On hearing this, Jesus said, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
A T Robertson
But they that are sick (alla hoi kakōs echontes). Probably a current proverb about the physician. As a physician of body and soul Jesus was bound to come in close touch with the social outcasts.
Sick persons only needed his aid. A physician would not commonly be found with those ... in health. His proper place was among the sick. So, says he, "If you Pharisees are such as you think yourselves - already pure and holy - you do not need my aid. It would be of no use to you, and you would not thank me for it. With those persons who feel that they are sinners I may be useful, and there is my proper place." Or ... "I came on purpose to save sinners: my business is with them. There are none righteous; and as a physician is in his proper place with the sick so am I with guilty and miserable sinners."
John Gill
But when .... The charge the Pharisees brought against him, and the insinuations they had made of him to his disciples; which he either overheard himself, or his disciples related to him,
he said ... the Pharisees, with an audible voice, not only to confute and convince them, but chiefly to establish his disciples, they were endeavouring to draw away from him
they that be whole ... by which he would signify that he was a "physician": and so he is in a spiritual sense ...
- very skilful ... he knows the nature of all the diseases of the soul, without being told them by the patient; what are the true causes ... what is proper to apply; ... the best time ... the best manner ...
- universal ... with regard both to diseases and to persons that apply to him; he heals all sorts of persons and all sorts of diseases; such as are blind from ... birth ... deaf ... halt ... lame, such as have broken hearts, yea the plague in their hearts, and have stony ones, and all the relapses of his people; which he does by his stripes and wounds, by the application of his blood, by his word and Gospel, through sinners looking to him, and touching him ...
- infallible ... none ever went from him without a cure; none ever perished under his hands; the disease he heals never returns more to prevail, so as to bring on death and destruction ...
- freely, without money, and without price. ...
Now Christ argues from this his character, in vindication of himself ... he was with these persons, not as a companion ... but ... a physician ... and as it is not unlawful, but highly proper and commendable, that a physician should be with the sick; so it was very lawful, fit and proper, yea praiseworthy ... to be among these publicans and sinners, for their spiritual good. He suggests indeed, that they that be whole, in perfect health and strength, as the Pharisees thought themselves ... even free from all the maladies and diseases of sin, were strong, robust ... able to do anything and everything of themselves; these truly stood in no need of him ... a physician, in their own apprehension; they saw no need of him; in principle they had no need of him, and in practice did not make use of him ... therefore it was to no purpose to attend them, but converse with others, who had need ...
These words seem to be ... proverbial ... there is something like it in the Talmud, ... "he that is afflicted with any pain goes", or "let him go to the physician's house"; that is, he that is attended with any sickness or disease ... ought to consult a physician.
