The Parable of the Great Physician
In the Parable of the Great Physician of Matthew 9:10-13, Jesus had just called Matthew to follow him and was invited to dinner at Matthew's house. The Pharisees then noticed this and asked why he was having dinner with tax collectors and sinners. The Parable is also described in Mark 2:15-17 and Luke 5:27-32, where Matthew is called Levi, the Hebrew version of the Greek name Matthew. Therefore, Matthew and Levi are the same person in the parable described in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (1).
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:10-11.
Jesus explained:
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13.
The parable explains that Jesus is calling everyone to follow His message, including those who do not know Jesus. In addition, Jesus is willing to offer salvation to everyone, including sinners, if they repent. This is a powerful message that explains that those who have sinned and the un-perfect can obtain salvation by repentance. Jesus is willing to offer salvation to anyone who asks, as long as they sincerely repent and ask for forgiveness. Just as healthy people have no need to visit a physician, Jesus did not need to visit those who already believed in His message. Jesus came to show the unbelievers the path to salvation and righteousness. Therefore, Jesus was willing to dine with the tax collectors and sinners in order to convert them, much to the disapproval of the Pharisees, who were dedicated to established traditions. While the Pharisees may have preferred that the sinners came to Jesus in order to repent, Jesus was willing to come to them and teach them the path to righteousness. This message is applicable to the world today as Jesus is willing to teach the path to righteousness through the Holy Spirit to those who are willing to listen and those who seek the truth will find it.
(1) Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry <https://carm.org/bible-difficulties/matthew-mark/was-taxman-named-matthew-or-levi>.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:10-11.
Jesus explained:
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13.
The parable explains that Jesus is calling everyone to follow His message, including those who do not know Jesus. In addition, Jesus is willing to offer salvation to everyone, including sinners, if they repent. This is a powerful message that explains that those who have sinned and the un-perfect can obtain salvation by repentance. Jesus is willing to offer salvation to anyone who asks, as long as they sincerely repent and ask for forgiveness. Just as healthy people have no need to visit a physician, Jesus did not need to visit those who already believed in His message. Jesus came to show the unbelievers the path to salvation and righteousness. Therefore, Jesus was willing to dine with the tax collectors and sinners in order to convert them, much to the disapproval of the Pharisees, who were dedicated to established traditions. While the Pharisees may have preferred that the sinners came to Jesus in order to repent, Jesus was willing to come to them and teach them the path to righteousness. This message is applicable to the world today as Jesus is willing to teach the path to righteousness through the Holy Spirit to those who are willing to listen and those who seek the truth will find it.
(1) Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry <https://carm.org/bible-difficulties/matthew-mark/was-taxman-named-matthew-or-levi>.
