Call the tax man to repentance

A heathen is defined as follows.

Heathen

1.

an unconverted individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; pagan.

2.

an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized person.

A publican is defined as follows.

Publican:

The class designated by this word in the New Testament were employed as collectors of the Roman revenue.

a :  a Jewish tax collector for the ancient Romans

b :  a collector of taxes or tribute

Throughout God’s word we can find references to both the heathens and publicans. Inarguably, by context, we can easily conclude that the lifestyles and actions of both classes of people were considered unacceptable to the righteous and in many cases believers were warned not do as they do or be like them. It is made clear that to act as a heathen or publican was quite simply unacceptable to God. We can also find in some cases where they are equated with each other. Arguably we can find in the scriptures inferences that imply that being a publican was worst than being a heathen.  Here a few of many examples.

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. 2 Kings 17:15 (KJV)

Jesus said,

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (In part)Matt 18:17 (KJV)

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:11-13 (KJV)

You see (even as this publican) as if to infer he was worse than the rest and clearly as you read on you find that the publican is referred to as a sinner because of his ways.

In Matthew 9: 9 -13 we find where Jesus dined with sinners and the tax men and for this the Pharisees sought to criticize him. “And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

 

We know that Jesus taught that it was forbidden for his people to pay tribute to Caesar and clearly we find in this portion of scripture that again the tax collector was considered unrighteous and equated with sinners. Jesus made it very clear by his response that he considered them sick and in need of a physician, in need of deliverance from their wicked ways and in need of repentance. “for I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.”

Are we to call the tax man to repentance? Jesus did and if we are to truly claim that we walk with Christ Jesus of Nazareth we are too.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 1 John 2:6 (KJV)