What do you think Jesus meant in Mark 2:17?
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
September 5, 2011 4:01am CST
In this verse, Jesus says: Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. He said this when the most religious people of his day accused him of eating with those considered to be the biggest sinners of his day, including the tax collectors. What do you think Jesus meant here?
5 people like this
10 responses
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
5 Sep 11
Hi Barb!
I think what Jesus meant was that He most especially came for the sinners so He can help them find the right path and be righteous like the people who were already righteous then. I think he was trying to say that the sinners need Him more so He came for them to help them. The righteous are already in the right track towards heaven so they just need little guidance. But the sinners, they need more attention so Jesus came for them. 
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
5 Sep 11
You have pointed out one important facet of this verse. I think it's also true that those whom the religious people considered sinners back then were without hope of ever being able to become righteous. Jesus was able to offer them hope.
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@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
6 Sep 11
I also think that a lot of sinners back then were to boastful to accept that Jesus is the way. As far as I can remember about the bible, many people did not believe of the existence of a supreme being, or God for that matter, and they did believe that Jesus was the son of God. These were the people whom Jesus thought needed Him the most.
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
6 Sep 11
Well, maybe if you read between the lines, that may have been the beginning of the very first Ponzi scheme. It almost sounds like today, only the insurance companies would be saying, well if you're not sick, then don't use the doctor, just keep on paying your premium. I think they spoke in code then as they do now, they all seem to lie and make it sound good. I never really read the bible and I doubt I ever will because it is way too confusing like the fine print on most thing are today. There are way too many loopholes in it. I don't know what he really meant but I can tell you that he was a revolutionary of his time. He seemed to go against the grain and got murdered for it.
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
6 Sep 11
Well, what do you want from people of that time anyway. They were ignorant, had very little intelligence. But even today, there are people like that. I think all the problems in this world start because of religion and money. As far as religion goes, we are all human and that should override any and all religions, but it doesn't seem to. Forest Gump said it right, "stupid is as stupid does".
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
5 Sep 11
HE is referring to self-righteousness. You could also see that part about the Phariisee and the publican where the Pharisee said, "Thank God that I am not like other men - not even like this publican" and listed all his good deeds. And he was praying to himself, not to God. So; he was giving glory to him and not to God.
We all have sinned, even the good people, but we have to recognize that. And those who do not acknowledge their sin cannot come to God and be saved.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
5 Sep 11
You have to accept that you do sin before coming to repentance. And God does open up a person's heart to get him to be convinced of sin and opens him up to the grace of God.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
5 Sep 11
I think what Secretbear said is what He meant. Though everyone is a sinner, there are those who are willing to follow and obey Him, and though they need Him as well, it's the ones that won't follow Him, that need Him the most..Problem is, the ones who are righteous are suppose to show His light to the ones in the dark and instead they judge them..
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
5 Sep 11
That is true, but we are still to be set apart and be Holy like He is Holy..The verse about being in the world, but not of the world comes to mind. We are to go out and mingle, so to speak, but we are not to take on the practices of the world..That is hard to do, and why I firmly believe that we need to come together to strengthen and support one another so we can go out and minister to the lost. I don't have a congregation near me, so I do most of my learning online, primarily on FB where I am in groups and we pray and support one another and learn..For example right now I am discussing the Constantine's Christian Creed that Christians rely on for their beliefs. Unfortunately this creed is also very anti-Semitic.
Anyway, sorry, got off topic there for a sec. So, since I have no one in my own life who believes the way I do, I rely on my online friends and I also have unbelieving friends who I don't judge and I get along with very well..They also know that if they ask something about G♥d, (for example, right here on mylot) I will answer them as truthfully as I know..So far I have had typical Christians attack me and make me feel low, and yet the atheists and unbelievers, even if they don't agree, are mature in their response to me..*The attacking Christians are not here, but on FB..
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
5 Sep 11
You've pointed out another aspect of this verse. Those who have known the grace and mercy of God need to bear witness to those who have not, and we cannot do that by separating ourselves from them to avoid "contamination" of our reputations.
