a`martwlo,j is a Greek word used either as an adjective or a noun, when applied along with the masculine article. It is generally accepted that a`martwlo,j is a derivative of a`marta,nw1. Based on Strong’s definition, a`martwlo,j is generally understood as the one who misses the established mark, as it is the case in a board and arrow game. It is figuratively taken as the onw who errs from the way, from the generally prescribed law or rule. Respectively, this is understood in a moral sense as one “erring from the divine law”2.

Since the basic meaning and understanding of a word is based most essentially on the way the word is being used and applied, the word, a`martwlo,j, derives its meaning and is much understood within the context of morality. Hence from its moral conception, strongly based on biblical applications, a`martwlo,j has acquired a wider and extended meanings and definitions. According to Timothy and Barbara Friberg, it simply means “(1) sinful, guilty, shown to be wrong (RO 7.13); (2) substantivally, as one who lives in opposition to the divine will sinner (JA 4.8); (3) in the Pharisaic view, a Jew who is not religious or does not observe Jewish traditional rules sinner, outcast (MK 2.16); (4) in the Jewish view Gentile, non-Jew”3

Louw and Nida defined a`martwlo,j as a person who often sins, who has the tendency to commit sins. This means for them the tendency for one to act contrary to the will and law of God, to engage in wrongdoing. Basing on Mk 2.17, Mt 9.10, Lk 15.2, etc., they further looked at a`martwlo,j as referring “to persons who were irreligious in the sense of having no concern for observing the details of the Law. Such people were often treated as social outcasts.”4

Joseph Thayer, in his broader definition of a`martwlo,j, stressed that a sinner is one who is devoted to sin, a (masculine or feminine) sinner. In the New Testament distinctions are so drawn that one is called a`martwlo,j who is not free from sin. In this sense all men are sinners (Matt. 9:13; Mark 2:17 ; Luke 5:8,32; 13:2; 18:13; Rom. 3:7; 5:(8),19; 1 Tim. 1:15; Heb. 7:26). Specifically, sinners is used of men stained with certain definite vices or crimes, e. g. the tax-gatherers: Luke 15:2; 18:13; 19:7; hence, the combination telw/nai kai, a`martwloi,, Matt. 9:10f; 11:19; Mark 2:15f; Luke 5:30; 7:34; 15:1. heathen, called by the Jews sinners katV evxoch,n (1 Macc. 1:34; 2:48,62; Tobit 13:6): Matt. 26:45 (?); Mark 14:41; Luke 24:7; Gal. 2:15.5

Luke 5:8 ivdw.n de. Si,mwn Pe,troj prose,pesen toi/j go,nasin VIhsou/ le,gwn\ e;xelqe avpV evmou/( o[ti avnh.r a`martwlo,j eivmi( ku,rieÅ - When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

1 a`marta,nw hamartano, prop. to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (fig.) to err, esp. (mor.) to sin: - for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.; sinful, i.e. a sinner: - sinful, sinner. Strong, James, A Concise Dictionary of Words in the Gree Testament and the Hebrew Bible, 1890, nos. 264 & 268.

2 Bullinger, E.W., A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1999.3 Friberg, Timothy & Friberg, Barbara, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, United Kingdom: Trafford Publishing, 2005.4 Louw, J.P. & Nida, Eugene Albert, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, 2nd ed., United Bible Societies, 1999 5 Thayer, Joseph, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Coded with Strong’s Concordance Numbers, Hendrickson Publishers, New York, 1995.

This extract falls within the pericope: Jesus Calls the First Disciples (Luke 5:1-11). This event takes place at the Lake of Gennesaret, and it tells how Jesus creates a pulpit at the base of Peter’s boat in order to attend to the crowd of people pressing in on him to hear the word of God; how he later performed a miracle, which is regarded as the miracle of the great shoal of fish; the astonishment (qa,mboj) of Peter at the catch of fish; and finally the invitation extended to Peter to become a disciple, one who will be catching men. It is agreed that in this pericope Luke must have combined several different events, so as to enable him symbolically highlight vividly the fuller meaning of the call of Peter. Thus, he tells this story in such a heavy turns in style “to symbolize the great number of Gentile converts in the Messianic community.”6

