The word itself derives from the Latin term publicani and denotes someone who subcontracted with the Roman government to collect taxes for them. In essence, publicans and tax-collectors are synonymous. Because publicans aligned themselves with a heathen government, tended to be corrupt, were worldly-minded, and maliciously squeezed all they could get from the people, they were generally despised and ostracized by the Jews. Jesus, however, interacted quite frequently with publicans; choosing Levi (Matthew) to be one of His disciples (Matthew 9:9-13) and dinning in the home of Zacchaeus – a “chief tax collector” (Luke 19:1-10). Our Lord also utilized the widely perceived dichotomy between Publicans and Pharisees to drive home a very powerful point about pride, prayer, and repentance (Luke 18:9-14).
