Written by Mark Hall, Matthew West, and Bernie Herms, it was released as the third single from the band's 2011 album Come to the Well.
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James Christopher Monger of Allmusic described it as a "nice, emotive moment" in comparison to other tracks in the mid-point of Come to the Well that he felt were "tacked on".
By February 2012, the album had sold 601,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
"Jesus, Friend of Sinners" received positive reviews from critics upon the release of Come to the Well, with many critics praising the song's lyrical content.
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Written by Mark Hall and Matthew West and produced by Mark A. Miller, it was released as the second single from the band's 2011 album Come to the Well.