Discovery BoxMatthew 9:10-13 
Context9:10 As 1 Jesus 2 was having a meal 3 in Matthew’s 4 house, many tax collectors 5 and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. 9:11 When the Pharisees 6 saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 7 9:12 When 8 Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. 9 9:13 Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ 10 For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
1 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.
2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Grk “was reclining at table.”
sn As Jesus was having a meal. 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
4 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.
5 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
6 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
7 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.
8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
9 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.
