Parables on the Worth of Sinners

74. Parables on the Worth of Sinners

All of us can understand the desire to reject those who do not fit in. Think back to that Petri dish of tribalism: High School. There was always an in-crowd, and the in-crowd always rejected the misfits. It was the only way to remain the in-crowd, right? If you associated with the misfits, you could no longer claim to be the in-crowd, and being the in-crowd was central to your identity. This kind of thinking goes on everywhere in our lives: We define ourselves as much by those whom we reject as those whom we accept.

For Jesus, there was only one tribe to belong to, and it was called the kingdom of God. All were welcome to join that tribe if they met the conditions for entrance: Love God with all your soul, mind, heart and strength; love your neighbor as yourself; love your enemy.

The scribes and Pharisees, in their rejection and condemnation of sinners, were clearly not interested in the kingdom of God -- otherwise they would be helping sinners see what they needed to do to gain entrance. Instead, the scribes and Pharisees were interested in the “kingdom of men” and the ego gratification that came with feeling pious and superior to the sinners. In other words, they were interested in protecting their limited, egocentric identity at the expense of an identity based in God – which, if anything, is defined as an attitude of compassion and inclusion and mercy toward all.

Jesus perceived that the kingdom of God is our primary, collective identity, and that the survival of the Jews, and eventually of all humankind, depended on people gaining entrance. That is why when one who is outside the kingdom (a “sinner”) enters in, there is reason for all to rejoice.