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What are publicans?

Answered by Gene Cunningham, Basic Training Bible Ministries · from The Basics

Publicans were Jewish men who collected taxes in Israel for the Roman Empire. Because they worked for the hated Roman conquerors, they were viewed as politically traitorous and were among the most hated classes of people to the Jews of Jesus’ day.

These men were considered religiously unclean and were outcasts from Judaism. They were unwelcome in the homes or social gatherings of "good" Jews, and the Pharisees classed them as "sinners" along with harlots and Gentiles.

Publicans were often adept at chiseling people out of their money because the Romans gave them total freedom in collecting taxes. They would weasel out of people everything they could above what was owed to the Romans, making it a lucrative business. This behavior led them to be despised by almost everyone.

Also asked: What is the occupation of publicans in ancient Israel?
Also asked, more loosely
What kind of people in ancient Israel were considered politically and spiritually unclean? · Who were the Roman collaborators that the Jewish population despised?

Source: The Basics The Basics -- Subject Index entry 'Publicans' (printed pp. 42, 177, 178, 179) · Read this lesson in the book →

What this answer is about

The subjects this answer names in its own words. Where the record names that subject itself, it is shown in bold.

FreedomIsraelPhariseesPublicans

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