The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them he addressed this parable. "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. "Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.' In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Lk 15:1-10)
Tax collectors and sinners were near Jesus. Tax collectors were considered to be socially and politically wrong. They were collecting tax in the name of Roman king. Indirectly they accepted the Roman Empire and its authority over their own land. But the Jews believed that the land was given to them by God because of his promise to Abraham. No one else except God could have authority over the land.
Pharisees and Scribes would not associate with the tax collectors and sinners because they were against their own religion and they were working against their own God. Pharisees and their groups were against Rome and would not permit Rome to have any hold in their land. This was one of the main reasons why the Pharisees and the Scribes were against Jesus. Jesus joined hands with tax collectors and sinners (indirectly did he accept the Roman presence)
Jesus was not bothered about the earthly realities and their social political issues. He was concerned about the kingdom of God. The parables that he was using were talking about the rejoicing in heaven over the conversion of sinners. Jesus was concerned about the people of God and their belonging to the kingdom. This was the reason why he said: “there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents”.
