March 31, 2022 – Thursday
Luke 5:31-32 NIV
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Comment.
The them that Jesus answered were the Pharisees and the teachers of the law as v30 tells us, But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” This came about because Jesus saw a tax collector by the name of Levi (later Matthew) to who Jesus said, Follow me.
And Levi left everything and followed Him. Then v29 tells us not only did Levi follow Jesus, but Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. The others were sinners as well.
That is why Jesus answered, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And one of these sinners – Levi – became one of the twelve disciples, Matthew. But immediately prior to this Jesus stated, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. This was not to imply the Pharisees were healthy, but that individuals must acknowledge they are sinners before they can be healed spiritually. Everyone there would have responded to Jesus statements knowing they were sinners in need of repentance, except the Pharisees and those with them.
Thus, when Jesus mentions the righteous, He is referring to the Pharisees, who thought and believed they were righteous with no need to repent. They were truly self-righteous and in great need of repentance. So great was their self-righteousness that they criticized what Jesus was doing not realizing they needed what Jesus was offering they needed just as badly as those shared a meal with. He addresses this in more detail in Luke 18:9-14, 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
I keep this in mind when I start thinking how well I am doing as a Christian and forget that I am a saint with a past as all believers are. Then I remember while all saints have a past, all sinners have a future – yet to be determined. We all need the help of the Great Physician, Jesus the Christ and our need continues throughout our earthly life.
Bottom Line: Everyone needs the Great Physician. Everyone. And we all need to be careful not to think too highly of ourselves which call lead to pride and self-righteousness.
Prayer: Almighty God, Again, thank You for sending Your Son to take care of our sin on the cross so that if we would but believe and repent we could have an eternal home in heaven. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek