Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 9:13
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.
13. I will have mercy ] i. e. I desire mercy. I require mercy rather than sacrifice, Hos 6:6. It is a protest by the prophet against the unloving, insincere formalist of his day. It is closely parallel to our Lord’s injunction, ch. Mat 5:23-24. Sacrifice without mercy is no acceptable sacrifice. To love sinners is a better fulfilling of the law than to stand aloof from them. See note ch. Mat 12:7, where our Lord again quotes these words.
The words “to repentance” are omitted in the leading MSS.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But go ye and learn … – To reprove them, and to vindicate his own conduct, he appealed to a passage of Scripture with which they ought to have been acquainted: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, Hos 6:6. This is not a declaration on the part of God that he was opposed to sacrifices or offerings for sin; for he had appointed and commanded many, and had therefore expressed his approbation of them. It is a Hebrew mode of speaking, and means, I prefer mercy to sacrifice; or, I am more pleased with acts of benevolence and kindness than with a mere external compliance with the duties of religion. Mercy here means benevolence or kindness toward others. Sacrifices were offerings made to God on account of sin, or as an expression of thanksgiving. They were commonly bloody offerings, or animals slain; signifying that the sinner offering them deserved to die himself, and pointing to the great sacrifice or offering which Christ was to make for the sins of the world. Sacrifices were the principal part of the worship of the Jews, and hence came to signify external worship in general. This is the meaning of the word here. The sense in which our Saviour applies it is this: You Pharisees are exceedingly tenacious of the external duties of religion; but God has declared that he prefers benevolence or mercy to those external duties. It is proper, therefore, that I should associate with sinners for the purpose of doing them good.
I came not to call the righteous … – No human beings are by nature righteous, Psa 14:3; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 3:10-18. The Pharisees, however, pretended to be righteous. Christ might have meant by this answer that it was not the design of his coming to cal such persons to repentance, knowing that they would spurn his efforts, and that to a great extent they would be vain; or, more probably, he meant to affirm that his proper and only business was to call to repentance such people as he was now with. He came to seek and save such, and it was his proper business, therefore, to associate with them.
Repentance – See the notes at Mat 3:2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mat 9:13
I will have mercy and not sacrifice.
Mercy preferred to sacrificed
God prefers it.
I. Because it indicates more clearly mans relation to Himself. Cannot judge of mans character by outward ordinances, but when he straggles against sin.
II. Because it is more serviceable to our neighbours, Religious exercises may do us good, a pure life useful to others as well.
III. Because it brings the greatest happiness to us. (Seeds and Saplings.)
Instituted religion not intended to undermine natural
I. That natural religion is life foundation of all instituted and revealed religion. Our Lord owns that which the Pharisees objected, but purified it-
1. By telling them that it was allowed to a physician no converse with the sick in order to their cure.
2. By endeavouring to convince them of the true nature of religion, and of the order of the several duties thereby required.
Natural and moral duties more obligatory than ritual and positive; showing mercy is a prime instance of these moral duties – sacrifice is an instance of positive and ritual observances.
1. That the Jewish Scriptures everywhere speaks of these as the main duties the Jewish religion.
2. That no instituted service of God, no positive part of religion, was ever acceptable to Him, when these were neglected Isa 1:11; Jer 7:1; Jer 7:5).
3. The great design of the Christian religion is to restore and reinforce the practice of the natural law (Tit 2:11-12; Jam 1:27).
II. That no revealed religion was ever destined to take away the obligation of natural duties, but to establish them.
1. That all revealed religion calls men to the practice of natural duties.
2. The most perfect revelation that ever God made, furnishes helps for the performance of moral duties.
3. The positive rites of revealed religion are shown to be subordinate to them. (J. Tillotson, D. D.)
The Saviours tenderness
It is a characteristic of all false religions to make more of the outward sacrifices we could offer to God than of the infinite mercy He is willing to show to us.
I. The tenderness of the Saviours character.
1. In connection with what has been revealed to us concerning His mission and life and work. This harmonizes with all the prophetic intimations given of His character. The tenderness of His character has accompanied Him to heaven, a permanent condition of His nature.
II. View this compassionate attribute of our Lord in its bearing in some of the experiences of the christian life.
1. How should we be comforted by it under our early convictions of sin, and doubts of the Divine forgiveness.
2. It should be comforting under the weakness of our failing hearts, when it is hard to grasp the promise, and faith is uncertain.
