Matthew 9:12 (WEB)
When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.
Catechism · 1
“He often argued within the framework of rabbinical interpretation of the Law.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 12:5; 9:12; Mk 2:23-27; Lk 6:6-g; Jn 7:22-23.
Fathers and councils · 53
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus III.61Book III
“…the word some helps towards the cure of those who are sick, respecting which the word says, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick;” others, again, which to the pure in soul and body exhibit “the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest…” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
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Gregory of Nyssa
“…to those who are in need of healing, so He is Almighty over one who has need of being ruled: and just as “they that are whole have no need of a physician,” so it follows that we may well say that He Whose nature contains in it the principle of unerring and unwavering rectitude does not, like others, need a ruler…” — editor's note: Cf. S. Matt. ix. 12, and parallel passages.
Read the whole comment“In like manner whatever material excrescences are hardening on our souls, that have been sensualized by fellowship with the body’s affections, are, in the day of the judgment, as it were cut and scraped away by the ineffable wisdom and power of Him Who, as the Gospel says, “healeth those that are sick.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. ix. 12
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Jerome
“Matt. ix. 12, 13.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“It was the Saviour’s mission to call sinners and not the righteous; for, as He said Himself, “they that be whole need not a physician.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12, 13.
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Ambrose of Milan
“This is his answer: “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. ix. 11, 12.
Read the whole comment“And the Lord in the Gospel called Himself this, when He said: “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. ix. 12.
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Cyprian of Carthage
“Concerning Moses, moreover, we find it said in the Scriptures, “Now the man Moses was very meek;” and the Lord in His Gospel says, “Be ye merciful, as your Father also had mercy upon you;” and again, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
Read the whole comment“…to cure the wounds of the lapsed, since the Lord also in the Gospel warns, and says, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick?”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
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Augustine of Hippo
“For Christ died for the ungodly.” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
Read the whole comment“He continueth and saith, “I have not come to call just men, but sinners unto repentance.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
Read the whole comment“I have not come to call righteous men, but sinners to repentance.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12, 13.
Read the whole comment“They that be whole need not a physician, but they that be sick.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 11, 12.
Read the whole comment“Matthew, accordingly, goes on to say: “And it came to pass, as He sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His disciples;” and so on, down to where we read, “But they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 10–17.
Read the whole comment“We say that God loved sinners: for He saith, “They that are whole need not the Physician, but they that are sick.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
Read the whole comment“Let them hear, every kind of such ones, feastings with whom were cast in Thy teeth as a charge, forsooth, as though by whole persons who sought not a physician, whereas Thou camest not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 11–13. [See R.V.]
Read the whole comment““They that are whole,” He saith, “need not a physician, but they that are sick.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
Read the whole comment“Let the maimed come, “for they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are in evil case.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12, Vulgate.
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John Chrysostom
““They that be whole need not a physician,” saith He, “but they that are sick.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12. [R.V., “They that are whole have no need of a physician.”]
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Basil the Great
“From Him come the words, it was His sweet and saving lips that said, “They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick.…I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12, 13.
Read the whole comment“…according to his manifold wisdom, he bestows on them that need, Scripture designates Him by innumerable other titles, calling Him Shepherd, King, Physician, Bridegroom, Way, Door, Fountain, Bread, Axe, and Rock.” — editor's note: e.g., Matt. ix. 12.
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Tertullian
“The Lord had come, of course, to save that which “had perished;” “a Physician” necessary to “the sick” “more than to the whole.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12; Mark ix. 17; Luke v. 21.
