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Posted on 05/11/2025 3:08:30 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Religious people (whether it be the Jews of Christ’s day or the Christians of our own) are keenly aware of sin—often, this is what drives us to religion in the first place—but we often have a nasty habit of seeing sin more clearly in others than in ourselves. We heap curses and hellfire upon the prostitutes and tax collectors of our time, without giving serious consideration to the prostitutes and tax collectors of our own hearts.
Prostitutes and tax collectors had one thing in common: they could not hide the fact that they were sinners. Everyone would notice the callers moving to and from a prostitute’s house. Everyone would have taxes taken from them by a tax collector at another point...
Note that the prostitutes and tax collectors that Jesus interacts with are either actively seeking him (Luke 15:1) or overjoyed by his presence (Luke 19:5-6). These are not people who are satisfied with their lot in life, but who see through Jesus, and John before him, a way to become something more than themselves.
The religious leaders—and the religious individuals—who confront Jesus, on the other hand, are sinners who are content with their sins. By and large, this contentment is caused by a refusal to acknowledge a sinful nature in the first place (Matthew 21:31-33).
When a prostitute comes to anoint Jesus’ feet with perfume, for example, the religious leaders sneer, “If this man truly were a prophet, he would know that the woman touching him was a sinner” (Luke 7:39).
When met with their scorn, Jesus responds by reminding them of their place—behind the prostitutes and tax collectors...This is not to say that there is something inherently redemptive about prostitution or tax collecting—but it is to say that there is a deeper reasoning behind Christ’s claim...
(Excerpt) Read more at dotheword.org ...
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Because where a person is in life does not define them forever.
I don’t recall anything in the Bible saying Jesus loved them. He obviously disliked that they were living lives of repeated sin, be He came to show all of us sinners a better way.
I do know there is scripture where He said the healthy don’t need a doctor but the sick do. And similar things, that He came to help those in need (spirit, mind & body)
Jesus spend His time where He was needed most.
Matthew was working as a tax collector at a tax booth when he met Jesus. The gospel explains that Jesus simply said, ‘’Follow me,’’ and Matthew immediately decided to follow him and be a disciple.
He later wrote the song, “Take This Job and Shove it”.
Jesus revealed his love for them by his actions and tenderness towards them.
Scripture constantly highlights their humility about their sin, up against the arrogance of the religious leaders blind to their own...
Let him who is without sin cast the first stone...
The church is a hospital not a country club for saintly people.
In Matthew 21:31, Jesus said to the chief priests and elders that publicans and harlots were going into the Kingdom of God before they would. Nothing specific about “love” in the chapter, but they were challenging Jesus’ authority to teach.
He faithfully kept the Jewish Law to the T, and was referred to as "Rabbi" by his followers...He spent a lot of time in the Temple... Meaning, the worshippers at the Temple needed him too...but the most devout ones were the most blind.
The Bible is like a rorschach test. You see what you want to see.
The love was revealed through his actions...In the “PRODIGAL SON” Parable, the dad who embraces the lost/rebellious son after coming back wasted and spent from all his years pursuing pleasure...represents JESUS.
The older “well behaved” son was bitter that the Father threw a feast for the arrival of the rebel young one...
Before proceeding to open its pages, it's good to ask for divine help...God, if You're real...Show me who You are...
Jesus loved prostitutes and tax-collectors so much - He died for them!
everyone sins, many are just much better at hiding their sins than others.
It is common for people to condemn people not very good at hiding their sins. When in fact they are only condemning their failure to lie about their sins effectively.
And Jeus died for all of them.
The theme of God showing love to repentant sinners is all through the Bible and not just the Gospels, of course.
You sound like your recovery is relapsing, with all due respect.
Mens’ Genitals in the Bible (What you may not have learned in Sunday school)
Deuteronomy was pretty clear: Deut. 23:1: This verse prohibits men with crushed or cut genitals (emasculated or castrated) from entering “the assembly of the Lord”.
Some interpretations suggest this was a way to maintain the purity of the Israelite community and separate them from pagan practices that involved castration.
This is why the Tudors, that sweetheart Henry VIII particularly, had the gonads removed of those men sentenced to be drawn & quartered.
Also,
Deuteronomy 25:11-12: This passage describes a law where a woman’s hand is to be cut off if she grabs a man’s genitals during a fight, an act interpreted as causing irreparable harm and potentially destroying the man’s reproductive capacity.
Deuteronomy was heavy duty brrrrr
Did Jesus speak to the unfaithful husbands who paid prostitutes?...they’re the true sinners....
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