Those Who Are Sick Need a Physician

Note from today’s Bible reading: Mark 2-3

Once Jesus began His public ministry, many started following Him, including “tax collectors and sinners” (Mark 2:15). After calling Levi – elsewhere referred to as Matthew (Matthew 9:9) – Jesus dined in his house with these individuals.

The scribes and Pharisees questioned Jesus’ decision to eat with them (Mark 9:16). Jesus explained the reason: “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 9:17). Why was Jesus eating with “tax collectors and sinners”? It was because they needed to be healed of their sin and He was the one who could help them.

In talking about those who were healthy with those who were sick, Jesus was contrasting the scribes and Pharisees with the tax collectors and sinners. However, the scribes and Pharisees were only spiritually healthy in their own estimation. The reality was that they were sick with sin just as the others. Unfortunately, they were blind to it, so they rejected the “physician” who could heal them.

We need to take this as a warning. Let us not think of ourselves as so spiritually healthy that we do not need Jesus. All of us have sinned (cf. Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10). If we ignore this about ourselves, we will not seek the healing and forgiveness that only Jesus can provide.

So remember that those who are sick need a physician. In spiritual matters, this means we need Jesus to forgive us of our sins. Let us recognize that each one of us needs the Savior and the healing He offers.