And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just pointing out the obvious need for a doctor, but using a subtle word choice to expose the Pharisees' dangerous self-deception. By saying "those who are well" (literally, those in sound health) instead of "those who are strong," Jesus highlights their mistaken belief they don't need spiritual healing, mistaking their outward observance for true spiritual vitality.
And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. This scandalous act draws criticism from the Pharisees and scribes, who question why Jesus would associate with such "sinners." In response to their complaints, Jesus uses the analogy of a physician and his patients to explain his mission: he is here to call those who recognize their spiritual sickness, not those who falsely believe themselves to be healthy.
Why did Jesus compare himself to a doctor? It wasn't just a clever saying; it revealed a deep truth about who desperately needs God.
Jesus uses the metaphor of a physician to explain his mission. He's not here for those who think they have it all together.
Recognizing the Sickness
The religious leaders of the day saw themselves as healthy and righteous, especially when compared to the tax collectors and 'sinners' Jesus was associating with. They believed they didn't need divine intervention. But Jesus saw deeper. Their self-righteousness was a dangerous spiritual sickness, blinding them to their true condition.
The Physician's Purpose
Jesus came specifically for those who recognize their spiritual ailment – their sin, their brokenness, their separation from God. He came to heal, to restore, and to call people to a new life, starting with repentance.
When Jesus sat down to eat with 'sinners,' it wasn't just a meal; it was a radical statement about who his ministry was for.
Jesus's willingness to dine with tax collectors and 'sinners' was shocking to the religious elite. They saw these individuals as outcasts, deeply sick and beyond help, people no respectable person would associate with.
Bridging the Divide
By eating with them, Jesus demonstrated that his healing power wasn't reserved for the 'clean' or the 'worthy.' He intentionally crossed social and religious barriers. This inclusive approach was central to his mission: to reach those on the margins, those who society deemed lost.
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A Foundation for Outreach
This very act became the foundation for a ministry that seeks out the lost and broken. It inspires compassion and action, motivating believers to reach out to those in need, mirroring Christ's own loving and non-judgmental approach.
Understand the original words
iatros · Greek Noun
In a biblical context, this term refers to one who practices medicine, metaphorically signifying Jesus as the divine healer who addresses the spiritual sickness of sin. It denotes someone who brings restoration, wholeness, and life to the broken.
dikaios · Greek Adjective
Biblically, those who are considered legally or morally upright in their own estimation or according to religious standards. In this context, it refers to those who trust in their own law-keeping rather than God's grace.
hamartōlos · Greek Noun
Individuals who have missed the mark of God's holy standard, living in rebellion against His authority. It characterizes the condition of all humanity apart from Christ, requiring divine intervention and reconciliation.
metanoia · Greek Noun
A fundamental change of mind and heart regarding sin and God; a turning away from sin and a turning toward God in faith. It is a necessary response to the proclamation of the Gospel.
Jesus' famous saying about physicians and the sick wasn't just a general observation; it was a direct, pointed response to religious leaders who were criticizing him for associating with 'sinners'—people they deemed spiritually unwell and beyond help.
c. 27-29 AD
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee, attracting crowds with his teachings and miracles. This period saw him interact with people from all walks of life.
c. 28 AD— this verse
Calling of Matthew (Levi)
Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. This event is central to the context of Jesus' meal with tax collectors and sinners.
c. 28 AD
Feast in Matthew's House
Matthew hosts a banquet for Jesus and his disciples, inviting many other tax collectors and sinners, which sparks criticism from the Pharisees.
c. 28 AD
Jesus Responds to Pharisees
In response to the Pharisees' complaints about his association with sinners, Jesus delivers the parables and sayings found in Luke 5:27-32, including the physician analogy.
This passage directly quotes Jesus saying the same thing in response to criticism about him eating with sinners, reinforcing the idea that his mission is to the spiritually unwell.
Mark 2:17Mark's Gospel also records this saying, emphasizing that Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, which directly supports the 'physician' analogy as a call to healing for those who recognize their sickness.
Isaiah 61:1This prophetic passage describes the Spirit of the Lord anointing the Messiah to 'proclaim good news to the poor,' 'bind up the brokenhearted,' and 'comfort all who mourn,' painting a picture of spiritual healing that Jesus embodies.
1 Timothy 1:15Paul's declaration that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and that he himself is the foremost of them, shows how he understood Jesus' mission as a physician for even the most deeply 'sick'.
Luke 18:9-14The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector powerfully illustrates Jesus' point: the self-righteous 'healthy' (the Pharisee) don't see their need for spiritual healing, while the 'sick' (the tax collector) humbly seeks it.
cambridgeLuke 5:31: "And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick."
31 . They that are whole ] Our Lord’s words had both an obvious and a deeper meaning. As regards the ordinary duties and respectability of life these provincial scribes and Pharisees were really “whole” as compared with the flagrant “sinfulness” of the tax-gatherers and “sinners.” In another and even a more dangerous sense they were themselves “sinners” who fancied only that they h…
pulpitLuke 5:31: "And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick."
Verses 31, 32. - And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. This was one of those sayings of the Lord which sank very deep into the hearts of the hearers. All the three, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, repeat it with very slight variations; it was evidently a favourite t…
Jesus isn't just pointing out the obvious need for a doctor, but using a subtle word choice to expose the Pharisees' dangerous self-deception. By saying "those who are well" (literally, those in sound health) instead of "those who are strong," Jesus highlights their mistaken belief they don't need spiritual healing, mistaking their outward observance for true spiritual vitality.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. This scandalous act draws criticism from the Pharisees and scribes, who question why Jesus would associate with such "sinners." In response to their complaints, Jesus uses the analogy of a physician and his patients to explain his mission: he is here to call those who recognize their spiritual sickness, not those who falsely believe themselves to be healthy.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. This scandalous act draws criticism from the Pharisees and scribes, who question why Jesus would associate with such "sinners." In response to their complaints, Jesus uses the analogy of a physician and his patients to explain his mission: he is here to call those who recognize their spiritual sickness, not those who falsely believe themselves to be healthy.
"And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”" — Jesus isn't just pointing out the obvious need for a doctor, but using a subtle word choice to expose the Pharisees' dangerous self-deception. By saying "those who are well" (literally, those in *sou…
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Last reviewed October 2026