3. As it bears upon our slow progress in the Divine life, and fluctuations of religious feeling.
4. In adversity and temptation the Christian has a strong refuge in Christs tenderness.
5. In death he feels the Saviours tenderness. (D. Moore, M. A.)
The religion of tenderness
A domestic illustration of this principle occurs to me. Suppose that when a father is engaged in earnest prayer for the salvation of the world, there rings through the house the cry of one of his children in pain, perhaps in danger, will he be doing ]fight to spring to his feet and go to the little ones help? Certainly he will. Let it be remembered that God is a Father, and there will be no two thoughts about that. And, as for the prayer for the worlds salvation, God can and will open His ear when you go again to speak to Him, and the salvation of mankind will be none the farther off, but somewhat nearer, because you succoured your little one. I will put it from the childs point of view. What do you think would be his conception of God if he knew that God would not allow his father to come and help him when he was in trouble? I will put it, so to say, from Gods point of view. What would He think of those who supposed Him to be indifferent to a childs cry? (J. P. Gledstone.)
I came not to call the righteous.–
The main object of Christs ministry, to call sinners to repentance
1. He calls sinners by making appeals to the conscience.
2. By preaching an all-sufficient atonement for sin.
3. By means of an offer of reconciliation.
4. By raising in their minds hopes of future glory. (R. Burgess, B. D.)
Christ not for the self-righteous
A young man was recommended to Diogenes for a pupil; and his friends, thinking to give Diogenes a good impression concerning his intending disciple, were very lavish in his praises. Is it so? said the old philosopher; if the youth is so well accomplished to my hands, and his good qualities are already so many, he has no need of my tuition. As little are self-righteous people fit for Christ. (Toplady.)
Christ for the needy
Suppose a man of learning, in company with two persons: the one really ignorant, but highly conceited of his knowledge, and consequently unteachable; the other ignorant too, but sensible of it, and therefore desirous of instruction. Suppose he should turn from the self-conceited creature, and carry on conversation with the other, who was likely to profit by it: and suppose the former should resent it, and say, If he were indeed a scholar, as he pretends to be, he would not be fond of the society of such an ignorant dunce, but would rather choose me for a companion. How properly might a teacher reply, Oh, you are a wise man, and have no need of instruction-but this poor ignorant creature is sensible of his want of instruction, and therefore, it is most fit I should converse with him. Such a reply has a peculiar pungency and mortifying force in it, and such Jesus used in the case before us. (President Davies.)
The sinner awakened
Suppose some of you, who have come here to-day vigorous and healthy, should suddenly discover the spots of a plague broken out all over you, how it would strike you with surprise and horror! Such is the surprise and horror of the awakened sinner, thus he is alarmed and amazed. (President Davies.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 13. I will have mercy, and not sacrifice] Quoted from 1Sa 15:22. These are remarkable words. We may understand them as implying,
1st. That God prefers an act of mercy, shown to the necessitous, to any act of religious worship to which the person might be called at that time. Both are good; but the former is the greater good, and should be done in preference to the other.
2dly. That the whole sacrificial system was intended only to point out the infinite mercy of God to fallen man, in his redemption by the blood of the new covenant. And
3dly. That we should not rest in the sacrifices, but look for the mercy and salvation prefigured by them. This saying was nervously translated by our ancestors, [———Anglo-Saxon———-], I will mild-heartedness, and not sacrifice.
Go ye and learn] tse velimmed, a form of speech in frequent use among the rabbins, when they referred to any fact or example in the Sacred Writings. Nothing tends more to humble pretenders to devotion than to show them that they understand neither Scripture nor religion, when, relying on external performances, they neglect love to God and man, which is the very soul and substance of true religion. True holiness has ever consisted in faith working by love.
I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners] Most of the common editions add, , unto repentance; but this is omitted in the Codex Vatic. and Bezae, sixteen others, both the Syriac, both the Persic, Ethiop. Armen. Gothic, Anglo-Saxon, all the Itala except three, the Vulgate, Clemens Roman, Origen, Basil, Jerome, Augustin, Ambrose, and Barnabas. The omission is approved by Mill and Bengel. Griesbach leaves it out of the text.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
13. But go ye and learn what thatmeaneth (Ho 6:6),
I will have mercy, and notsacrificethat is, the one rather than the other. “Sacrifice,”the chief part of the ceremonial law, is here put for a religion ofliteral adherence to mere rules; while “mercy” expressessuch compassion for the fallen as seeks to lift them up. The duty ofkeeping aloof from the polluted, in the sense of “having nofellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,” is obviousenough; but to understand this as prohibiting such intercourse withthem as is necessary to their recovery, is to abuse it. This was whatthese pharisaical religionists did, and this is what our Lord hereexposes.
for I am not come to call therighteous, but sinners to repentance Theitalicized words are of doubtful authority here, and more thandoubtful authority in Mr 2:17;but in Lu 5:32 they areundisputed. We have here just the former statement stripped of itsfigure. “The righteous” are the whole; “sinners,”the sick. When Christ “called” the latter, as He didMatthew, and probably some of those publicans and sinners whom he hadinvited to meet Him, it was to heal them of their spiritual maladies,or save their souls: “The righteous,” like those miserableself-satisfied Pharisees, “He sent empty away.”
