Luke 15:2

And the Pharisees and scribes. Literally, “both the Pharisees and the scribes,” here considered as two distinct classes, like the “publicans” and the “sinners” of v. 1. Concerning the scribes and Pharisees see pp. 51, 52, 55. Some of the very critics present upon this occasion later accepted Jesus as their Messiah (COL 192).

Murmured. Gr. diagogguzo, an emphatic form of gogguzo, also translated “murmured” (see on Luke 5:30; Matt. 20:11). Some were doubtless spies commissioned by the Sanhedrin to follow Jesus wherever He went, to listen and observe, and to report back (see DA 213; see on Luke 11:54). For the motives that led them to complain see COL 186; see on v. 1. It is a paradox that those who considered themselves paragons of righteousness felt so uncomfortable in the presence of Jesus, whereas those who admittedly made no claim to righteousness felt drawn to the Saviour (COL 186). Undoubtedly it was the hypocrisy of the former and the lack of pretense of the latter that made the difference (see Luke 18:9-14). The one class felt no need of the blessings Jesus had to offer, the other class realized its need and made no effort to conceal it (see on Matt. 5:3; Mark 2:5; Luke 4:26; 5:8). The one was content with its own righteousness; the other knew that it had no righteousness of its own to offer. We would do well to ask ourselves how we feel in the presence of Jesus.

This man. Probably an expression used to cast contempt upon Jesus (see on Luke 14:30; cf. Matt. 9:3; 12:24; 26:71; Mark 2:7; Luke 7:39; 14:30; 18:11; 22:56, 59; John 6:52).

Receiveth sinners. The scribes and Pharisees repulsed men whom they considered sinners, but Jesus welcomed them. Upon an earlier occasion Jesus had met this charge with the declaration that He had not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (see on Mark 2:17). It appears that the scribes and Pharisees here insinuated that Jesus chose to associate with such people because their way of life was congenial to Him. Jesus hated sin but loved the sinner, whereas the Pharisees and scribes cherished sin but hated the sinner. Jesus obviously “loved” sinners, and these critics sought to make it appear that He must, accordingly, love the sins that “sinners” committed (see on Luke 15:1). Jesus gave no evidence of feeling socially superior to these outcasts from respectable society. He seemed to prefer to associate with them rather than with the religious leaders. For these “sinners” He had nought but words of encouragement; for the scribes and Pharisees who were self-righteous, He had only words of censure and condemnation (see Luke 14:3-6, 11; see on Mark 3:4; Luke 14:4). For other references to the complaints of Jewish leaders about Jesus’ associating with “publicans” and “sinners” see Luke 7:34, 37.