Yet it is still difficult to fathom the very reason why Luke, in the very beginning of his exposition of his doctrine of sinner, presents Peter as a sinful man. This is even more difficult following the very understanding and meaning of sinner we have gathered so far. Peter is here seen acknowledging himself with a definitive complement a sinner: I am a sinful man. In the observance and fierce criticism of the Pharisees and Scribes, Peter was never considered a sinner. Peter must have been a justifiable Jew, possibly outstanding in the observance of the Law despite his poor status as a fisherman. The question now runs through as to why must Peter address himself as a sinful man. Being overwhelmed by the catch of such huge fish, Peter must have been religiously frightened by the presence of the Master and evidently acknowledge his share in the sinfulness of “all men.” 7 This must have prompted Peter considering himself a sinful man, possibly a man distance from God. In the presence of Jesus, the Light, Peter saw the light of his sinful nature (Ps. 36:9)8 The closer we get to God, the more we recognize our own sinfulness (cf. Job 42:5-6; Isa. 6:5). That Luke has Peter call himself sinful at the beginning of his apostolic career reflects Lukan theology, not social reality. Peter is not confessing any special sin. Thus Luke's Peter has not said or done anything suspicious to justify him as a sinner in the social stratum. Nevertheless, for Luke, Peter is rather an idealized figure whom he seeks to glorify. The point of Peter's acknowledgment of sin, then, is not to allude to his weaknesses or sinfulness, but rather to set an example for Luke’s congregation. Luke most probably must have introduced the theme of sinfulness into a traditional story, in order to prepare the way for his sinner doctrine.

Luke 5:30 kai. evgo,gguzon oi` Farisai/oi kai. oi` grammatei/j auvtw/n pro.j tou.j maqhta.j auvtou/ le,gontej\ dia. ti, meta. tw/n telwnw/n kai. a`martwlw/n evsqi,ete kai. pi,neteÈ - And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Luke 5:32 ouvk evlh,luqa kale,sai dikai,ouj avlla. a`martwlou.j eivj meta,noianÅ – "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

These two extracts are located within the section (Luke 5:32) where Jesus calls a tax collector named Levi, whom Jesus meet and invited to be a disciple at the very place of his job. This man, Levi, sets up a party in his house possibly as an expression of gratitude for being acknowledged and invited by Jesus. Tax collectors are apparently recognized by the Pharisees as sinners. This was because they consider their manner of life as basically in opposition to

6 Stuhlmueller, Carroll, The Jerome Biblical Commentary, Raymond E. Brown (ed.), Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968, 44:58a.7 Thayer, Joseph, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Coded with Strong’s Concordance Numbers, Hendrickson Publishers, New York, 1995.

8 The change made from evpista,thj (Master) to ku,rioj (Lord) by Luke psychologically reflects Peter’s religious fear before the awesome presence of the Son of God.

the will of God, and so the scribes and the Pharisees complained blatantly not just at seeing Jesus at dinner with such number of tax collectors and others but that he freely and publicly associates with them. In response Jesus expresses his very mission for the sinners as well as ironically attacks the self-righteousness of the Pharisees when he says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”

It is clearly visible that by Luke later mentioning of the sinner through the Pharisees, he highlights the differences in the social system of the life of the Jews in the time of Jesus. The Pharisees were the ones who criticized Jesus for eating and drinking with those they have castigated as sinner. With the Lukan Jesus dinning and associating with tax collectors and sinners, Luke systematically presents Jesus as bridging the strong gaps by him recognizing and befriending those the Pharisees had ostracized. The expressive use of sinner here, first through the segregative and critical pattern of the scribes and Pharisees and through the invitational defense of Jesus, Luke theologically links sinner to the concept of repentance. His addition of repentance brings out vividly the religious and conventional form of a sinner. Jesus consistently invites them to repentance (meta,noia), a change of attitude. This, in a sense, symbolizes a psychological movement from one state of life to another, an inward movement.