Mt9:14-17. DISCOURSE ONFASTING.
See on Lu5:33-39.
Mt9:18-26. THE WOMANWITH THE ISSUE OFBLOOD HEALED.THEDAUGHTER OF JAIRUSRAISED TO LIFE.( = Luk 8:40-56; Mar 5:21-43).
For the exposition, see on Mr5:21-43.
Mt9:27-34. TWO BLINDMEN AND A DUMBDEMONIAC HEALED.
These two miracles are recorded byMatthew alone.
Two Blind Men Healed (Mt9:27-31).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But go ye and learn what that meaneth,…. , “go and learn”, is a phrase used by the Jews a, when they are about to explain a passage of Scripture, and fetch an argument from the connection of the text. So the phrase , “what that is”, or “what that meaneth”, is Talmudic, as, , “what is it?” , “what is that which is written?” , “what is the Scripture?” that is, what is the meaning of it? Our Lord speaks in their own dialect, and tacitly reproves their ignorance of the Scriptures; and instead of finding fault with him, and his conduct, he intimates, it would better become them to endeavour to find out the meaning of that passage in Ho 6:6 “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice”; which, if rightly understood, was sufficient to silence all their cavils and objections: and which words are to be taken, not in an absolute and unlimited sense; for sacrifices even of slain beasts, which were offered up in the faith of Christ’s sacrifice, and were attended with other acts of religion and piety, were acceptable to God, being his own institutions and appointments; but in a comparative sense, as the following clause in the prophet shows; “and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings”; and so the sense is given in the “Chaldee paraphrase”, after this manner: “for in those that exercise mercy is my good will and pleasure”, or “delight”, , “more than in sacrifice”: and the meaning is, that God takes more delight and pleasure, either in showing mercy himself to poor miserable sinners; or in acts of mercy, compassion, and beneficence done by men, to fallen creatures in distress, whether for the good of their bodies, or more especially for the welfare of their souls, than he does even in sacrifices, and in any of the rituals of the ceremonial law, though of his own appointing: and therefore must be supposed to have a less regard to sacrifices, which were offered, neither in a right manner, nor from a right principle, nor to a right end; and still less to human traditions, and customs, which were put upon a level, and even preferred to his institutions; such as these the Pharisees were so zealous of. The force of our Lord’s reasoning is, that since his conversation, with publicans and sinners, was an act of mercy and compassion to their souls, and designed for their spiritual good; it must be much more pleasing to God, than had he attended to the traditions of the elders, they charge him with the breach of: besides, what he was now doing was the end of his coming into this world, and which was answered hereby;
for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. The phrase, “to repentance”, is not in the Vulgate Latin, nor in Munster’s Hebrew Gospel, nor in the Syriac, Ethiopic, and Persic versions; but is in the Arabic, and in the ancient Greek copies, and is very justly retained. The “repentance” here designed, is not a legal, but an evangelical one: which is attended with faith in Christ, with views, at least hopes of pardon through his blood, and springs from a discovery and sense of his love: it lies in a true sense of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of it, by the light of the Spirit of God; in a godly sorrow for it, and hearty loathing of it; in real shame and blushing for it, ingenuous confession of it, and departing from it; all which is brought on, influenced, heightened, and increased, by displays of the love of God through Christ. The persons called to this are not the “righteous”; meaning either such who are really so, because these are already called to it, though, whilst in a state of imperfection, daily need the exercise of this grace; or rather such who are so in their own opinion, and in the sight of men only, not in the sight of God, which was the case of the Scribes and Pharisees, and very few of these were called and brought to repentance; but “sinners”, even the worst, and chief of sinners, who, as they stand in need of this grace, and when thoroughly convinced, see they do; so Christ came into this world as prophet and minister of the word to “call” them to it: which call of his does not suppose that they had a power to repent of themselves; for this man has not, he is naturally blind, and do not see his sin; his heart is hard and obdurate, and till his eyes are opened, and his stony heart taken away by a superior power to his own, he will never repent; though he may have space, yet if he has not grace given him, he will remain impenitent. No means will bring him to it of themselves, neither the most severe judgments, nor the greatest kindnesses, nor the most powerful ministry; repentance is entirely a free grace gift: nor does the call of Christ imply the contrary; which may be considered either as external, as a preacher of the word, and as such was not always attended to, and effectual, but often slighted and rejected: or as internal, being by the power of his grace effectual; for he who called to repentance, as a minister of the word, as a prince and a saviour, was able to give it, and which none but a divine person is able to do. The Jews have a saying b of
“shepherds, collectors of taxes and “publicans”, , “that their repentance is difficult”.”
