And Jesus answering, said unto them
Knowing that they aimed at him; though, according to this
evangelist, they only mentioned his disciples, however, he takes
up the cause, and vindicates both himself and them, by observing
to them the following proverb;
they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are
sick:
suggesting hereby, that as such who are in good health, who are
free from all diseases, wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores,
stand in no need of the advice and assistance of a physician, or
surgeon, but such who have either distempers or sores on their
bodies; so they, the Scribes and Pharisees, who, in their own
opinion, were free from the disease of sin, original and actual,
and touching the righteousness of the law, were blameless, stood
not in any need of him, the physician, who came to cure the
maladies of the souls, as well as of the bodies of men; but such
persons, who not only are sick with sin, but sick of it, who are
sensible of it, and desire healing: and therefore this was the
reason of his conduct, why he conversed with sinners, and not
with the Scribes and Pharisees; his business, as a physician,
lying among the one, and not the other; (See Gill on Matthew
9:12). (See Gill on Mark
2:17).