Luke 6:32 kai. eiv avgapa/te tou.j avgapw/ntaj u`ma/j( poi,a u`mi/n ca,rij evsti,nÈ kai. ga.r oi` a`martwloi. tou.j avgapw/ntaj auvtou.j avgapw/sinÅ – "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. Luke 6:33 kai. Îga.rÐ eva.n avgaqopoih/te tou.j avgaqopoiou/ntaj u`ma/j( poi,a u`mi/n ca,rij evsti,nÈ kai. oi` a`martwloi. to. auvto. poiou/sinÅ – "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. Luke 6:34 kai. eva.n dani,shte parV w-n evlpi,zete labei/n( poi,a u`mi/n ca,rij Îevsti,nÐÈ kai. a`martwloi. a`martwloi/j dani,zousin i[na avpola,bwsin ta. i;saÅ - "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

These three verses in chapter 6 of Luke gospel falls within a different segment in the whole section of the Lukan version of the Sermon on the Mount, known as the Sermon on the Plain. This segment, Luke 6:27-38, deals with the clarion call to the love of enemies and nonjudgmental generosity. In it Luke uses the word, a`martwlo,j, 4 times. Luke use of the word “sinner” in this context is apparent not clear enough. Luke must be presenting in the fore a certain group distinct from his community. Such sinners group tend to love those who love them, which variably means that this group must have considered themselves been separated by the rest of the society and so appreciate when one extend the hand of recognition to them.

Luke 7:34 evlh,luqen o` ui`o.j tou/ avnqrw,pou evsqi,wn kai. pi,nwn( kai. le,gete\ ivdou. a;nqrwpoj fa,goj kai. oivnopo,thj( fi,loj telwnw/n kai. a`martwlw/nÅ – "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

Luke comes out clear here not to contrast Jesus with John nor the follower of Jesus with those of the Baptist, rather he tries to present the elastic limit of Jesus in trying to put up with the

antagonistic attitude of the Pharisees, pointing out the childish indecisiveness of the people.9 Luke use of “sinner” here stresses further and places it in the enveloping application of it in the light of his gospel.

Luke 7:37 kai. ivdou. gunh. h[tij h=n evn th/| po,lei a`martwlo,j( kai. evpignou/sa o[ti kata,keitai evn th/| oivki,a| tou/ Farisai,ou( komi,sasa avla,bastron mu,rou - And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, Luke 7:39 ivdw.n de. o` Farisai/oj o` kale,saj auvto.n ei=pen evn e`autw/| le,gwn\ ou-toj eiv h=n profh,thj( evgi,nwsken a'n ti,j kai. potaph. h` gunh. h[tij a[ptetai auvtou/( o[ti a`martwlo,j evstinÅ - Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."

The two extracts are found within this segment of Luke 7:36-50, where Luke tells us the story of the sinful woman who was forgiven for loving so much. Luke narrates this story in his usual artistic style to further presents his theology of sinner in such a manner as to encapsulate such person as a

prostitute, or else a woman married to a man considered an outcast, like a publican. The Pharisee's role and function in the story is that of the Pious Critic in the Lukan development of the doctrine of sinner. Luke uses him, on one hand, as a contrast to the woman's humility and adoration of Jesus, and on the other, as a contrast to Jesus' welcoming and forgiving attitude towards the woman.10

Luke 13:2 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? (kai. avpokriqei.j ei=pen auvtoi/j\ dokei/te o[ti oi` Galilai/oi ou-toi a`martwloi. para. pa,ntaj tou.j Galilai,ouj evge,nonto( o[ti tau/ta pepo,nqasinÈ)

This extract is located in the section where like 5:32 Luke revisits this whole subject of repentance, but stresses further the consequences of not repenting. Jesus uses the report given to him as a means to exhort the people to either repent or parish. Luke’s application of the concept of sinner is tied firmly to the concept of repentance in such a manner that all the great multitude of people gathered together (13:1) without any line of exemption are in a sense regarded as sinner who must participate in answering to the call for repentance. Sinners in this sense are those who must repent and turn to Jesus.

Luke 15:1 +Hsan de. auvtw/| evggi,zontej pa,ntej oi` telw/nai kai. oi` a`martwloi. avkou,ein auvtou/Å - Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. Luke 15:2 kai. diego,gguzon oi[ te Farisai/oi kai. oi` grammatei/j le,gontej o[ti ou-toj a`martwlou.j prosde,cetai kai. sunesqi,ei auvtoi/jÅ - And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." Luke 15:7 le,gw u`mi/n o[ti ou[twj cara. evn tw/| ouvranw/| e;stai evpi. e`ni. a`martwlw/| metanoou/nti h' evpi. evnenh,konta evnne,a dikai,oij oi[tinej ouv crei,an e;cousin metanoi,ajÅ –

9 Stuhlmueller, Carroll, The Jerome Biblical Commentary, Raymond E. Brown (ed.), Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968, 44:75.10 Pesonen, Anni, Luke, The Friend of Sinners, Finland: HSE Print, 2009, p.124.

