Luke 5:29

And Levi made him a great feast in his house: and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others that were sitting at meat with them. And the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

For additional comment on this episode, see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 9:9.

One of the very best ways to begin Christian service is the method chosen here by Matthew. He gave a big dinner, invited many, and introduced the Saviour, thus committing himself publicly and irrevocably to the new way of life. No man can sneak into the service of God; and inevitable failure attends all who try to do so. Matthew did it right!

They that are in health have no need of a physician ... This was not an admission by Jesus that the Pharisees were "in health" spiritually; for truly their moral sickness was the scandal of that age. Of course, they viewed themselves as righteous; and thus the argument is an "ad hominem" statement based on their prejudice.

They that are sick ... It was the glory of our Lord that he came to heal the moral and spiritual sickness engulfing all people; and the Pharisees themselves were included in this if they had only been able to appreciate it. Jesus' deep thrust in this context has elements of humor in it. The very idea that the evil priests "had no need" of spiritual healing was such a preposterous thing that the people who heard Jesus' words must have laughed aloud.