According To Jesus, Though Everyone Is Welcome, That Doesn’t Mean They’re Not Sick

Is the church to open its arms to any and all? When we listen to the words of Jesus, I believe that unequivocally the answer to that question is: “Yes!”

Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and began dining with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. Now go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, RATHER THAN SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Matthew 9:10–13)

“Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even have second thoughts afterward so as to believe him.” (Matthew 21:31–32)

Are not people correct in promoting the truth, based on Jesus’ words, that the church is to open its arms to anybody and everybody? After all, Jesus welcomed tax collectors and prostitutes, who in the first century were anathema among the religious.

Indeed, we as the church are to open our arms to all. However, what does this mean? To answer that, let’s focus in on the full passage and every intentional word Jesus used in Matthew 9.

For those of us on the welcoming end, Jesus calls us to be people of “compassion” (Matthew 9:13). We are to “go and learn what this means” (9:13). Apparently, we don’t know this as we ought to know this and thus need schooling.

The reason such people gathered around Jesus is because of His compassion. They experienced a love they had never encountered. They were given hope that they could enter the kingdom of God. They were not excluded but welcomed. They were offered healing and health. 

Critics of the church also espouse this side of the message that Jesus preached: “go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION” (9:13). 

But this is where the common views usually diverge. For the critic’s view often includes a requirement for those offering compassion that Jesus did not have. They interpret compassion as accepting, approving, affirming, and applauding the behavior of these people, referred to in Matthew 9 as tax collectors and prostitutes.

The critics are unwilling to use the language Jesus used when telling us to go and learn about compassion.

Though Jesus welcomed all, as we should, He described those tax collectors and prostitutes in terms that the critics avoid quoting at all costs. He described them as “sick” and those “who need a physician.” He did not view them as “healthy” (Matthew 9:12).

Jesus also clearly called those who gathered around Him: “sinners” (9:13). He went on record that they were not “righteous” (9:13). In Matthew 21, He referenced these tax collectors and prostitutes coming to John the Baptist (21:32). However, John called such individuals to repentance and baptism. Repentance means to change direction and behaviors. For example, prostitutes were to stop partaking in prostitution. 

In today’s culture in the West, what is the response to those in the church who say with genuine compassion about some who come to the church, “You are not healthy. You need a physician. Do you see that you are sick? You need to change direction. You need to repent of this behavior”?

The church is condemned and labeled as unloving and intolerant. 

These critics would have been profoundly bothered when learning that Jesus did not accept, approve, affirm, and applaud the behaviors that Moses and the Prophets revealed as hurting the heart of God the Father. 

Furthermore, compassion came to those who agreed with Jesus on how He viewed their condition. Confession meant agreeing with God that their behavior was wrong because God revealed their behavior was wrong.

Let me add, Jesus did not sanction all tax-gatherers. Not all were willing to follow Him. Thus, He did not label all tax collectors as people to welcome but as people to be avoided (Matthew 18:17). Those tax collectors (Jews collecting money from the Jews for Rome), who justified themselves based on how Rome viewed them and not how God viewed them, never received the compassion of Jesus. They refused to come to Jesus on His terms. 

The reason Jesus welcomed with compassion those He called “sinners” is because they readily admitted they were sinners. They said, “My behavior is wrong. I am a sinner. I am sick. I am in need of a physician. I need to be healthy. I need to be righteous.” 

Yes, all are welcome. Yes, we in the church must learn compassion. But no, this does not mean the one who needs our compassion is not also sick. As we once were, they too are sick and need the Physician.