"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:10 ou[twj( le,gw u`mi/n( gi,netai cara. evnw,pion tw/n avgge,lwn tou/ qeou/ evpi. e`ni. a`martwlw/| metanoou/ntiÅ – "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

The entire chapter 15 of this gospel presents three distinctive parables that have in common the note of divine mercy of God toward sinners. Verses 1 & 2 introduces the setting or the cause for the telling of the parables. At first, the tax collectors and sinners flocked round Jesus. Like in 5:32, these sects have found a trustworthy and reliable friendship in Jesus. Nonetheless, this very act infuriated the Pharisees and scribes who unable to withheld and manage their emotions of hatred and segregation complained outrightly.

In verses 7 & 10 Luke again insert the concept of repentance to throw more light to his doctrine of sinner. He uses the parable to give a concrete answer to why Jesus welcomes sinner,11 which is simply to call them to repentance.

Luke 18:13 o` de. telw,nhj makro,qen e`stw.j ouvk h;qelen ouvde. tou.j ovfqalmou.j evpa/rai eivj to.n ouvrano,n( avllV e;tupten to. sth/qoj auvtou/ le,gwn\ o` qeo,j( i`la,sqhti, moi tw/| a`martwlw/|Å – "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'

This piece is an extract from the parable of the proud Pharisee and the humble tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). The Pharisee sets himself apart to pray. He expresses a corresponding emotional distance from others by thanking God for not being “like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this toll collector” and concludes his prayer by lauding his dutiful fasting and tithing. Luke's use of saucy hyperbole is evident in that the Pharisee quite casually equates other people with thieves, rogues and adulterers. This Pharisee sets himself up as a unique, superior category of his own. He singles out the toll collector to represent the inferior “others”.

The toll collector is portrayed as humble, suffering and harmless. Whereas the Pharisee is actively evaluating other people, the toll collector is portrayed as the passive object of such evaluation. He is being judged by the Pharisee and by God and he seems conscious of the fact that any judgement is likely to be negative. He stands “far off”, not daring to approach the holiest parts of the Temple with confidence as does the Pharisee. He does not dare to look up to heaven but beats his breast and asks God to be merciful to him, a sinner. The toll collector does not threaten the self-esteem of the audience as the Pharisee does; I take it that Luke’s audience, as indeed any audience, would have been nettled by the Pharisee’s careless denigration of “other people”.12

11 Stuhlmueller, Carroll, The Jerome Biblical Commentary, Raymond E. Brown (ed.), Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 196812 Pesonen, Anni, Luke, The Friend of Sinners, Finland: HSE Print, 2009, p.164.

Luke 19:7 kai. ivdo,ntej pa,ntej diego,gguzon le,gontej o[ti para. a`martwlw/| avndri. eivsh/lqen katalu/saiÅ – But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."

This pericope stresses Jesus’ visit to the house of Zacchaeus. In the story of Zacchaeus the Lukan theme of the repentance of toll collectors442 reaches its climax. This is the last time that toll collectors are mentioned in Luke-Acts. Moreover, the toll collector here is an avrcitelw,nhj, a chief toll collector, and his conversion is a model one, with outstanding almsgiving and restitution of extorted property. The Lukan doctrine of sinner is once more repeated here. The murmuring righteous would shut a sinner out from Jesus' presence; Jesus as the representative of God confirms his gracious acceptance of the sinner.Luke 24:7 le,gwn to.n ui`o.n tou/ avnqrw,pou o[ti dei/ paradoqh/nai eivj cei/raj avnqrw,pwn a`martwlw/n kai. staurwqh/nai kai. th/| tri,th| h`me,ra| avnasth/naiÅ – saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' "

This happens in the light of the resurrection story. Certain women disciple of Jesus came tomb on a Sunday morning bearing with them the spices prepared to anoint the body of Jesus. To their utmost surprise the tomb was found empty. In their bewilderment two men dressed in shining garments stood by them, possibly expressing a sign of support, and having informed them of the resurrection of Jesus further remembered them of the words spoken by Jesus about his suffering.

A parallel comparison with Luke 18:32-33 ("For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."), indicates that Luke’s use of sinner in 24:7 must be in line with the Gentiles of Luke 18:32. In this sense, sinners are the Roman soldiers who tortured and killed Jesus by crucifying him on the cross. In a very deep religious setting, it could simply mean the non-Jews in this sense.