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@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
12 Oct 11
Mark 2:15-17 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
15And it came to pass, in his reclining (at meat) in his house, that many tax-gatherers and sinners were reclining (at meat) with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.
16And the scribes and the Pharisees, having seen him eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners, said to his disciples, `Why -- that with the tax-gatherers and sinners he doth eat and drink?'
17And Jesus, having heard, saith to them, `They who are strong have no need of a physician, but they who are ill; I came not to call righteous men, but sinners to reformation.'
________________
It seems that the Pharisees were condemning Jesus for associating with those that they viewed as sinners and condemnable and that they viewed as beyond help. Jesus' point is that he came to help sinners, instead of avoiding them. It is usually the sick that need the help of a doctor. So it is the sinners that need the help of the spiritual doctor, Jesus. The Pharisees had a superior exalted view of themselves. It is very hard to help such ones. But many humble sinners came to Jesus seeking help to make their situation right with God again.
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@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
13 Oct 11
Very well put. That's a hard explanation to improve upon.
@Harmonics (251)
• Philippines
10 Sep 11
It was his respond to what the Pharisees and their scribes said to him (verse 16) because they saw that the Lord was eating together with the tax collectors and sinners. He made his point using a simple illustration regarding their spiritual condition. The Pharisees are known for being self righteous and hypocrites. They do not acknowledge the fact that they are sinners also, hence they represent the "well" people not needing a physician. However, this strong or "well" condition is only from their own appraisal of themselves and not how God really sees them. On the other hand, the "sick" ones, represented by those people who are sinners but are willing to be "cured" by the "physician" Jesus in a spiritual way. They acknowledge themselves as sinners and needing help in order to have a good standing before God. They are willing to change their way of conduct in order to conform to God's righteous standards and be healed, as it were, thereby having God's approval.
The Pharisees don't want to do this. They are satisfied with their false thinking that God approves them and their way of conduct.
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@Harmonics (251)
• Philippines
14 Sep 11
I appreciate very much that compliment. I am really interested to share some things I know about the Bible. In fact, I enjoy discussing topics about the Bible minus of course the controversies or debates that are associated with it.
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
10 Sep 11
You have explained this very well. The Pharisees were the "sick" who did not recognize they were sick, like those who have an undiagnosed cancer.
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
13 Sep 11
well of course for me, we do know that the sinners, those who are in the dirt so tospeak are in most need of God. those that are already in him already is on the right path, they just need to sustain in and not waiver from their faith, they just have to make it stronger... but Jesus was sent to us to save us and it is the people who are lost in sins that needs his attention more. they are those that needs him to help them be changed, be turned away from the ways of the world.
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@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
13 Sep 11
Are you saying that Jesus was right to reach out to the sinners, but that the people accusing him of doing something wrong by eating with sinners, were good enough that they did not need anything from Jesus? I might have misunderstood you here.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
6 Sep 11
I didn't come for you, but for those who need Me.So if you don't need Him , you don't have to listen. I think that's great!
@JohnRok1 (2051)
•
9 Sep 11
The Lord Jesus Christ often left it to people's consciences to tell them "Yes, the other person is a great sinner and needs mercy, but you're a sinner yourself; your sin, though less than the other's, is still infinitely too great for you to bear, and you need mercy just as much". Simon, the pharisee in Luke 7 should have reasoned "her sins, which are many are forgiven her; but do I love little, or not at all? are my sins forgiven at all?" - we don't know whether he did. On the other hand, we do know that Pontius Pilate failed to use "he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin" (John19v11) to his eternal benefit ("The sin I have may be the lesser sin, but it still is sin"). These examples are additional to those given by others in this discussion.
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@Rick1950 (1575)
• Lima, Peru
5 Sep 11
In my opinion, Jesus is meaning we should deal also with people who are needing help. Illness is not only in the body but in the soul also. If we are able to help sick people then we should do it. That doesn't mean that we must get sick also - Not at all.
Further, we should also deal with people that we are not to feel sympathetic or dislike them, and not only with people we feel sympathy.
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