PSEUDO-CHRYSOSTOM: But He says, The Publicans and harlots, a class rather of Jews than of Gentiles.
Agree or disagree?
(Trying to understand you, Cronos.)
That’s Pseudo-Chrysostom’s interpretation — and he goes on to say “The Lord abundantly confirms their decision, whence it follows, Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots shall go before you in the kingdom of God; as much as to say, Not only the Gentiles are before you, but even the publicans and the harlots.”
I suppose that the publicans here are to represent all sinful men, and the harlots all sinful women; because avarice is found the most prevailing vice among men, and fornication among women. For a woman’s life is passed in idleness and seclusion, which are great temptations to that sin, while a man, constantly occupied in various active duties, falls readily into the snare of covetousness, and not so commonly into fornication, as the anxieties of manly cares preclude thoughts of pleasure, which engage rather the young and idle. Then follows the reason of what He had said, For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not.
To put it simply - Jesus in Matthew continually tells the children of Israel that they should accept the kingdom of God otherwise it will be taken away. Then He moves on to how His ministry is not to destroy the law but fulfil it and how even “the dogs” can have faith and finally He ends with the injunction to spread His word among the nations.
This is God’s family extending out to include more and more people