Jesus Christ — "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."
Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
Get This Quote & Author's Image Illustrated On:
Click any product to generate a realistic preview. Up to 3 at a time.
* Initial load can take up to 90 seconds — revising the preview in another color is nearly instant.
Kitchen
Apparel
Other
More from Jesus Christ
"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
"But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
Details
From a response to criticism about associating with sinners (Matthew 9:12)
Date: c. 30-33 CE
PhilosophicalVerification
Unverifiable
Found in 1 providers: gemini
1 source checked
Understanding this quote
What it means
Help and healing are needed most by those struggling, not by those who already have things together. A doctor spends time with patients, not healthy people. Applied more broadly, the saying defends engaging with people in trouble rather than only associating with the respectable or successful. Outreach belongs where there is actual need, and distancing yourself from flawed people defeats the purpose of offering help.
Relevance to Jesus Christ
Jesus said this when criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners, defending his choice to work among outcasts rather than the religious elite. It captures his mission statement: he came for the broken, not the self-satisfied. His ministry consistently prioritized lepers, prostitutes, the poor, and the despised over Pharisees and scribes, framing himself as a healer of souls rather than a teacher for the already-righteous.
The era
In first-century Judea under Roman occupation, tax collectors were considered traitors collaborating with Rome, and ritual purity laws made sharing meals with sinners socially scandalous. Pharisees policed religious boundaries strictly, and eating together signified acceptance and kinship. Physicians existed but were limited, making the metaphor vivid. Jesus's table fellowship with outcasts was a radical reversal of purity culture, challenging the religious establishment's gatekeeping of who deserved God's attention and mercy.
AI-generated insights based on extensive research and information for context. Factual errors? Email [email protected].