. And thus the glory of His work depends upon and illustrates another glorythe glory of His character. He couldHe canafford to be the Friend of sinners. It was the glory of Christ, as the sinless Friend of sinners, which made Him eat and drink as He did, to the scandal of the Pharisees, in the house of Levi.
II. The Church and sinners.And the answer to the question of the scribes and Pharisees is a comment on the action and history of the Church of Christ. Like her Lord, the Church has entered into the life of sinful humanity. The idea of a hermit Church involves nothing less than a sacrifice of the whole plan of Jesus Christ for the regeneration of the world. Still must the Church do what she may for the blessing and improvement of all departments of activity and life. Duty is not less duty because it is dangerous. Precautions and safeguards are near at hand, but she may not cease to eat and drink with publicans and sinners.
III. The Christian and sinners.These words are not without suggestiveness as to the duty and conduct of private Christians. On what terms ought a Christian to consort with those who openly deny the truth of religion, or who live in flagrant violation of its precepts? Here there are two dangers to guard against:
(a) On the one hand, we must beware of Pharisaism, that rank weed which so soon springs up in the souls of those who are trying to serve God.
(b) On the other hand, we must guard against an appearance of indifference to the known will of God, whether in matters of faith or conduct.
Rev. Canon Liddon.
Illustration
Duty is not less duty because it is dangerous. When St. Francis Xavier, the Apostle of the Indies, proposed to set out on his mission his friends tried by every possible representation of the dangers and hardships involved to deter him from going. He replied, The most tractable and opulent nations will not want preachers; but this is for me because others will not undertake it. If the country abounded in odoriferous woods and mines of gold, all dangers would be braved in order to procure them. Should merchants, then, be more intrepid than missionaries? Shall these unfortunate people be excluded from the blessings of redemption? Should I be instrumental in the salvation of but one of them, I should think myself well recompensed for all the labours and dangers by which you endeavour to affright me.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
6
These self-righteous people were not fair enough to speak to Jesus directly, but satisfied their envy by attacking his disciples. Eating with another in old times was regarded as a strong recognition of social rank, hence this particular criticism was hurled at Jesus over the shoulders of his disciples.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
[And sinners.] Who were they? “Dicers, usurers, plunderers, publicans, shepherds of lesser cattle, those that sell the fruit of the seventh year,” etc.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mar 2:16. See on Mat 9:11. Both Mark and Luke, in different forms, say that these scribes were of the Pharisees, i.e., of that party.
When they saw that he eateth. It is probable that they came, not as guests, but toward the close of the feast, so that they may or may not have actually witnessed this as lookers on. Luke (Luk 5:30) represents the objection as made against the disciples. Their criticism probably included both the master and His followers. The correct form: He eateth sinners! points to an exclamation of surprise, which may have preceded the hostile question.On Mar 2:17, see on Mat 9:12.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mar 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
It is of note that the naysayers were questioning the disciples, not the Lord Himself. Maybe they had learned already that they could not win talking with Him. Not unlike complainers of our own day, instead of going to the pastor, leader or teacher with whom there is a problem, they go to everyone in the church first and do their complaining. It is a good standard to set for yourself if you have a problem with someone, go to them to deal with it – do not go everywhere else in the church trying to understand things.
It is clear when you read all three of the synoptics that both the Pharisees and the Scribes were involved in the questioning of the disciples. It is also of note that the Scribes were under the thumb of the Pharisees. The text calls the Scribes “their” Scribes (Luk 5:30).
This is not a proof text to go out into the pubs of the world to eat and drink in order to witness but it certainly is a proof text that we are to have contact with the lost of our generation and be the witness that we can be to them.
It is also a text that illustrates the “SPIRITUAL leadership of the ages – nose bent out of shape at those that are trying to do the work of the Lord. They are the fault finders of the world and most generations have had them. People who think it should be done only their way and that anyone doing anything else is absolutely wrong.
Over the years these “SPIRITUAL” ones have climbed my case to let me know I am not doing it their way. To which I usually replied to them with a loud message that I thought that was a good thing. Many times I have done the not acceptable at the time, but these things turn out to be – in time – the norm. One such was education by extension. I took two degrees by extension in a day when it wasn’t acceptable. Today it is the norm to consider extension to save costs and relocation costs both material and immaterial. Of course the educational snobs still look down their collective noses at such degrees, but the Lord uses us lowlifes anyway.
If you feel God leading you to something, just do it, don’t worry about the spiritual naysayers they will naysay no matter what you do most likely anyway. God has a plan for each of us and if it means extension degree, then that is what He wants. If it means a hard seminary degree then follow Him. It is the Lord that knows what He wants you to do in the future and it is the Lord that will prepare you as He sees fit – in that light what difference do the naysayers make? None.
Christ was working among those that needed His message and the spiritual leaders had a problem with it. Christ ignored them and went about His Father’s business as each one of us must do while ignoring those that would detract from God’s best for us. Follow God not the detractors and you will find a smoother path.