Now, since this was the end of his coming into the world, his conduct in conversing with publicans and sinners was in all respects highly to be justified.
a T. Bab. Succa, fol. 5. 1. & Sanhedrim, fol. 86. 1. Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora pr. neg. 116. Vid. Maimon. Hilchot Melachim, c. 5. sect. 11. b T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 94. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But go ye and learn ( ). With biting sarcasm Jesus bids these preachers to learn the meaning of Ho 6:6. It is repeated in Mt 12:7. Ingressive aorist imperative ().
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “But go ye and learn what that meaneth,” (poreuthentes de mathete ti estin) “Then you all go your own ways and learn what, it is,” what is taught or exists as a truth in the following prophecy, formerly spoken: (They never sent men to learn the lesson that God prefers mercy more than sacrifice).
2) I will have mercy and not sacrifice:” (eleos thelo kai ou thusian) “I yearn for mercy and not sacrifice:” His friendship toward the publicans in eating with them was a kind act of mercy to try to recover the lost. Hos 6:6; Isa 1:11; Pro 21:3. Sacrifices, without repentance, was an abomination to the Lord, Mic 6:6; Heb 13:16.
3) “For I am not come to call the righteous,” (ou gar elthon kalesai dikaious) “Because I came not on a mission to call righteous people,” or good people, as the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees considered themselves to be, Ro 10-1-3.
4) “But sinners to repentance.” (alla hamartolous) “But criminally disposed sinners,” lawless, responsible, accountable sinners to repentance, Luk 15:7; Luk 19:10; Mr 2:18; Luk 5:33. Mercy calls the fallen to repentance, while sacrifice points to the need and the remedy for sin and the fall of every man.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. But rather go and learn He dismisses and orders them to depart, because he saw that they were obstinate and unwilling to learn. Or rather he explains to them, that they are contending with God and the Prophet, when, in pride and cruelty, they are offended at relief which is given to the wretched, and at medicine which is administered to the sick. This quotation is made from Hos 6:6 :
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.
The subject of the prophet’s discourse had been the vengeance of God against the Jews. That they might not excuse themselves by saying that they were performing the outward worship of God, (as they were wont to boast in a careless manner about their ceremonies,) he declares that God has no delight in sacrifices, when their minds are destitute of piety, and when their conduct is at variance with uprightness and righteousness. That the statement, I desired not sacrifice, must be understood comparatively, is evident from the second clause, that the knowledge of God is better than burnt-offerings By these words he does not absolutely reject burnt-offerings, but places them in a rank inferior to piety and faith. We ought to hold, that faith and spiritual worship are in themselves pleasing to God, and that charity and the duties of humanity towards our neighbors are in themselves required; but that sacrifices are but appendages, so to speak, which are of no value or estimation, where substantial truth is not found. On this subject I have treated more fully at the tenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. It ought to be observed that there is a synecdoche in the word mercy: for under one head the prophet embraces all the kindness which we owe to our brethren.
For I came not Though this was spoken for the purpose of reproving the pride and hypocrisy of the scribes, yet it contains, in a general form, a very profitable doctrine. We are reminded that the grace of Christ is of no advantage to us, unless when, conscious of our sins, and groaning under their load, we approach to him with humility. There is also something here which is fitted to elevate weak consciences to a firm assurance: for we have no reason to fear that Christ will reject sinners, to call whom he descended from his heavenly glory. But we must also attend to the expression, to repentance: which is intended to inform us that pardon is granted to us, not to cherish our sins, but to recall us to the earnestness of a devout and holy life. He reconciles us to the Father on this condition, that, being redeemed by his blood, we may present ourselves true sacrifices, as Paul tells us:
The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and devoutly in this world, ( Titus 2:11,12.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) Go ye and learn.The words of Hos. 6:6cited once again by our Lord in reference to the Sabbath (Mat. 12:7)asserted the superiority of ethical to ceremonial law. To have withdrawn from contact with sinners would have been a formal sacrifice, such as Pharisees delighted to offer, and from which they took their very name; but the claims or mercy were higher, and bade Him mingle with them. It was the very purpose of His coming, not to call righteous men (again with studied reference to their own estimate of themselves), but sinners, and to call them, not to continue as they were, but, as St. Luke adds (the words are wanting in the best MSS. here and also in St. Mark), to repentance. We may, perhaps, infer further, that when the scribes were told to consider what the prophets words meant, there was also some reference to the context of those words. They would find their own likeness in the words, Your goodness is as a morning cloud; . . . they . . . have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt treacherously against me (Hos. 6:4; Hos. 6:7).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. What that meaneth Hos 6:6. I Jehovah. Will have Will require from men. Mercy The benevolent disposition of soul toward our fellow-men. Not sacrifice Instead of the right disposition of heart. It is a poor piety that attempts to be a substitute for virtue. Jehovah requires of us mercy like Christ’s, rather than sacrifice like the Pharisee’s. Righteous As you esteem yourselves. Sinners As you esteem these poor publicans and others at Matthew’s table. If they were indeed righteous, independently of Christ, Christ was no Saviour for them. But he went to the outcast to show that it is only as outcasts any of us can claim any share in his mission.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“But you go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
