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WHY DID JESUS EAT WITH SINNERS?Many people today say, “Jesus ate with sinners,” as if that means He was simply being tolerant or approving of their behavior. But the Scriptures tell us why the sinners were there. Mark 2:15 “And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they FOLLOWED him.”FOLLOWED HIM:The sinners were not there to hang out, drink, or party. The Bible says they followed Him. They came because they wanted to hear Him. They wanted to learn from Him. Jesus made Himself available so that sinners could hear the truth. 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?”THE MISTAKE:The scribes and Pharisees lived inside their religious system and mostly kept company with people like themselves. Instead of reaching sinners, they separated themselves from them and then criticized anyone who did.So when they saw Jesus sitting with sinners, they questioned it. Mark 2:17 “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”NO NEED:Those who believe they are already righteous will never see their need for repentance. Religious pride blinds people to their own sin.Because of this, the religious often reject the doctrine of repentance, misunderstand it, or misrepresent it.But those who recognize their sinfulness will flock to Jesus.Those who refuse to recognize their sin will spend their time worrying about those who sit with Jesus instead of listening to Him. Sinners followed Jesus to hear the truth. The religious followed Him to criticize.