“And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?” It was with bitter contempt that they asked this question. Jesus did not wait for his disciples to answer this scornful charge, but himself replied, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” He here explained his course by taking the case of a physician, whose work is not among the well, but among those who are diseased. He who came to save the sin-sick soul must go among those who most need his forgiving mercy and pitying love. {2SP 189.1}

(189) "Og det skete, da di sad til bors i hans hus, se, da kom der mange toldere og syndere og sad til bords sammen med Jesus og hans disciple. Og da farisæerne så det, spurgte de hans disciple: "Hvorfor spiser jeres Mester sammen med toldere og syndere?" (Luk 9,10.11) De fremsatte dette spørgsmål med bitter foragt. Jesus ventede ikke, til disciplene svarede på denne spottende anklage; men han svarede selv: "De raske har ikke brug for læge, men de syge. Gå hen og lær, hvad de ord betyder: "Barmhjertighed vil jeg, ej slagtoffer;" thi jeg er ikke kommet for at kalde retfærdige, men syndere." Han forsvarede sin fremgangsmåde, idet han sammenligner den med lægens gerning, som ikke er for de raske, men for dem, som lider ilde. Den, som kom for at frelse faldne sjæle, måtte gå ud iblandt dem, som mest trængte til syndsforladelse og nåde, til hans medlidenhed og kærlighed.