Luke 5:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here mark both the power of the caller, and the obedience of him that was called. For he neither resisted nor wavered, but forthwith obeyed; and like the fishermen, he did not even wish to go into his own house that he might tell it to his friends.

And so from him that received toll from the passers by, Christ received toll, not money, but entire devotion to His company.

For Levi had been a publican, a rapacious man, of unbridled desires after vain things, a lover of other men’s goods, for this is the character of the publican, but snatched from the very worship of malice by Christ’s call. Hence it follows, And he said unto him, Follow me. He bids him follow Him, not with bodily step, but with the soul’s affections. Matthew therefore, being called by the Word, left his own, who was wont to seize the things of others, as it follows, And having left all, he rose, and followed him.

After the healing of the sick of the palsy, St. Luke goes on to mention the conversion of a publican, saying, And after these things, he went forth, and saw a publican of the name of Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom. This is Matthew, also called Levi.

He not only gave up the profits of the customs, but also despised the dangers which might occur to himself and his family from leaving the accounts of the receipts uncompleted.

Or, He means that the sound and righteous need no physician, i. e. the angels, but the corrupt and sinners, i. e. ourselves do; since we catch the disease of sin, which is not in heaven.

The Scripture recounts that the Pharisees and scribes voiced their complaints, stating, “... with publicans and sinners ... you eat and drink.” In response, the Lord remarked, “It is not the healthy who have need of a physician, but the sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Lk. 5:30-32). It is widely acknowledged that there were indeed those who were healthy and righteous in Israel. Therefore, the actions of Jesus, who devoted Himself to humanity and brought healing and justification, were in accordance with the law. As for the Gentiles, they too seemed, in many respects, healthy and righteous before their Creator, indicating that the one who came afterward was unnecessary, since the healthy require no physician, and the righteous stand in no need of grace. St. Ephrem also addresses the Marcionites in this context.

For by His eating with sinners, He prevents not us also from going to a banquet with the Gentiles.

All of this is discussed in that context.

*See Matthew 9:12-13.

Now Luke and Mark, for the honour of the Evangelist, are silent as to his common name, but Matthew is the first to accuse himself, and gives the name of Matthew and publican, that no one might despair of salvation because of the enormity of his sins, when he himself was changed from a publican to an Apostle.

He stated, "I did not come to summon the righteous, but sinners to turn back to God." Who are considered the righteous? They are the sorrowful, blinded sinners who, misled by their pride, fail to see the necessity of repentance for themselves, resulting in either a dismissal or disregard for it.

Rather than recognizing the love of the Son of Man, they chose to confront His disciples, reproaching them with a sense of indignation, saying, "Why does your teacher dine with tax collectors and sinners, neglecting you?" In response, Jesus spoke on behalf of His disciples, asking them, "Who needs a physician more, the healthy or the sick? You consider yourselves strong, so what is so surprising about the Son of Man not addressing you? Furthermore, you who are well-versed in the law must remember the divine message from the prophet: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' and refrain from disdain toward those whom your arrogance has marginalized.

The dialogue of Jesus Christ during the meal at Matthew's residence can be seen in two segments: first, He addresses the temptation posed by the Pharisees regarding His association with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 30-32 and parallels), and subsequently, He responds to questions about fasting (33-39 and parallels). In justifying His fellowship with tax collectors and sinners, the Lord emphasizes that, like a physician tending to the ill, His mission necessitates such engagement with humanity, as He is the foretold Redeemer of the world—not for the righteous, but for sinners. Through this response, Christ not only defends His actions but also challenges the self-righteousness of the Pharisees, indicating that they must perceive themselves as sinners if they seek the arrival of the promised Messiah.

This inquiry, stemming from the insensitivity of Pharisaical attitudes, caught the attention of Christ, who responded with boundless compassion and kindness. To whom else should the Savior reach out but to these wayward children of Israel? For “it is not the healthy who have need of a physician, but the sick.” In a manner typical of the scribes addressing their disciples and those they regarded as uneducated, Christ sought to demonstrate the scribes’ lack of understanding of the true essence of the law by saying to them, “Go, learn,” a common expression among the rabbis. He emphasized, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Hos. 6:6, Mt. 9:12-13). This teaching from the divine Master should have further solidified the conviction of the newly appointed disciple that the one who called him was indeed the promised Messiah, leading him to renounce his previous pursuits and wholeheartedly follow Christ.