Luke 5:31

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

And {G2532} Jesus {G2424} answering {G611} said {G2036} unto {G4314} them {G846}, They that are whole {G5198} need {G5532}{G2192} not {G3756} a physician {G2395}; but {G235} they that are {G2192} sick {G2560}.

It was Yeshua who answered them: "The ones who need a doctor aren't the healthy but the sick.

Jesus answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick.

Luke 5:31 (KJV) presents a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, revealing the core of His mission and challenging the self-righteousness of His critics. This verse is Jesus' direct response to the Pharisees and scribes who questioned why He associated with tax collectors and "sinners," rather than only with those considered righteous.

Context

This statement follows Jesus' call of Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to be one of His disciples. Immediately after, Levi hosts a great feast where many tax collectors and other "sinners" are present, dining with Jesus and His disciples. The religious leaders, the Pharisees and scribes, were scandalized by this association, grumbling to Jesus' disciples about it. Jesus, hearing their murmuring, delivers this profound reply, likening Himself to a physician.

Key Themes

  • Jesus as the Divine Physician: Jesus explicitly defines His role not as one who validates the already "righteous," but as a healer of the spiritually infirm. He identifies those who recognize their sin and need for God's grace as the "sick" who require His divine intervention.
  • Spiritual Sickness vs. Self-Righteousness: The "whole" represent those who believe they are righteous enough, needing no spiritual remedy. This often characterized the Pharisees, who adhered strictly to the Law but missed its spirit. The "sick" are those who are aware of their sinfulness and brokenness, thus open to receiving God's mercy and salvation.
  • The Mission to the Lost: This verse encapsulates Jesus' primary purpose: to seek and save that which was lost. It highlights His compassion for the marginalized and His desire to bring salvation to those who confess their need, rather than to those who self-righteously believe they have no need.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "physician" is iatros (ἰατρός), emphasizing a healer. The term "whole" comes from hygiainō (ὑγιαίνω), meaning healthy or sound, implying spiritual self-sufficiency in this context. Conversely, "sick" (κακῶς ἔχοντες - kakōs echontes, literally "those who are badly off") refers to those in a state of spiritual illness or moral corruption. Jesus' analogy powerfully uses physical health to illustrate spiritual condition.

Related Scriptures

This truth is echoed in parallel accounts, such as Mark 2:17 and Matthew 9:12. In Matthew, Jesus adds, "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." This further clarifies that God values genuine spiritual transformation and compassion over rigid religious observance.

For us today, Luke 5:31 serves as a profound reminder that true spiritual healing begins with an acknowledgment of our own brokenness and need for God. It challenges us to examine whether we see ourselves as "whole" and self-sufficient, or as "sick" and desperately in need of the Great Physician. Jesus' outreach to the marginalized and sinful demonstrates God's boundless love and His desire for all to come to repentance and receive new life.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Mark 2:17

    When 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.

  • 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.

  • Matthew 9:13

    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.

  • Jeremiah 8:22

    [Is there] no balm in Gilead; [is there] no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

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