Jesus Calls Sinners 

“And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ 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.’" (Mark 2:16-17)

Pharisees

Somehow, some scribes of the Pharisees saw what Jesus was doing (16). We've already seen scribes in Mark's gospel; they were in the house when Jesus forgave the paralyzed man (2:6-7). This new group of scribes was of the sect of the Pharisees. But who were the Pharisees?

The name Pharisee means separate ones, and to separate was their mission. They were pious Jews who rigorously followed the law of Moses while separating themselves from Greek and Roman influence. They had gotten their start in the intertestamental period, a few hundred years before Jesus' arrival. By the time of Christ, they had atrophied into a highly legalistic group whose goal was to "build a fence" around the Torah so as to avoid any possible violation of God's will.

The Sadducees, a far more liberal group who denied Scripture and embraced Rome, were more powerful than the Pharisees during Jesus' day. But the Pharisees and their teachings bore more impact upon the regular people of Israel at that time.

It is worth noting, Jesus barely dealt with the more liberal Sadducees, but spent considerable energy combatting the Pharisees. Theologically, Jesus and the Sadducees were miles apart, but the Pharisees were much closer to Jesus' positions. It was their interpretations and applications which distanced them from Jesus.

So, this group of Pharisees, when they saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors, were appalled. They were about separation. To them, Jesus was not. They asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" (Mark 2:16).

The Great Physician

Jesus heard their question. He responded with a well-known and widely received proverb from their time: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." (Mark 2:17)

This is a profound statement from Jesus. A doctor treats those who are unhealthy. A doctor would never expect a patient to seek treatment for health. No, people seek treatment for sickness and injury. It is a lack of health that drives one to the doctor.

This is how Jesus felt, that he was like a doctor serving those who were sick. And this statement from Jesus said a lot about how he viewed himself, but also how he viewed the Pharisees and the people he ate with that day.

Jesus - The True Pharisee

First, his statement shows that he was actually the truest Pharisee who ever lived. You see, the Pharisees strove to be separate from sin. But all they really did was invent new sin, the error of hypocrisy and legalism and pretension before God and man.

Jesus, though, saw separation entirely differently. He would come as the Great Physician. And he could not distance himself from patients who needed his care.

And, as he doctored sinners, he never engaged in their sin. The sickness of his patients never became his sickness. Though he immersed himself with us, he never rebelled with us. Though he was tempted like us, he never sinned like us. Though he died for our sins, he never participated in our sins.

Because of this, he showed everyone what real separation looks like.

“Jesus dined with sinners, but he didn't sin with sinners. Jesus lived in the world, but he didn't live like the world. This is the Jesus paradox.” (Rosaria Butterfield, The Gospel Comes with a House Key, loc. 145. Kindle Edition)

We often struggle with this. On the one hand, when we try to be holy, we often become rigid and isolated, like the Pharisees. On the other hand, when we try to reach out to others, we often become influenced, metamorphized to the very society we would love to reach. Too easily, we unlovingly separate from, or we unwisely become like society.

The Bible says, "Bad company ruins good morals" (1 Corinthians 15:33). But bad company cannot ruin Jesus. He perfected loving outreach mixed with personal holiness. The most separate person who ever lived was also the friend of sinners.

Sinners - The True Patient

But, Jesus' statement also said much about sinners. Recall it. He said: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17)

Don't miss what Jesus is doing. Jesus said he was like a doctor going to the sick. He did not come for righteous people, but sinners. What did he mean? Was he trying to say the Pharisees were righteous, without sin, and not in need of his help?

Not at all! Some of the Pharisees became Christians, champions of the gospel. Paul, the Apostle, had been a Pharisee before he realized his need for Christ. Pharisees were sinners in need of Jesus' forgiveness.

But Jesus was saying he could not help the Pharisees as long as they thought they were healthy. They didn't know they were sick. They couldn't see their sin.

And, as long as someone thinks they have no sin, Jesus cannot help them. Just as someone who thinks they have no sickness will not pursue medical attention, so someone who thinks they're righteous will not turn to Jesus.

You see, in Jesus' estimation, we are all sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God. The problem with this label today is that most will object. I'm not broken! I'm not a sinner! I don't need to be well! But those who've received the gospel had to first say, I am a sinner! I need grace! I am broken! So are you! And this offends.

Us Sinners

But this is who we are. Sinners seated around the table with Christ. We need him. We need his grace, forgiveness and cleansing. We need the great doctor to come and heal us. And to keep on healing us! No matter who we are or what our background or what our temptations, we need Jesus. Our broken minds and wills and feelings and souls and bodies are all in need of his constant attention. Sin has plagued us, and Jesus is our only answer!

Closing Applications

1. Know there's nothing you could ever give up for Jesus that is better than Jesus.
2. If needed, choose Jesus over your career.
3. Keep praying for the Levi in your life.
4. Repent when the Pharisaical spirit arises within you.
5. Ask God to help you become more like how Jesus is in this story.
6. Keep returning to the Great Physician.

Also available
Friend of Sinners, Part 1
Friend of Sinners, Part 2