07_Biblica_2_AM_B_Kilgallen_Layout 1 30/01/13 13:17 Pagina 599 599 WAS JESUS RIGHT TO EAT WITH SINNERS AND TAX COLLECTORS? Four times Luke presents disagreement, if not conflict, over Jesus’ practice of eating with sinners and tax collectors, of fraternizing with these people beyond what “the pious” would be allowed to do. He is brought to task by no one group, but by a variety of critics: Pharisees and their Scribes (5,30), people of this generation (7,31), Pharisees and Scribes (15,2) and a crowd (19,7); the Pharisees, it is clear, are his major oppo- nents in this matter. Each of Luke’s stories containing Jesus’ eating with sinners and fraternizing with them has, as part of the narration, a justifi- cation of Jesus’ practice. Luke intends to show not only that Jesus has acted correctly before sinners, but preferably so. With the Levi incident we have clearly the purpose for which Jesus is engaged in what might, within traditional Jewish moral traditions, be con- sidered against Jewish practice and the Divine Will. Indeed, it is by that Divine Will that he explains his action as obedience. Also present is the suggestion that Levi (possibly others) has repented and begun to show a moral change, but this is left to the judgment of the reader and not demon- strated, for the moral life is not a concern of this story. The second reference of interest comes from a description, presumably true, of “this generation”: it charges Jesus with eating and consorting with sinners. In this case, such a conduct is reason for not having faith in Jesus, for such conduct is not approved by God. This story affords Luke the op- portunity to argue that Jesus does indeed achieve God’s desire for repen- tance; one need only to look to the repentant to find one who has become God’s child. No attempt is made or need be made to cite examples of re- pentance; it is enough to give the reason that justifies Jesus’ conduct. The third moment of this repeated criticism occurs when, in pursuit of sinners’ repentance, Jesus is observed by Pharisees and Scribes to ‘wel- come sinners and eat with them’ (15,2). This criticism introduces three famous parables. This trio of imaginary stories shows no interest in de- tailing repentant morality 21; what it does is show the results of repentance, particularly from the viewpoint of Heaven. These parables are meant to encourage those sinners who listen favorably to Jesus, but equally they are meant to make clear to Jesus’ critics the supreme value of his efforts to encourage repentance. True, there is the young son who for his less than exalted reasons seeks forgiveness, but the parables do not describe morality which is the fruit of repentance. For such a description we must look elsewhere. Here, however, we do learn to understand and appreciate the single-minded goodness of Jesus. The immediacy with which the story of the Pharisee and forgiven 21 woman follows upon Jesus’ response to the criticism of “this generation” in- dicates that Luke means to show the fruit of Jesus’ preaching repentance to this woman; she is, in other words, a fine example of the children who justify Wisdom ― yet she is not pictured as is Zacchaeus, who follows his repen- tance with practice. © Gregorian Biblical Press 2012 - Tutti i diritti riservati