Jesus Eats with Tax Collectors and Sinners

Why were tax-collectors (or toll-collectors) so hated in the 1st century? How does Christ’s call of Matthew exemplify his breaking down of religious walls? Is there a separate sociological category for “sinners”? What is the big deal about Jesus sharing a meal with moral riffraff? What does Christ mean when he quotes Hosea, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”? In this week’s episode of “Reading the Gospels through Hebrew Eyes,” Chad Bird takes us through Matthew 9:9-13.