Jesus dined with outcasts, rule-breakers, corrupt bureaucrats, and everyone in between. But why?
We were looking at the life of Jesus to see who he really was, and we noticed something peculiar: he spent a lot of time around the dinner table. Many of his most frequently quoted messages and standout stories happened while sharing a meal with others. As we looked closer, we noticed that his company around the table was a remarkably diverse cast. He shared meals with outcasts. He spent time with the self-righteous religious elite. He cared for people who had broken every rule and were unwelcome just about everywhere else. He dined at the tables of the wealthy men whose riches were won with lies and corruption. Some of those men gave up comfortable lifestyles to follow him. He crossed racial boundaries to the shock of many around him. He invited everyone to the table.
It was radical at the time. No one was that inclusive. To sit with rejects practically meant taking on the judgment they received. For example, tax collectors were considered traitors to their own people. To most people watching, eating with them made Jesus himself a despicable traitor. Or take the story of Mary Magdalene—one of the earliest and most devoted followers of Jesus. The Bible records her history as one who was demon-possessed. Whatever her past, she certainly didn’t fit the mold most people would assume characterizes a devout, loving follower of Jesus. But Jesus not only welcomed her and ate with her, he gave her purpose and honor in his movement. So naturally, people in power—religious do-gooders—began to whisper behind his back. They called him a friend of sinners. It was supposed to be an insult, but Jesus wore it proudly. He was a friend to everyone. And what do friends do? They eat dinner together and share in each other’s lives.
Strangers eating together and becoming friends. It’s a simple concept, but it would still look radical to most of us today. Picture someone as far separated from you on the political spectrum as you can, someone with a completely opposite worldview, someone with a reputation that is easy to judge—to really follow Jesus’ example, that’s the kind of person you would share a meal with. What would happen if you did? Like Jesus, people may judge you. But like Jesus, you might find unlikely friends and help bridge the divides that seem to be growing between us.
We know Jesus hasn’t always been represented as someone approachable. His name has often been used to harm and divide, but if you look at how he lived, you see how backward that really is. Jesus was not exclusive. He was radically inclusive. What would our world look like if that were the norm? if we all resisted the temptation to defend our self-interest at all costs and loudly proclaimed together that the love for others, the compassion for another’s lived experience, the empathy for their position, and the respect for their dignity were the most important values we all could hold?
