Luke 5:32
I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Luke 5:32
I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus isn't saying there are no righteous people, but rather that His mission is to call those who recognize their need for change. He came to awaken hearts that are alive to their sin, not to those who wrongly believe themselves to be spiritually healthy.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Afterward, Jesus dines at Matthew's home, where many other tax collectors and sinners are present, prompting criticism from the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus responds that he is like a doctor for the sick, not those who think they are already healthy, explaining his mission is to call those who recognize their need for change.
Understand the original words
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' declaration that he came to call 'sinners to repentance,' not the 'righteous,' directly challenged the self-perception of the religious elite and highlighted his mission to reach those alienated from God, even tax collectors like Levi.
c. 70 BC - AD 30
Rise of the Pharisees
During the Second Temple period, the Pharisees emerged as a significant Jewish sect, emphasizing strict adherence to Mosaic Law and oral traditions. They gained considerable popular influence by the time Jesus began his ministry.
AD 6
Roman Census and Taxation Intensifies
The Roman census, conducted for taxation purposes, led to increased scrutiny and demand for tax collectors (publicans) throughout Judea. This practice often resulted in corruption and resentment among the Jewish population.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
Jesus encounters Levi, a tax collector working at a customs post. He calls Levi to follow him, an act that breaks social and religious norms by associating with a notoriously despised profession.
c. AD 29
Levi's Banquet with Sinners
Following his call, Levi hosts a large banquet for Jesus and his disciples, inviting many other tax collectors and 'sinners.' This gathering becomes a point of contention with the religious elite.
Jesus directly quotes Hosea 6:6 to the Pharisees, explaining that He came to show mercy, not just to those who think they are righteous, but to sinners who need to repent.
Romans 5:8This passage highlights God's love demonstrated through Christ's sacrifice while we were still sinners, underscoring the very nature of the 'sinners' Jesus came to call.
1 Timothy 1:15Paul, a former persecutor, identifies himself as the 'foremost of sinners,' reflecting the same category of people Jesus came to save and call to repentance, showing the transformative power of His mission.
Mark 2:17Mark records the same interaction with the Pharisees, emphasizing the analogy of a doctor needing to treat the sick, which powerfully illustrates why Jesus associated with sinners.
cambridgeLuke 5:32: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
32 . I came not to call ] Rather, I have not come . the righteous ] This also was true in two senses. Our Lord came to seek and save the lost. He came not to the elder son but to the prodigal; not to the folded flock but to the straying sheep. In a lower and external sense these Pharisees were really, as they called themselves, ‘the righteous’ ( chasidim ). In another sense they were only self-righteous and self-deceived…
jfbLuke 5:27-32: "And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me."
Lu 5:27-32. Levi's Call and Feast.(See on [1576]Mt 9:9-13; and Mr 2:14.)
Jesus isn't saying there are no righteous people, but rather that His mission is to call those who recognize their need for change. He came to awaken hearts that are alive to their sin, not to those who wrongly believe themselves to be spiritually healthy.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Afterward, Jesus dines at Matthew's home, where many other tax collectors and sinners are present, prompting criticism from the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus responds that he is like a doctor for the sick, not those who think they are already healthy, explaining his mission is to call those who recognize their need for change.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Afterward, Jesus dines at Matthew's home, where many other tax collectors and sinners are present, prompting criticism from the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus responds that he is like a doctor for the sick, not those who think they are already healthy, explaining his mission is to call those who recognize their need for change.
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c. AD 30
Jesus' Ministry and Conflict with Pharisees
Jesus' ministry continues, marked by his outreach to marginalized groups and sinners, often in contrast to the exclusionary practices of the Pharisees and scribes, leading to ongoing theological debates.
"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”" — Jesus isn't saying there are no righteous people, but rather that His mission is to call those who recognize their need for change. He came to awaken hearts that are alive to their sin, not to th…