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One of our beloved hymns made a title popular for Jesus – “Friend of sinners.” And several songs, great songs I may add have the same theme. And you have likely preached a couple of times from that theme as I have. And songwriters and preachers alike, it is for the same reasons that we call Him that. Who else would do for sinners what he did and still would do? Now, before I say one or two things, let me assure you that I am on your side – so you do not pick stones for me.

Was Jesus a friend of sinners?

In a recent Bible study with some people, it was emphasized that He was. However, for the first time, I wondered – was He? What is the implication if He wasn’t? Would it make any difference? Of course, my “wonderings” were for me. The objectives of the study should not be compromised by my distracting “wonderings,” so it was not a place to talk about such matters.

Luke 7:34-35 is the passage that is often the hinge for this title for our Lord.

“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children”

Luke 7:34-35

First of all, the word friend as used commonly in the days of Jesus and especially in the passage connotes an associate that someone is fond of (phileo). And looking at the passage Jesus was reporting what has been said of Him just like the disciples reported that “Some say (called Him) John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:14). Or as John the Baptist inferred that if He, Jesus went ahead and let John baptize Him, people would consider, will “know,” ‘’think” and “call” Him, Jesus a sinner; as it was sinners that that came to be baptized by John (Matt. 3:13-15).  Jesus responded to John as He does in the Luke 7 passage, “But wisdom is justified of all her children” (Lk. 7:35). Effectively in both passages, He says, “In the contest and considering what we desire to achieve, this is the path wisdom calls for us to take.”

Was he a sinner? Certainly not – though he allowed the possibility of that report to spread. Was he a friend of sinners? Now I am swallowing hard. Even I might pick a stone against myself.

If we keep the traditional understanding of Luke 7:34 for a moment aside and look at the simple meaning of the word friend /friendship and also at the one thing Jesus said about His friends (John15:14), “You are my friends if you obey my commands,” it becomes apparent that we have all along misunderstood the “friend of sinners” tag.

Was he a sinner? Certainly not – though he allowed the possibility of that report to spread.

Secondly, it would help to differentiate between love as agape and love as phileo. That phileo (that talks of friendship) is an expression of love does not mean it has the same unconditional status as agape. That is why it is phileo and not agape. It is defined by boundaries (“a liking for a specific thing” as the Oxford Dictionary of English puts it). And for Jesus, those boundaries are set by “If you obey my commands‘’ (Jn. 15:14). Friendship is a relationship of mutual consent. If I called you friend, it means you may call me friend. We must have covenanted to that level of relationship – a liking for “a specific” each other like David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:3).

Thirdly, rubbing friendship of its platonic exclusivity simply because we find it difficult to associate Jesus with “lesser” dispositions as having favorites and companions simply confuses language. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines friendship as a “relationship between friends,” and friends? “A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations.” The keywords are “relationship between” and “mutual.” We are all in various forms of relationships. And friendship is one of those exclusive ones. It is on that basis that we feel special as “Jesus’ Disciples.’’ We are His clique, His gang.

Fourthly, as exclusives, friends share secrets and such secrets are not available on an open shelf for whoever wants to get in on it. Even on Facebook, we must let you in as a friend to be part of our gist. No one gains access to the secrets of the group uninvited. You need a pass to gain access. That is why He said,

“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you”

John 15:14-15

No secrets! Jesus does not hate sinners, but He does not confide in them as He does in His friends. Did I just segregate? As God said of Abraham His friend (2 Chr. 20:7, James. 2:23), “Can I keep this from Abraham?” (Gen 18:17). Of course, He is the one who determines who to speak to in parables and who to talk to plainly and face to face. In Luke 7:34-35, we hear Jesus reporting that He was called a friend of sinners by the crowd, but in John 15:14-15 we hear Him define who His friends are, just as God the Father upheld Abraham as a man He would call a friend.

John said of Jesus that He “did not commit Himself unto them because He knew all men” (John 2:24). And it is interesting to note that the root of the word translated “commit” connotes trusting, having faith in, and entrusting. Those are things you do with friends, and may I add, special-select friends.  And John, a couple of chapters later (John 15:15), tells us of Jesus coming to a point where he could say to some people, “I no longer call you servants, but friends. I am open to you now. Vulnerable” (paraphrased.)

His vulnerability was always in the context of friends though He would risk reputation (Lk. 19:5-7), even death (Matt. 26:38-39) to get to and save a (sinner) soul. In His vulnerability among friends, He would dare to groan in prayers and express anguish: “They are going to kill me” (Matt. 16:21 – paraphrased). It is only among friends He will look for a shoulder to lean on (Matt. 26:38, 40).

His vulnerability was always in the context of friends though He would risk reputation … even death … to get to and save a (sinner) soul

So how did and does Jesus see “sinners” and by extension how should we?

He saw them as potential friends and so should we. People He would dare all to save. People He would gladly drink the bitter cup of death if that was what was required to save them. And of course, before we became disciples and friends, we were “sinners” too. So, if He was not a friend of sinners how could He do the things He did like having dinner with publicly acclaimed sinner Zacchaeus? Love, agape kind of love. Only agape would set a man free to reach out to a “foe” as a friend would. It transcends the exclusivity of friendship (phileo) and does not define friendship.

Was and is Jesus a friend of sinners? Maybe. Does it matter? His reputation preceded Him. Were sinners His confidants? Not at all, but He made Himself approachable enough that all who sought help could find Him. He may not hang out with them for a moment of relaxation or reflection over the Father’s plans, but He was available. He could be seen even by those who may need a tree for aid. Agape constrained Him.

So how visible am I? – And you? How approachable are we? Even if “sinners” climbed trees, shall we be seen? How ready are we to allow the slightest possibility that our reputation might be tarnished because there is a perception that we are associated with “sinners?” For our friend, Jesus, the title stuck, just as the charge of criminal was not refuted. What can you bear so that His pains and disrepute would not have been in vain?

 

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