Describe the tax collectors of Jesus’ day.

The tax collectors worked for the hated Roman conquerors and expected nothing but contempt. The Romans did not pay them but gave them total freedom in collecting taxes from their fellow Jews, so everything they could weasel out of people above what was owed to Rome was theirs, and they became very adept at chiseling people out of their money. It was a lucrative business, but they were considered traitors and were despised by almost everyone, with the Pharisees especially classing them alongside harlots and Gentiles.