Gospel in Art: Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?

An Election Entertainment, by William Hogarth, 1755, © Sir John Soane Museum, London

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 18 January 2025
Mark 2:13-17

At that time: Jesus went out again beside the lake, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he rose and followed him.

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?'

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'

Reflection on the painting

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul refers to a familiar piece of wisdom: 'bad company ruins good morals'. This insight is not uniquely Christian but is found across various cultures and traditions. we also say, 'Show me your friends, and I'll tell you who you are.' Throughout history, there has been a shared belief that the people we surround ourselves with, will influence who we become. However, the phrase 'bad company ruins good morals' certainly did not apply to Jesus.

In today's gospel, we see him intentionally associating with those deemed undesirable by society. When he calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow him, Jesus dines at Levi's house, in the company of other tax collectors and so-called sinners. The scribes challenge this, asking his disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?' Their question reflects the assumption that such company corrupts. Yet, the reverse happens: rather than being diminished by their sin, Jesus elevates them through his goodness, much like a doctor healing the sick without contracting their illness. As sinners in various ways, we are all in need of the same transforming presence that Jesus offers to lift us up.

William Hogarth (1697-1764) is famous for his series of paintings and engravings that explore moral subjects. Here we see an interesting take on friends maybe mixing with some bad company. Hogarth's works, brimming with sharp satire and dark humour, critique the vices and follies of Georgian society while delivering cautionary tales about the dangers of moral decay. Sir John Soane acquired two of Hogarth's renowned series, A Rake's Progress and An Election.The four-part An Election draws inspiration from a real election in Oxfordshire in 1764, satirising the widespread corruption of both the Whig and Tory parties. In the first scene, which is our painting illustrated here today, titled The Election Entertainment, the Whigs host a chaotic banquet for influential friends. Amidst the debauchery, the Mayor collapses after overeating oysters, a servant tips a chamber pot out the window onto a Tory protest below, and one of the candidates, oblivious to his wig catching fire, flirts shamelessly with a rotund older woman. The scene vividly captures the absurdity and moral decline of the period.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-2-13-17-2025/