In the opinion of the religious leaders, Jesus was always running with the wrong crowd. He is often criticized for the company he keeps (e.g., Zacchaeus – All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” Luke 19:7). The religious leaders tried to use this as a way to discredit Jesus; Jesus turns it around and uses it to show the true nature of his role as Messiah. The key phrase in this passage is “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
While Jesus never condoned immoral behavior, he did have a way of making all people feel comfortable in his presence. As followers of Jesus, we must be comfortable seeking out and spending time with people who are considered outsiders by our religious culture.
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