Matthew 9:11 (KJV) And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
Here once again they showed that they thought themselves better than other men. They could not begin to understand why a holy person would want to associate with “sinners”. Nor did they realize that in their unbelief and self-righteousness they were far more objectionable to Jesus than those they called sinners.
Matthew 9:12 (KJV) But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
He means that all sinners are spiritually sick and that He has come to heal such. And as a doctor needs to be with his patients to help them, so He needed to be with sinners to heal them. It was not that He took pleasure in their company while they remained sinners or that He wanted to behave as they did.
Matthew 9:13 (KJV) But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Jesus refers to Hosea 6:6. God wants people to be merciful to others, as He is merciful. This is far more important than any ritual of religion could ever be. The righteous here means those who think they are righteous and holier than other people. Actually all are sinners ( Romans 3:23 ), but not everyone understands this as they should. And Jesus has come to call sinners to forgiveness and salvation ( Luke 19:10 ; John 3:17 ; 1Timothy1:15 ).
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