What was the attitude of Jesus to the despised and needy?

1. When the parents tried to bring their children to Jesus, the disciples ‘rebuked’ them. But when he saw this Jesus was indignant, and he took the children in his arms and blessed them, Mark 10:13-16.
2. When blind Bartimaeus called out to Jesus, many in the crowd rebuked him. But Jesus asked for him to be brought to him, and restored his sight, Luke 18:35-43.
3. The Pharisees would recoil with horror from a prostitute. But Jesus allowed one to bathe his feet with her tears, wipe them with her hair, kiss them, and anoint them with ointment, Luke 7:36-50.
4. In those days is was said that ‘the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans’. But Jesus was an exception to this rule.  The one he talked with at Jacob’s well was three times despised – she was a Samaritan, a woman, and a ‘sinner’, John 4:4-21.
5. The Rabbis went far beyond the rules of hygiene in their dealings with people who had leprosy. They regarded such with loathing, and would even throw stones at them to drive them away.  In contrast, Jesus had compassion on them.  On one occasion, he stretched out his hand, and touched the leper, and healed him, Mark 1:40-45.
6. Likewise, Jesus often touched the sick. In the case of the woman who had had a flow of blood for many years, he did not rebuke her when she touched him, but sent her away in peace and health, Mark 5:25-34.  He even took the hand of a dead girl and restored her to life, Mark 5:21-24; 35-43.
7. Finally, Jesus was happy to accept invitations into the home of disreputable folk such as Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10 and Levi-Matthew, Luke 5:27-30. With the latter, he even accepted him into his team of apostles, Luke 6:12-16.