Mark 2 17

Mark 2:17 kjv

When Jesus heard it, he saith 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.

Mark 2:17 nkjv

When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

Mark 2:17 niv

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Mark 2:17 esv

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 2:17 nlt

When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor ? sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."

Mark 2 verses

Mark 2 17 Meaning

Mark 2:17 profoundly reveals Jesus' mission: to heal those aware of their spiritual illness. He declares His purpose is not to minister to the self-perceived "righteous" who feel no need for salvation, but to "sinners" who acknowledge their brokenness and desperate need for God's grace and forgiveness. This statement directly addresses the criticism from the religious establishment regarding His association with societal outcasts, underscoring God's radical mercy for the humble and repentant.

Mark 2 17 Context

This verse follows immediately after Jesus has called Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to be His disciple (Mark 2:13-14). Jesus then dines at Levi’s house with "many tax collectors and sinners" and His disciples (Mark 2:15). The Pharisees and scribes, representatives of the religious elite, see this open association with such socially and religiously marginalized individuals as scandalous and deeply inappropriate. They question Jesus' disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" (Mark 2:16). Mark 2:17 is Jesus' direct and authoritative response to their criticism.

Historically, tax collectors were reviled by Jews for collaborating with the Roman occupiers and for often exploiting their own people through dishonest practices. "Sinners" was a broader term used by the religiously meticulous, particularly the Pharisees, to categorize those who did not adhere to the strict interpretation of Mosaic Law, oral traditions, and ritual purity laws. These included prostitutes, common laborers who were considered lax in tithing, and the uneducated, rendering them ceremonially unclean and morally impure in the eyes of the pious. Jesus' act of feasting with them was a scandalous embrace of the unclean, challenging the prevailing social and religious barriers. This verse, therefore, represents a pivotal moment in Mark's Gospel, setting the stage for ongoing conflict between Jesus' inclusive mission and the exclusive, merit-based piety of the religious establishment.

Mark 2 17 Word analysis

• And when Jesus heard it: Jesus is keenly aware of the Pharisees' unspoken (or indirectly spoken through His disciples) criticism. His response is not accidental but a deliberate theological declaration.
• he said to them: A direct and authoritative teaching.
• “Those who are well (καλῶς ἔχοντες - kalōs echontes) have no need of a physician (ἰατρός - iatros), but those who are sick (κακῶς ἔχοντες - kakōs echontes).”
  • physician (ἰατρός - iatros): Literally "healer." Jesus portrays Himself as the divine Healer. This metaphor extends beyond physical ailments to spiritual sickness, specifically the human condition of sin. It highlights His salvific work.
  • well (καλῶς ἔχοντες - kalōs echontes): Literally "those who have it well," or "healthy." Spiritually, this refers to those who perceive themselves as morally and spiritually whole, self-sufficient, and thus without need of divine intervention or grace. This is characteristic of spiritual pride and self-righteousness.
  • sick (κακῶς ἔχοντες - kakōs echontes): Literally "those who have it badly," or "sickly." Spiritually, this refers to those who recognize their fallen nature, their sin, and their desperate need for spiritual healing and forgiveness.
• “I came (ἦλθον - ēlthen) not to call (καλέω - kaleō) the righteous (δίκαιος - dikaios), but sinners (ἁμαρτωλός - hamartōlos).”
  • I came (ἦλθον - ēlthen): Emphasizes Jesus' divine pre-existent nature and His specific purpose and mission in His incarnation. His coming was deliberate and purposeful, an act of God for humanity.
  • call (καλέω - kaleō): To invite, summon, or choose. This is an invitation to repentance and salvation, not a universal compulsion. It implies an act of grace and divine initiative.
  • righteous (δίκαιος - dikaios): Those who claim moral and religious perfection or adherence to the law; self-righteous individuals. In reality, biblically "there is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom 3:10), so Jesus refers to those who think they are righteous and therefore see no need for repentance. This group, typified by the Pharisees, did not recognize their spiritual illness.
  • sinners (ἁμαρτωλός - hamartōlos): Those who openly acknowledge their trespasses against God's law or are outwardly perceived as such. These individuals, burdened by guilt or societal ostracism, are more receptive to God's offer of grace because they are aware of their need.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.": This is an axiomatic statement, a proverb-like truth Jesus uses to justify His actions. It underscores the practical reality that healing is only sought by those who recognize their affliction. Spiritually, it serves as a powerful metaphor for human pride versus humility; only those who admit their spiritual disease can receive Christ's cure. This is a polemic against the self-assured.
• "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.": This is the heart of Jesus' mission statement. It is a profound declaration that flips conventional piety on its head. It doesn't mean that God dislikes the genuinely righteous, but that humans cannot be genuinely righteous apart from God, and those who claim to be, disqualify themselves from the very salvation they unknowingly need. Jesus' divine purpose is centered on offering salvation to the contrite, demonstrating God's radical mercy and inclusive grace, a contrast to the exclusionary practices of many religious leaders of His day. His calling is an invitation to new life found in repentance and faith, aimed at those who recognize their separation from God.

Mark 2 17 Bonus section

The saying "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mk 2:17) forms a central axiom not only for Jesus' public ministry but also for understanding the core message of the entire Christian faith. It encapsulates a profound theological reversal: God's priority is not the maintenance of a pure, isolated religious group, but the redemption of those outside the fold. This concept stood in stark contrast to the common Jewish perception of the time, where association with 'sinners' was believed to transmit defilement, whereas the Messiah was expected to cleanse Israel from the presence of sinners, not dine with them.

Jesus' deliberate association and public feasting with 'tax collectors and sinners' served as an active demonstration of God's 'agapē' (unconditional love) and mercy. The meals themselves were acts of covenant fellowship, signaling inclusion and acceptance rather than condemnation. Jesus’ presence and action fundamentally redefined holiness: it was not about ritual separation from sinners, but about entering into the midst of their brokenness to bring about spiritual restoration and healing. This proactive, outgoing love of God challenges believers across all ages to reach out with compassion to those whom society (or even parts of the Church) might ostracize or deem beyond hope.

Mark 2 17 Commentary

Mark 2:17 is a succinct yet powerful summary of Jesus' earthly ministry and divine mission. In this pivotal response, Jesus explains why He associates with those deemed 'unclean' and 'undesirable' by society's religious elite: He is the Great Physician for spiritually sick humanity. He did not come to affirm the self-righteous, who, in their pride, fail to recognize their need for salvation. Instead, He extends His hand to those acutely aware of their sinfulness, for they are the ones ready to accept His healing.

This verse challenges the very foundation of self-salvation and merit-based righteousness, characteristic of the Pharisaic worldview. Jesus doesn't excuse sin, but He embraces the sinner who is open to change. His mission is not to condemn, but to call people to a new way of life found through repentance and faith in Him. The sick acknowledge their need for a physician, and so too, sinners who humbly admit their brokenness are the ones who can receive God's transforming grace. This statement prefigures Jesus' own sacrificial death as the ultimate act of healing for humanity's deepest sickness – sin.

Examples for practical usage:

• A person acknowledging their deep-seated failures and addictions and seeking help, rather than denying their struggles.
• A proud individual who believes they are "good enough" for God, vs. someone humbly seeking forgiveness and spiritual transformation.