Why Were Tax Collectors Hated in Jesus’ Time?

In Jesus’ day, tax collectors were not just unpopular — they were seen as traitors. Israel was living under Roman rule, and Rome demanded heavy taxes from the Jewish people to support the empire that controlled them. Roman authority could be ruthless. One form of terror used against enemies of the state was burning victims on stakes to light the night. This practice is where the term “Roman candles” is believed to come from. These displays were meant to remind everyone who held power. When a Jewish man became a tax collector, he collected money from his own people for the empire that oppressed them (Luke 3:12–13). And to make matters worse, tax collectors were allowed to collect more than required and keep the extra for themselves. In a land where many families were already struggling to survive under heavy taxation, some tax collectors grew wealthy by taking from neighbors who could barely feed their children. It wasn’t just unfair — it felt like betrayal from within. Because of this, tax collectors were grouped together with sinners and outcasts, people others believed had turned their backs on God. So when Jesus walked up to a tax booth and said to Matthew, “Follow me,” it shocked people (Matthew 9:9). Later, when Jesus sat at a table with tax collectors, the religious leaders questioned why He would spend time with people like that (Matthew 9:10–11). But Jesus did not hesitate. He called Matthew, ate with him, and welcomed him. In the kingdom Jesus was building, even someone seen as a traitor could become a follower, and even someone rejected by many could be fully received. Sometimes the people we assume are farthest from God are the very ones He is drawing near. Who have you already decided is too far gone — and what might change if you saw them the way Jesus did?