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When gospel writers talk about “tax collectors” the modern evangelical thinks they are like IRS agents. Loathsome, yes, but not close to despicable enough.
The Romans farmed out taxes to what was essentially organized crime. Your mental image of Zaccheus & Matthew should be:
The Romans farmed out taxes to what was essentially organized crime. Your mental image of Zaccheus & Matthew should be:
An IRS agent (nerdy accountants and tax lawyers) would’t likely be grouped with prosties, but it makes perfect sense for a gangster thug to hang out with harlots.
A corollary to this is Jesus’s fisherman disciples.
They were not your middle-class, suburban grandpa going out fly fishing in Montana.
They were commercial fishermen—extremely rough men.
When I think of St. Peter, this image comes to mind:
They were not your middle-class, suburban grandpa going out fly fishing in Montana.
They were commercial fishermen—extremely rough men.
When I think of St. Peter, this image comes to mind:
If you have ever swung a hammer for money, you’ll know that Jesus being a carpenter’s son doesn’t mean He cobbled wooden stuff in a cozy, little workshop.
He worked every day with dudes who chewed Skoal (and gutted it) and have more bad tattoos than missing teeth.
He worked every day with dudes who chewed Skoal (and gutted it) and have more bad tattoos than missing teeth.
The reason I bring this up is that most churches would be repulsed by the type of men the Apostles were.
That is a huge problem.
That is a huge problem.
