Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick… The call of St. Matthew the occasion of these words. I. THE OBSERVATIONS NATURALLY ARISING FROM THE SEVERAL PARTICULAR EXPRESSIONS MADE USE OF IN THE TEXT. 1. That sin is to the soul what disease or sickness is to the body. 2. That repentance is not an original and primary duty of religion, only of secondary intention, and of consequential obligation. The original duty of all rational creatures is to obey the commandments of God, and such as have always lived in obedience are not obliged to the duty of repentance. It applies to those who have sinned. It is a privilege to them to be permitted to perform it (Acts 11:18). There is a repentance to which even the best of men are continually obliged. But this is not that repentance to which our Saviour came to call sinners. 3. The just and sharp reproof contained in this answer to the hypocritical Pharisees. II. THE GENERAL DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE AS HERE LAID DOWN BY OUR LORD. The design of His preaching was to call sinners to repentance. (S. Clarke, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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