‘Go and learn.’ This was a regular Jewish way of directing people to seek spiritual truth. And He informed them that where they should look was in Hos 6:6. There we read, ‘I desire covenant love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.’ And there the emphasis was on following true righteousness and being God-like, rather than on the observance of ritual. Ritual had its place. But only if it helped men to love God and their neighbour. The purpose of ritual was to bring men to the knowledge of God. Once it got in the way of doing that, or replaced that, it had to be got rid of. Thus compassion had to come before rigidity of ritual. And that was why Jesus had come, not to call the righteous, but sinners. Any who were truly righteous would not need His help. It was the repentant sinners whose heart cried out for God, Who needed His help, and they were the ones He was mixing with. And that was in line with the heart of God.
As Hos 6:1-2 makes clear, this coming of a special physician from God was to be a feature of the last days in order to bring His people back to Himself.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 9:13 . After having justified His holding intercourse with publicans and sinners, Jesus with the proceeds to tell the Pharisees what they would have to do in order to their receiving His invitation to be healed: “ but go and learn what is meant by that saying of the Scripture (Hos 6:6 , LXX.), I will have mercy and not sacrifice .” You must understand that first of all, if you are to be of the number of those who are to be invited to enter the Messiah’s kingdom: “ for I am not come to call righteous, but sinners ” (1Ti 1:15 ). Through that quotation from the Scripture (mentioned only by Matthew here and Mat 12:7 ), it is intended to make the Pharisees understand how much they too were sinners. According to others , Jesus wishes to justify His conduct , inasmuch as the exhibition of love and mercy constitutes the Messiah’s highest duty (Ewald, Bleek). This, however, is less probable, owing to the with which He dismisses them from His presence, the analogy of Mat 12:7 , and the very apt allusion in to the Pharisees with their legal pride.
. ] corresponds to the Rabbinical form , which is used in sending one away, with a view to fuller reflection upon some matter or other, or with a view to being first of all instructed regarding it; see Schoettgen.
] assigns the reason for the , through which they are first to be rendered capable of receiving the invitation to participate in the blessings of the kingdom. This invitation is uniformly expressed by the absolute .
The masculine is the classical form; the neuter, which rarely occurs in Greek authors (Isocr. 18, p. 378; Diod. iii. 18), is the prevailing form in the LXX., Apocrypha, and the New Testament, although the manuscripts show considerable fluctuation. In the present instance, the neuter, though possessing the authority of B C* D (like Mat 12:7 ), was naturally adopted from the LXX.
.] The negative is absolute, in accordance with the idea aut aut. God does not desire sacrifice instead of mercy, but mercy instead of sacrifice. The latter is an accessory (Calvin), in which everything depends on the right disposition, which is what God desires.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 1338
MERCY BEFORE SACRIFICE
Mat 9:13. Go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.
ST. PETER, speaking of his brother Paul, says, that in his writings there are some things hard to be understood. The same may be said, in some degree, respecting all the inspired writers. There is, in many of their statements, a height which cannot be explored, and a depth which cannot be fathomed. Even the precepts which they give us are by no means always plain. Some are so figurative, that we are, of necessity, constrained to divest them of their high colouring, in order to reduce them to the standard of practical utility. Thus, when it was said, Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also [Note: Mat 5:39.], we cannot take it altogether in a literal sense, but must understand it as inculcating only a very high degree of patient submission to the injuries inflicted on us. Some are obscure, on account of the unqualified manner in which they are expressed: Give to him that asketh thee; and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away [Note: Mat 5:42.]. Were this precept followed in its full extent, the richest man would soon have nothing either to give or lend. Some passages, like my text, are difficult; because, whilst they are expressed in the most positive terms, they are to be understood only in a comparative sense. Our Lord never intended to say that God did not require sacrifice: for the whole Mosaic law was written to shew what sacrifices God did require. His meaning was that mercy was in itself far superior to sacrifice; and that, where the two came into competition with each other, mercy was to be preferred to sacrifice, and to be exercised to the neglect of sacrifice.