Repentance is a theme much loved by Luke. It is present in all the sinner pericopes, in the episode of the Sinful Woman (7:36-50), the parables of the Sheep and the Coin (15:4-10), the Pharisee and the Toll Collector (18:10-14) and Zacchaeus (19:1-10). Joy is emphasized in the parables of the Sheep and the Coin as well as in the story of Zacchaeus. 

Because the word sinner appears 5 times in Matthew and 6 times in Mark but 18 times in

Luke, Dwayne H. Adams believes the “sinner” was of special interest to Luke. For centuries

Luke’s reference to the “sinner” has fascinated commentators. Adams begins his study of

“sinner” in Luke by surveying the work of commentators as early as the church fathers. To

these early writers, a “sinner” was one who was notoriously wicked.

As the centuries passed, rabbinic sources were used more frequently in interpreting the

synoptics, and the identification of a “sinner” changed. The common people (am ha-ares),

who failed to keep the ceremonial laws of the rabbis, were commonly understood to be the

“sinner” in the Gospels. Israel Abrahams (1917) followed by Joachim Jeremias (1923)

rejected the idea that the am ha-ares were the sinners in the Gospels; instead, the “sinner” was

one who was dishonest, that is, anyone who followed a suspected and degrading occupation.

This, they believed, is reflected in the phrase, “tax collector and sinner,” where Sharp’s rule

can be seen (two nouns in the same case joined by και with one definite article). “The tax

collector and sinner” is then understood to mean “the tax collector,” that is to say, “sinner.”

Adams then surveys the literature that may have influenced Luke’s use of “sinner.” He

surveys the Hellenistic background of the word, its use in the Old Testament, intertestamental

Jewish material, and rabbinic Judaism. He then examines Jesus’ attitude toward and

relationship with sinners by a detailed examination of the passages where the word sinner

appears in Luke.

Adams concludes that for Luke the term sinner is primarily used for a moral category, thus

following the Old Testament definition. A “sinner” in Luke is guilty of transgressing the law

and stands under the wrath of God, needing the forgiveness that comes through repentance

and the acceptance of Jesus as Savior. “Sinner” in Luke is not used for the am ha-ares. Nor is

it to be understood as merely a sectarian label used by the Pharisees. Nor should Abrahams’s

and Jeremias’s list of despised trades be used to identify the “sinner” in Luke.

There is another approach in understanding Luke’s use of the word sinner not seen in

Adams’s study. Luke may have been very much aware that he was looked upon as a sinner

within the Jewish cultural context. First of all, he was a Gentile. Paul reflects the Jewish view

of Gentiles in Galatians 2:15 when he wrote, “We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of

the Gentiles” (KJV). However, we know that Paul had shed the Jewish/rabbinic point of view

by the time he began his mission to win Gentiles to Christ. Peter also showed the Jewish bias

toward Gentiles upon entering the home of Cornelius when he said, “ ‘You know how

unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation’ ” (Acts

10:28, NKJV). As a Christian, Luke was placed in close association with Jews and became

aware of their cultural biases.

Second, Luke, faced the despised trades bias of the rabbis as well, for he was a physician, and

physicians appear in one of Jeremias’s four lists of despised trades. Being a “sinner” by

Jewish definition, Luke was deeply interested in Jesus’ attitude toward and relationship with

sinners. He probably wanted to convey to Theophilus, who was also a Gentile “sinner,” that in

Jesus the Jew and Gentile stand on level ground. Luke’s interest in how Jesus related to the

“sinner” is seen in the original material found in his Gospel: (1) Jesus’ genealogy takes all

ethnic groups back to Noah where they become one (Matthew’s genealogy stops at Abraham,

father of the Jews); (2) the role of the shepherds in the birth narrative (shepherding was a

despised occupation); (3) John the Baptist’s quote of Isaiah 40 that ends, “ ‘ “And all flesh

shall see the salvation of God” ’ ” (NKJV), which cannot be found in Matthew and Mark; (4)

his interest in the ministry of women to Jesus and the apostles; (5) the parables of the good

Samaritan and (6) the prodigal son; (7) the healing of the Samaritan leper; (8) the parable of

the Pharisee and the tax collector; and (9) the story of Zacchaeus. These nine accounts cannot

be found in Matthew and Mark. Without a doubt, Luke, the Gentile “sinner,” shows his

interest in how Jesus relates to sinners by the context of his Gospel.