And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just saying he associates with sinners; he's highlighting the Pharisees' fundamental misunderstanding of their own spiritual condition. By seeing themselves as "well" and therefore not needing a physician, they actually reveal their sickness of pride, cutting themselves off from the very healing Christ offers.
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Afterwards, Jesus joins Matthew and many other tax collectors and sinners for a meal, which sparks outrage among the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus overhears their criticism and uses the analogy of a doctor and his patients to explain his purpose: he came to help those who recognize their spiritual sickness, not those who believe themselves to be righteous and healthy.
Why did Jesus use such a provocative analogy? He wasn't just being clever; He was revealing His very purpose.
Jesus hears the scribes and Pharisees murmuring about Him eating with
The scribes and Pharisees thought they were healthy, but their self-righteousness blinded them to their true condition.
Jesus contrasts two groups: the 'well' and the 'sick.' The 'well' are those who believe they have no need of help, often proud of their own perceived righteousness. The 'sick' are those who recognize their brokenness and need for healing. The scribes and Pharisees saw themselves as spiritually healthy, while the publicans and sinners were obviously 'sick.' Jesus flips this, showing that true spiritual health means recognizing your need for Him.
Jesus didn't just offer healing; He called people to a radical change of life.
The phrase 'I came not to call the righteous, but sinners' is directly linked to 'to repentance.' Jesus' healing and saving work isn't a license to continue in sin. Instead, it's an invitation to turn away from a life of sickness and embrace a new life in Him. This call is transformative, offering forgiveness and a renewed purpose. The publicans and sinners, when called by Jesus, left their old lives behind, demonstrating the power of this call to repentance.
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dikaios · Greek Adjective
One who possesses moral integrity, either through actual obedience to God or, more commonly in the context of Jesus' teaching, through a self-righteous belief in one's own standing before God.
This event highlights Jesus' radical inclusion of society's outcasts, directly confronting the self-righteousness of the religious establishment by framing his mission as a divine healing service for those who recognize their need.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus calls Matthew (Levi)
Jesus encounters Levi, a tax collector (publican), at his toll booth and calls him to be one of his disciples. This occupation was deeply despised in Jewish society.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus dines with tax collectors and sinners
Following Matthew's call, Jesus attends a banquet in his home, where he eats with many other tax collectors and 'sinners.' This association deeply offended the religious elite.
Early 1st century AD
Pharisees and scribes question Jesus
Religious leaders (Pharisees and scribes) observe Jesus eating with 'undesirables' and challenge his disciples, questioning why their master would associate with such people.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus explains his mission
Jesus overhears the criticism and responds with the parable of the physician, stating he came not to call the 'righteous' (those who see themselves as healthy) but sinners (the sick) to repentance.
This verse directly echoes Jesus' statement, clarifying that His mission is specifically to call sinners to repentance, reinforcing the idea that He sees humanity as spiritually ill and in need of His healing.
Matthew 9:12-13This parallel account includes Jesus quoting Hosea 6:6 ('I desire mercy, and not sacrifice'), directly linking His work with sinners to God's desire for compassion over ritual, further explaining why He seeks out those the religious leaders deemed unrighteous.
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,' powerfully illustrates the personal impact of Jesus' mission to call sinners, as seen in Matthew's own conversion.
Isaiah 53:5This prophetic passage describes the Suffering Servant being 'pierced for our transgressions' and 'crushed for our iniquities,' revealing the sacrificial depth of Jesus' healing mission to the sick (sinners) and underscoring the necessity of His intervention.
Romans 5:8This verse states that God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, highlighting that Jesus' coming to call sinners is a demonstration of God's proactive love and a foundation for their repentance and healing.
pooleMark 2:17: "When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
See Poole on "Mark 2:14"
vincentMark 2:17: "When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
They that are whole (οἱ ἰσχύοντες)Lit., they that are strong. See on Luke 14:30, was not able; and 2 Peter 2:11, power.No needThe Greek order throws the emphasis on these words: No need have they that are strong of a physician. Wyc., Whole men have no need to a leech, but they that have evil.
Jesus isn't just saying he associates with sinners; he's highlighting the Pharisees' fundamental misunderstanding of their own spiritual condition. By seeing themselves as "well" and therefore not needing a physician, they actually reveal their sickness of pride, cutting themselves off from the very healing Christ offers.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Afterwards, Jesus joins Matthew and many other tax collectors and sinners for a meal, which sparks outrage among the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus overhears their criticism and uses the analogy of a doctor and his patients to explain his purpose: he came to help those who recognize their spiritual sickness, not those who believe themselves to be righteous and healthy.
Jesus has just called Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Afterwards, Jesus joins Matthew and many other tax collectors and sinners for a meal, which sparks outrage among the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus overhears their criticism and uses the analogy of a doctor and his patients to explain his purpose: he came to help those who recognize their spiritual sickness, not those who believe themselves to be righteous and healthy.
"And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”" — Jesus isn't just saying he associates with sinners; he's highlighting the Pharisees' fundamental misunderstanding of their own spiritual condition. By seeing themselves as "well" and therefore not ne…
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Last reviewed October 2026