That we may enter fully into this subject, let us consider,
I.
The lesson that is here commended to us
Our blessed Lord, after calling Matthew the publican to the apostleship, condescended to attend a feast which his new disciple had prepared for him. To this feast many publicans and sinners were invited; and our Lord did not disdain to sit down to meat in their company, and to converse familiarly with them. For this he was blamed by the Pharisees, who thought such a condescension, on his part, a violation of his duty both to God and man: to God, who bids us not to sit with the wicked [Note: Psa 26:5.]; and to man, to whom it must appear an encouragement to vice. But our Lord vindicates himself, by shewing, that such persons were most likely to profit from his instructions, as the sick are from the physician; and that his conduct was in perfect accordance with their own Scriptures, wherein this lesson was plainly inculcated, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice. The import of this he bade them learn: Go ye, and learn what that meaneth.
Now, the meaning of it is,
1.
That moral duties are more excellent than those which are merely ritual
[To this the whole Scriptures bear witness. You will find the utmost contempt poured on ritual observances, when devoid of piety [Note: Isa 1:11-15.]: but in all the Bible you will not find one real exercise of grace despised. The smallest good imaginable you will see commended [Note: 1Ki 14:13.], and the will accepted for the deed [Note: 1Ki 8:18.]. In moral duties there is a real and inherent excellence: in every one of them there is, what I may justly call, a conformity to God himself, to whose image we attain by the universal exercise of righteousness and true holiness [Note: Eph 4:24.]. They are good at all times, and under all circumstances: whereas ritual observances have nothing valuable in them, except as being appointed of God for his honour, and as being made use of by God for our good. For instance, what is there in the seventh day of the week, or the seventh part of our time? As far as regards the morality of that appointment, it might as well have been a third or a tenth or a twentieth part of our time. And what is there in sacrifices? The killing of a bullock is in itself no better than the killing of a dog: and if God had so ordained, the blood of swine would have been as good as the blood of bulls and of goats. As commanded of God, even the slightest ordinance is to be regarded with the deepest reverence: but, divest even Sabbaths and sacrifices of their divine authority, and I say again, they are of no value. Hence David says, Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offering [Note: Psa 51:16.]. And Samuel, reproving Saul, puts to him this pointed interrogation, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice; and to hearken, than the fat of rams [Note: 1Sa 15:22.].[
2.
That, where they come in competition with each other, ritual duties must give way, and be superseded by the moral
[The whole course of our blessed Lords conduct upon earth attests this truth. On many occasions he, if I may so say, violated the Sabbath-day, performing his miracles then, as on any common day, and ordering a man to carry his bed upon the Sabbath-day. On account of these apparent violations of the Sabbath he was constantly accused as disregarding the laws of Moses and of God. In the twelfth chapter of St. Matthews Gospel we are informed, that he authorized his disciples upon the Sabbath-day to pluck some ears of corn, and rub out the grain and eat it. The act was perfectly legal in itself [Note: Deu 23:25.]: but, being done on a Sabbath-day, it was construed as a threshing of the wheat, and, consequently, as a work forbidden on that day. But our Lord justified them from the example of David, who, with his followers, had, contrary to an express command, eaten the shew-bread, which was the exclusive portion of the priests. He further justified them from the countless occupations of the priests in the temple, which turned the Sabbath, that should have been a day of rest, into a day of more than ordinary labour. These being works of necessity, the one for satisfying of their hunger, and the other for the serving of the altar, the ritual command was made void, being superseded by a call of more urgency, and of paramount obligation.]
Such being the lesson here inculcated, let us consider,
II.
The vast importance of learning it
The manner in which our blessed Saviour speaks, shews that this lesson is far from being generally understood; whilst yet it is so important, that it ought to be diligently studied by every child of man. It is a lesson of vast importance,
1.
For the forming of our principles
[In the true spirit of the Pharisees of old, many amongst ourselves lay a very undue stress on outward observances, as recommending us to God. But the answer of Balaam to Balak, who had consulted him on this subject, gives us the true view of it: Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? This was the question put to Balaam. His answer was, He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God [Note: Mic 6:6-8.]? To the same effect is the declaration of St. Paul: The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost [Note: Rom 14:17.]. It is the inward disposition of the mind that God regards, and not the service of the body. The sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit is, in his sight, of more value than the cattle upon a thousand hills [Note: Psa 50:8-14; Psa 51:17.]. We must not, then, form a judgment of our state by our punctuality in outward duties, but by the depth of our humiliation, the simplicity of our faith, and the integrity of our souls in the way of holy obedience. To this must we attend, as of absolute and indispensable necessity: and any principle opposed to this will only deceive us to our ruin.]
