Thematic Bible: Publicans


Thematic Bible



The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, ‘Look! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews]!’ Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds [in the lives of those who respond to Me].” Verse ConceptsGluttonyGood FriendsFeastingAlcoholdrinking, abstention fromHumiliationTax CollectorsTaxJesus As Son Of ManFellowship With SinnersAccused Of DrunkennessEating And DrinkingJustified By WorksMinistry Of The Son Of ManAlcoholicsvindicationalcoholismdrunkardsJesus Eating

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Verse ConceptsFaultsComplaintsStatusTax CollectorsPharisees Concerned About ChristFinding Fault With Jesustaxespharisees

If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector. Verse ConceptsChurchProblem SolvingPagansSin, God's Judgment OnTax CollectorsDisfellowshipAvoiding ForeignersEach Local ChurchTreating OthersConflictGoing To ChurchFamily Conflict

Which of the two did the will of the father?” The chief priests and elders replied, “The first one.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. Verse ConceptsKingdom Of God, Entry IntoReceived OutcastsPeople Going BeforeEntering The KingdomTwo SonsObeying PeopleThe Will Of MenGoing To Heavenwhorestaxessurprises

The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector. Verse ConceptsExtortion, Examples OfAttitudes, in prayerHypocrisy, Description OfPrejudiceStandingStatusTax CollectorsHypocrites, Description OfSelf DelusionEvildoersNot Like PeopleAvoid AdulteryWe Thank GodConfession of sin

For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that?

Philip and Bartholomew (Nathanael); Thomas and Matthew (Levi) the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus (Judas, not Iscariot); Verse ConceptsTwin Brotherszealotstaxes

As He was passing by, He saw Levi (Matthew) the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax collector’s booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” And he got up and followed Him [becoming His disciple, believing and trusting in Him and following His example]. Verse ConceptsFollowing Jesus ChristCommitment, to Jesus ChristChristlikenessdiscipleship, nature ofHow Disciples Are CalledGood Decision Making ExamplesGospel, Responses ToResponding To God's CallNames Blotted OutInstructions About FollowingPeople Getting Up

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew (Levi) sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” And Matthew got up and followed Him. Verse ConceptsFollowing Jesus ChristCommitment, to Jesus ChristChristlikenessdiscipleship, nature ofHow Disciples Are Calleddelay, humanGospel, Responses ToSelf DenialTax CollectorsCall To ServiceResponding To God's CallInstructions About FollowingPeople Getting Uptaxes

After this Jesus went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi (Matthew) sitting at the tax booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].” Verse ConceptsCommitment, to Jesus ChristChristlikenessApostles, Descriptiondiscipleship, nature ofInstructions About Followingtaxes

Even some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked, “Teacher, what are we to do?” Verse ConceptsSinnersTeachablenessBaptised By JohnOne's Deeds

All the people and the tax collectors who heard Jesus, acknowledged [the validity of] God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. Verse ConceptsJohn's BaptismPrejudiceTax CollectorsReceived OutcastsBaptised By JohnBaptismtaxes

For John came to you [walking] in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even change your mind afterward and believe him [accepting what he proclaimed to you]. Verse ConceptsPrejudiceRepentance, Importance OfUnbelief, As Response To GodWay, TheSkepticismBelieving ProphetsNot Believing PeoplePeople Changing Their MindsRepentancePeople Who Did RightRewards Of Ritual

And there was a man called Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, and [he was] rich. And he was trying to see Jesus, which One He was, but he could not on account of the crowd, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass that way. read more.
And when Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today. So he hurried and came down, and he received and welcomed Him joyfully. And when the people saw it, they all muttered among themselves and indignantly complained, He has gone in to be the guest of and lodge with a man who is devoted to sin and preeminently a sinner. So then Zacchaeus stood up and solemnly declared to the Lord, See, Lord, the half of my goods I [now] give [by way of restoration] to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I [now] restore four times as much. And Jesus said to him, Today is [ Messianic and spiritual] salvation come to [all the members of] this household, since Zacchaeus too is a [real spiritual] son of Abraham; For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [that they were upright and in right standing with God] and scorned and made nothing of all the rest of men: Two men went up into the temple [ enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men -- "extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers -- "or even like this tax collector here. read more.
I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain. But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am! I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.