listen sinners

Luke 15:1-3

"1 Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him.

2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,"

Our Lenten daily devotionals focus on the Parables of Jesus. Yesterday we concluded the parable of believers as “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14–16), where Jesus calls for visible faith tempered by humble motives—shining to glorify God, not to impress people.

Today we turn to Luke 15 and the parable of the prodigal son, beginning with its introductory verses. These set the stage for three parables that celebrate God’s joy over repentance.

The crowd drawn to Jesus includes tax collectors and sinners—marginalized groups shunned by the religious elite. Tax collectors were viewed as corrupt Roman collaborators, and “sinners” as those openly defying Jewish law. Yet they flocked to hear Jesus’ message of grace and restoration.

The Pharisees and scribes grumbled: “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). To them, sharing a meal signaled fellowship and approval, so their complaint exposed spiritual pride and a focus on ritual purity over compassion.

Jesus responds with three parables (the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son) to reveal God’s heart for the lost. Eating with sinners was not endorsing sin but pursuing reconciliation—embodying His mission: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).