2.
For the regulation of our conduct
[There must, of necessity, be times when our ritual and moral duties clash with each other. To wait upon God in the public assembly of his people is a duty which we all owe to him, and which should not be omitted without great necessity. But who will say that an attendance upon a sick and dying person is not a sufficient cause for neglecting, for a season, the house of God? Who will say, that if there were in a town a general conflagration, the inhabitants would be ill employed in extinguishing the fire, even though it were the Sabbath-day? True, we must take care that we do not pretend a necessity which does not really exist: for we cannot deceive God; and therefore it becomes us to be on our guard that we deceive not our own souls. But, supposing that we exercise an impartial judgment in determining the question before us, we may be sure that God will approve of the conduct that is founded on the rule before us. There is a medium to be observed between a superstitious adherence to forms and a profane neglect of them: and it must be our endeavour so to approve ourselves to God, that we may have his Spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are accepted of him [Note: The question of the British and Foreign Bible Society was here considered. The union of all sects and parties, in dispersing the word of God throughout the world, may be supposed to be, in some respect, a violation of order. Then the question arises, Shall a regard to order be considered as a reason for not uniting every creature under heaven in a work that is so good in itself, and so necessary as that of endeavouring to enlighten and to save the world? To any one who should entertain a doubt on this point, I would say, Go and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice. And the very same answer must be returned to those, who, knowing that a fellow-creature will receive only the Bible which is accredited in his own Church, withholds it from him, and leaves him to perish in ignorance, because he differs from him as to the books that should be included in the Sacred Canon.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
13 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.
Ver. 13. But go ye, and learn what, &c. ] In the history of Jonah, Christ found the mystery of his death, burial, and resurrection. Rest not in the shell of the Scriptures, but break it, and get out the kernel, a as the sense is called, Jdg 7:15 ; stick not in the bark, but pierce into the heart of God’s word. Lawyers say, that Apices iaris non sunt ius. The letter of the law is not the law, but the meaning of it. John never rested till the sealed book was opened. Pray for the spirit of revelation, plough with God’s heifer, and we shall understand his riddles, provided that we wait in the use of all good means, till God irradiate both organ and object.
I will have mercy ] Both that which God shows to us and that which we show to others, spiritual and corporal. Steep thy thoughts, saith one, in the mercies of God, and they will dye thine, as the dye fat doth the cloth, Col 3:12 .
I came not to call the righteous ] Those that are good in their own eyes, and claim heaven as the portion that belongs unto them. Scribonius writes of the cedar, Quod viventes res putrefacit et perdit; putridas autem restituit et couservat. So Christ came to kill the living and to make alive the dead.
But sinners to repentance ] Not to liberty, but duty. Tertullian speaketh of himself, that he was born to nothing but repentance. This is not the work of one, but of all our days, as they said, Ezr 10:13 . Some report of Mary Magdalene, that after our Saviour’s resurrection she spent thirty years in Gallia Narbonensi, in weeping for her sins; and of St Peter that he always had his eyes full of tears, adeo ut etiam lachrymae cutem genarum exederint, insomuch as his face was furrowed with continual weeping. Let not him that resolves upon Christianity dream of a delicacy.
a Veshibro, the breaking of the nut.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13. ] answers to an expression frequent in the Talmud, .
. ] The whole of this discourse, with the exception of the citation, is almost verbatim in Mark, and (with = , = , and the addition of ) Luke also.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 9:13 . : a common expression among the Rabbis, but they never sent men to learn the particular lesson that God prefers mercy to sacrifice. , does not imply that sacrifice is of no account. ( in T. R., a correction by the scribes), accusative neuter. Masculine nouns of 2nd declension are often neuter 3rd in N. T. and Sept [57] : Jesus speaks as one having a mission. : and it is to the sinful, in pursuance of the principle embodied in the prophetic oracle a mission of mercy. The words , Mat 9:12 , and , Mat 9:13 , naturally suggest the Pharisees as the class meant. Weiss, always nervously afraid of allegorising in connection with parabolic utterances, protests, contending that it is indifferent to the sense of the parable whether there be any “whole” or righteous. But the point is blunted if there be no allusion. here has the sense of calling to a feast.
[57] Septuagint.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
But, &c. This is the application. Hos 6:6 is quoted with evident reference to Hos 6:1; Hos 5:13 with Hos 7:1. See App-117.
go ye. To your teachers.
meaneth = is.
will have = require.
mercy = compassion. Greek. eleos.
I am not come = I came not.
the righteous = just ones.
to repentance. All the texts omit: also wanting in Syriac and Vulgate both here and in Mar 2:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13.] answers to an expression frequent in the Talmud, .