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Ephrem the Syrian
“But when the Pharisees, this man’s companions, murmured at the healing of sinners, the Physician taught concerning His art, that the door is opened for the diseased and not for the whole, for they that are whole need not a physician but they that are sick.” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 12.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Having wrought this miracle, Christ would not abide in the same place, lest He should rouse the envy of the Jews. Let us also do thus, not obstinately opposing those who lay in wait for us. “And as Jesus departed…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The other Evangelists from respect to Matthew have not called him by his common name, but say here, Levi, for he had both names. Matthew himself, according to that Solomon says, “The righteous man accuses himself,”…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
He says, “sitting at the receipt of custom,” that is, in the place where the tolls were collected. He was named Telonarius, from a Greek word signifying taxes.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Herein he shews the excellent power of Him that called him; while engaged in this dangerous office He rescued him from the midst of evil, as also Paul while he was yet mad against the Church. “He saith unto him,…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
He esteems lightly human dangers which might accrue to him from his masters for leaving his accounts in disorder, but, “he arose, and followed him.” And because he relinquished earthly gain, therefore of right was he…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Prophyry and the Emperor Julian insist from this account, that either the historian is to be charged with falsehood, or those who so readily followed the Saviour with haste and temerity; as if He called any without…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But why did He not call him at the same time with Peter and John and the others? Because he was then still in a hardened state, but after many miracles, and great fame of Christ, when He who knows the inmost secrets…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, perhaps it is more probable that Matthew here turns back to relate something that he had omitted; and we may suppose Matthew to have been called before the sermon on the mount; for on the mount, as Luke relates,…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Matthew places his called among the miracles; for a great miracle it was, a Publican becoming an Apostle.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Why is it then that nothing is said of the rest of the Apostles how or when they were called, but only of Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew? Because these were in the most alien and lowly stations, for nothing…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
As a meet return for the heavenly mercy, Matthew prepared a great feast for Christ in his house, bestowing his temporal goods on Him of whom he looked to receive everlasting goods. It follows, “And it came to pass as…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Matthew has not said in whose house Jesus sat at meat (on this occasion), from which we might suppose, that this was not told in its proper order, but that what took place at some other time is inserted here as it…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Matthew being honoured by the entrance of Jesus into his house, called together all that followed the same calling with himself; “Behold many Publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus, and with his disciples.”
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Publicans were they who were engaged in public business, which seldom or never can be carried on without sin. And a beautiful omen of the future, that he that was to be an Apostle and doctor of the Gentiles, at…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Tertullian says that these must have been Gentiles, because Scripture says, “There shall be no payer of tribute in Israel,” as if Matthew were not a Jew. But the Lord did not sit down to meat with Gentiles, being…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
But they had seen the Publican turning from sins to better things, and finding place of repentance, and on this account they do not despair of salvation.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Thus they came near to our Redeemer, and that not only to converse with Him, but to sit at meat with Him; for so not only by disputing, or healing, or convincing His enemies, but by eating with them, He oftentimes…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
They are here in a twofold error; first, they esteemed themselves righteous, though in their pride they had departed far from righteousness; secondly, they charged with unrighteousness those who by recovering…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Luke seems to have related this a little differently; according to him the Pharisees say to the disciples, “Why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and sinners?” [Luke 5:30] not unwilling that their Master should be…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
For they do not come to Jesus while they remain in their original condition of sin, as the Pharisees and Scribes complain, but in penitence, as what follows proves; “But Jesus hearing said, They that be whole need…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
He calls Himself a physician, because by a wonderful kind of medicine He was “wounded for our iniquities” that He might heal the wound of our sin. By “the whole,” He means those who “seeking to establish their own…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Having first spoken in accordance with common opinion, He now addresses them out of Scripture, saying, “Go ye, and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.” Jerome, Hosea 6:5: This text from Osee…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
As much as to say; How do you accuse me for reforming sinners? Therefore in this you accuse God the Father also. For as He wills the amendment of sinners, even so also do I. And He shews that this that they blamed…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Yet does not God contemn sacrifice, but sacrifice without mercy. But the Pharisees often offered sacrifices in the temple that they might seem to men to be righteous, but did not practise the deeds of mercy by which…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
He therefore warns them, that by deeds of mercy they should seek for themselves the rewards of the mercy that is above, and, not overlooking the necessities of the poor, trust to please God by offering sacrifice.…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Luke adds “to repentance,” which explains the sense; that none should suppose that sinners are loved by Christ because they are sinners; and this comparison of the sick shews what God means by calling sinners, as a…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Christ came for all; how is it then that He says He came not for the righteous? Were there those for whom it needed not that He should come? But no man is righteous by the law. He shews how empty their boast of…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Whence we may suppose that He is speaking ironically, as when it is said, “Behold now Adam is become as one of us.” [Gen 3:22] For that there is none righteous on earth Paul shews, “All have sinned, and need glory of…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or; Those who were righteous, as Nathanael and John the Baptist, were not to be invited to repentance. Or, “I came not to call the righteous,” that is, the feignedly righteous, those who boasted of their…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
In the call of Matthew and the Publicans is figured the faith of the Gentiles who first gaped after the gain of the world, and are now spiritually refreshed by the Lord; in the pride of the Pharisees, the jealousy of…
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Cross-references · 15
Parallel passages
Matthew 9:12 and Mark 2:17 share the same wording (23 words).
Matthew 9:12 and Luke 5:31 share the same wording (17 words).
Cited together with
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 9:9–13 (6) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in The Great Catechism Chapter 10.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 66.
Cited together in Against Celsus III.61.
Cited together in Against Celsus III.61.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 66.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 9:9–13 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Epistles Letter 66.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 66.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 66.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 66.
Cited together in Epistles Letter 66.
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 9:9–13 (7) (Catena Aurea).