MPV Commentary

Publicans and Sinners Welcomed by Christ--Three Parables to Explain This.

1. A large crowd of tax collectors and sinners gathered around Jesus, drawn in by His unique teaching that spoke directly to their needs. Until He came on the scene, they might have felt like no one cared about their souls.

2. The Pharisees were scandalized by this gathering and whispered among themselves, implying that Jesus must be sympathetic to these outcasts because of the company He kept. But in reality, the people's words betrayed a profound truth: God's love is always seeking those who are lost. Three parables now follow, each representing a different aspect of the sinner's condition: (1) one of ignorance, (2) one of unawareness of their true state, and (3) one of deliberate separation from God. The first two parables highlight the seeker's love for God, while the third emphasizes God's reception of that love.