'Collectors' in the Bible
If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don't they?
While he was having dinner at Matthew's home, many tax collectors and sinners arrived and began eating with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Absolved from every act of sin, is wisdom by her kith and kin."
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came up to Peter and asked, "Your teacher pays the temple tax, doesn't he?"
Jesus told them, "I tell all of you with certainty, tax collectors and prostitutes will get into God's kingdom ahead of you! John came to you living a righteous life, and you didn't believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. But even when you saw that, you didn't change your minds at last and believe him."
Later, he was having dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and sinners were also eating with Jesus and his disciples, because there were many who were following him.
When the scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
Even some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
Later, Levi gave a large banquet at his home for Jesus. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes started complaining to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
By having been baptized with John's baptism, all the people who listened, including the tax collectors, acknowledged God's justice.
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, "Look! He's a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
Now all the tax collectors and sinners kept coming to listen to Jesus.