Discovery BoxMatthew 9:9-13
Context9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. 1 “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him. 9:10 As 2 Jesus 3 was having a meal 4 in Matthew’s 5 house, many tax collectors 6 and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. 9:11 When the Pharisees 7 saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 8 9:12 When 9 Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. 10 9:13 Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ 11 For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
[9:9] 1 tn While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telwnion, so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings.
[9:10] 2 tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[9:10] 3 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:10] 4 tn Grk “was reclining at table.”
[9:10] 5 tn Grk “in the house.” The Greek article is used here in a context that implies possession, and the referent of the implied possessive pronoun (Matthew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:10] 6 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
[9:11] 7 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[9:11] 8 sn The issue here is inappropriate associations. Jews were very careful about personal associations and contact as a matter of ritual cleanliness. Their question borders on an accusation that Jesus is ritually unclean.
[9:12] 9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:12] 10 sn Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. A person who is healthy (or who thinks mistakenly that he is) will not seek treatment.
