Matthew 9:12-17: a reflection

12When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 13But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 14Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?” 15Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made. 17Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

When the Pharisees criticize Jesus for eating with sinners, he answers with a memorable image: Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus is the physician; and physicians are for the sick. He came for those who know they are spiritually sick, sinners in need of healing, not for those who imagine themselves well and righteous, needing nothing.

Notice the image Jesus uses: he is the physician, and physicians are for the sick. The healthy, or those who think themselves healthy, do not seek a physician; only the sick, who know their need, come to him. And so with Jesus: he came for sinners who know their need of healing, not for the self-righteous who imagine themselves well. To come to Jesus, we must recognize our need, our spiritual sickness; those who think themselves righteous and whole see no need of him.

That truth searches how we come to Jesus. We can come to him, if we come at all, imagining ourselves basically well, righteous, not really in need; and so we do not truly come to the physician, for we do not think ourselves sick. But Jesus came for the sick, for sinners who know their need; and to come to him rightly, we must recognize our own spiritual sickness, our need of the healing only he can give. Do not come to Jesus, or keep him at a distance, imagining yourself basically well and righteous, in no real need; recognize your own spiritual sickness, your sin, your need of the physician. Jesus came for the sick, not for those who think themselves well; and it is those who know their need who come to him and are healed. Acknowledge your need, your sickness, your sin, and come to the physician who came for the sick; for he did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, and it is those who know they are sick who find in him the healing they need.

Lord Jesus, when the Pharisees criticized you for eating with sinners, you answered: those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Show me the image: you are the physician, and physicians are for the sick. The healthy, or those who think themselves healthy, do not seek a physician; only the sick, who know their need, come to you. And so you came for sinners who know their need of healing, not for the self-righteous who imagine themselves well. To come to you, I must recognize my need, my spiritual sickness. Let that truth search how I come to you. I can come to you, if I come at all, imagining myself basically well, righteous, not really in need; and so I do not truly come to the physician, for I do not think myself sick. But you came for the sick, for sinners who know their need. Keep me from coming to you, or keeping you at a distance, imagining myself basically well and righteous, in no real need; help me recognize my own spiritual sickness, my sin, my need of the physician. You came for the sick, not for those who think themselves well. Help me acknowledge my need, my sickness, my sin, and come to you, the physician who came for the sick, Lord; for you came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Heal me, for I am sick.