Matthew 9:12
But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 16
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦς
when Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦς
when Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
3 of 16
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
αὐτοῖς,
unto them
G846
αὐτοῖς,
unto them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
6 of 16
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
χρείαν
need
G5532
χρείαν
need
Strong's:
G5532
Word #:
8 of 16
employment, i.e., an affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution
ἔχοντες
They that be
G2192
ἔχοντες
They that be
Strong's:
G2192
Word #:
9 of 16
to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or conditio
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
10 of 16
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἰσχύοντες
whole
G2480
ἰσχύοντες
whole
Strong's:
G2480
Word #:
11 of 16
to have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively)
ἀλλ'
but
G235
ἀλλ'
but
Strong's:
G235
Word #:
13 of 16
properly, other things, i.e., (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
Cross References
Luke 5:31And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.Jeremiah 33:6Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.Psalms 147:3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.Mark 2:17When 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.Luke 9:11And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.Jeremiah 17:14Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.Hosea 14:4I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.Jeremiah 30:17For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.Psalms 6:2Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.Psalms 41:4I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
Historical Context
Medical imagery was common in Jewish wisdom literature. Philo and other Jewish writers described Torah as medicine for the soul. Jesus appropriates this imagery but applies it personally—He is the Physician. In the ancient world, doctors made house calls to the sick; they didn't wait for patients to come to them. Similarly, Jesus seeks sinners rather than waiting for them to achieve righteousness first. Early church fathers elaborated this medical metaphor extensively, seeing sin as sickness and Christ as divine Physician.
Questions for Reflection
- How does recognizing our spiritual sickness lead to seeking Jesus as Physician?
- What is the relationship between self-righteousness and missing our need for Jesus?
- In what ways are you currently 'sick' and needing Jesus' healing touch?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Jesus' response—'They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick' (ου χρειαν εχουσιν οι ισχυοντες ιατρου αλλ οι κακως εχοντες)—uses medical metaphor to explain His mission. The 'whole' (healthy) versus 'sick' comparison exposes Pharisaic self-righteousness. Pharisees considered themselves spiritually healthy and sinners as diseased. Jesus doesn't dispute the metaphor but inverts its application: those who recognize their spiritual sickness seek the Physician; those who deny their illness remain fatally diseased. The Pharisees' problem isn't absence of sin but refusal to acknowledge it. Jesus comes not for the self-righteous but for those who recognize desperate need. This is gospel: diagnosis (you're sick unto death) and remedy (Jesus is the only cure).