When Jesus heard it, he said 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.
All Commentaries on Mark 2:17 Go To Mark 2
Bede
AD 735
After that the Lord taught at Capernaum, He went to the sea, that He might not only set in order the life ofmen in towns, but also might preach the Gospel of the kingdom to those who dwelt near the sea, and might teach them to despise the restless motions of those things which pass away like the waves of the sea, and to overcome them bythe firmness of faith. Wherefore it is said, “And He went forth again to the sea, and all the multitude”.
in Marc., 11: So also the same person is called Levi and Mat thew; but Luke and Mark, on account of their reverence and the honour of the Evangelist, are unwilling to put the common name, while Mat thew is a just accuser of himself, and calls himself Mat thew and publican. He wishes to show to his hearers that no one who is converted should despair of his salvation, since he himself was suddenly changed from a publican into an Apostle.
Now to follow is to imitate, and therefore in order to imitate the poverty of Christ, in the feeling of his soul even more than in outward condition, he who used to rob his neighbour’s wealth, now leaves his own. And not only did he quit the gain of the customs, but healso despised the peril, which might come from the princes of this world, because he left the accounts of the customs imperfect and unsettled. For the Lord Himself, Who externally, by human language, called Him to follow, inflamed him inwardly by divine inspiration to follow Him the moment that He called him.
in Marc. i, 12: The persons he recalled publicans are those who exact the public customs, or men who farm the customs of the exchequer or of republics; moreover, those also, who follow after the gain of this world by business, are called by the same name. They who had seen that the publican, converted from his sins to better things, had founda place of pardon, even for this reason themselves also do not despair ofsalvation.And they come to Jesus, not remaining in their former sins, as the Pharisees and Scribes complain, but in penitence, as the following words of the Evangelist shew, saying, “For there were many who followed Him. "Therefore the Lord enters willingly, and takes up His abode in the affection of him who hath believed on Him; and thisis the spiritual banquet of good works, which the rich cannot have, and on which the poor feast.
If by the election of Mat thew and calling of the publicans, the faith of the Gentiles is expressed, who formerly were intent on the gains of this world; certainly the haughtiness of the Scribes and Pharisees intimates the envy of the Jewish people, who are vexed at the salvation of the Gentiles. It goes on: “When Jesus heard it, He saithunto them, They that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick. "He aims at the Scribes and Pharisees, who, thinking themselves righteous, refused to keep company with sinners. He calls Himself the physician, Who, by a strange mode of healing, was wounded on account of our iniquities, and by His wound we are healed. And He calls those whole and righteous, who, wishing to establish their own righteousness, are not subject to the righteousness of God. Moreover He calls those rich and sinners, who, overcome by the consciousness of their own frailty, and seeing that they cannot be justified by the Law, submit their necks to the grace of Christ byrepentance.Wherefore it is added, “For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”
