Matthew 9:10 (KJV)

What does Matthew 9:10 mean?

Matthew 9:10 describes Jesus sharing a meal with people known as tax collectors and sinners, along with his disciples. The meal places Jesus in the company of people whom many in that society looked down on.

The scene follows Jesus’ call to Matthew, a tax collector, in verse 9. “Sat at meat” is an older way of saying “ate a meal.” The diners would typically have reclined on low couches around a table.

The Greek behind Matthew 9:10

• “publicans” — τελῶναι (telōnai): These were tax collectors. They collected taxes or tolls for the ruling authorities, and many people resented them for their work and for the possibility of overcharging.
• “sinners” — ἁμαρτωλοί (hamartōloi): This word describes people regarded as doing wrong. Here it names a group alongside the tax collectors, though the verse does not identify each person’s actions.
• “sat down” — συνανακεῖμαι (synanakeimai): The Greek carries the sense of reclining at a meal with others. It pictures the guests sharing a meal together, not merely entering the same house.

Why Matthew 9:10 matters

• The meal draws attention because Jesus and his disciples eat with these guests. In the next verse, some Pharisees, members of a Jewish religious group, question the disciples about that company.
• The word “many” shows that this is more than a private meeting with one tax collector. Matthew describes a gathering with numerous guests as well as Jesus’ disciples.