.] The whole of this discourse, with the exception of the citation, is almost verbatim in Mark, and (with = , = , and the addition of ) Luke also.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 9:13. , having gone) sc. into the synagogue, where you may refer to Hosea [sc. Mat 6:6.] Our Lord often said to those who were not His own,[409] , depart, see Joh 8:11. His style of quoting the Scriptures is full of suitableness and majesty, and different from that of the apostles; for He does it in such a manner as not Himself to rest upon, but to convince His hearers by their authority; and He employs it more towards His adversaries than towards the disciples who believed on Him.-, learn ye) ye who think that ye are already consummate teachers.- , I will have mercy) A few read with the LXX. in Hos 6:6, with whom the other words in this passage agree, .[410] The LXX. more commonly use in the neuter, as in Hos 6:4. Sometimes, however, , like the ancient Greeks. Isa 60:10; Isa 63:7; Dan 1:9; Dan 9:20; Psa 101:1; 1Ma 2:57; 1Ma 3:44; and especially in the minor prophets, Jon 2:9; Mic 6:8 (which passage is also parallel with the evangelist), Ibid. Mat 7:20; Zec 7:9; Hos 12:6. Thus occurs in the present passage, in Mat 12:7; Mat 23:23; Tit 3:5; Heb 4:16; but occurs frequently in St Luke, St Paul, St James, St Peter, St John, and St Jude; and in Mic 7:18, the LXX., have , He is a willer of mercy. We have here an axiom of interpretation, nay, the sum total of that part of theology which treats of cases of conscience. On mercy, cf. ch. Mat 23:23. The word , sacrifice (victimam), is put synecdochically.[411] It is an act of mercy to eat with sinners for their spiritual profit.[412]-, I have come) sc. from heaven.-, to call) Such is the mission, such the authority of Christ.-, sinners) The word is purposely and emphatically repeated by our Lord. Cf. Mat 9:11.
[409] In the original Alieniores,-an expression which is used several times by Bengel in the course of this gospel, and which it is easier to understand than to translate.-(I. B.)
[410] So BC corrected later, D. This is the Hellenistic form, as , found in LXX. and oldest MSS. of N. T. for , . Rec. Text has , the classic form.-ED.
[411] A part for the whole of positive performances.-ED.
[412] So far ought you to be from despising repentance; for repentance is in fact the curing of the soul.-V. g.
) This is one portion of the rigorous observance of those things, which are contained in the Law.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
righteous
(See Scofield “Rom 10:10”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
go: Mat 12:3, Mat 12:5, Mat 12:7, Mat 19:4, Mat 21:42, Mat 22:31, Mat 22:32, Mar 12:26, Luk 10:26, Joh 10:34
I will: Pro 21:3, Hos 6:6, Mic 6:6-8
to call: Mat 18:11-13, Mar 2:17, Luk 5:32, Luk 15:3-10, Luk 19:10, Rom 3:10-24, 1Co 6:9-11, 1Ti 1:13-16
but: Mat 3:2, Mat 3:8, Mat 4:17, Mat 11:20, Mat 11:21, Mat 21:28-32, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7, Luk 15:7, Luk 24:47, Act 2:38, Act 3:19, Act 5:31, Act 11:18, Act 17:30, Act 17:31, Act 20:21, Act 26:18-20, Rom 2:4-6, 1Ti 1:15, 2Ti 2:25, 2Ti 2:26, 2Pe 3:9
Reciprocal: Gen 13:13 – But the 1Sa 15:22 – Hath the Lord 1Sa 22:2 – a captain Psa 25:8 – teach Psa 40:6 – Sacrifice Psa 68:18 – rebellious Psa 119:139 – because Pro 1:22 – ye simple Ecc 7:14 – the day Isa 1:11 – what purpose Jer 7:22 – nor Eze 18:27 – when Eze 33:14 – that which is lawful and right Hos 14:4 – heal Mat 23:23 – the weightier Mar 6:12 – preached Mar 12:33 – is more Luk 5:31 – They that Luk 7:39 – would Luk 18:13 – a sinner Joh 3:16 – that whosoever Act 17:25 – is Act 26:20 – repent Rom 5:20 – But Gal 6:1 – restore Phi 3:9 – not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
MERCY NOT SACRIFICE
Go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.
Mat 9:13
Let us look into the wonderful passage more closely.
I. A strange passage.The passage is admittedly a difficult one, nor does the Christian at first gain comfort as he realises who it is that preserves the saying for us. We are apt to take Matthew to be the legalist, the strict Jew. But he was not the legalist we take him for, or at least, if his instincts led in that direction, the teaching of the Master gave them another point, for, by his traditions, he belonged to one of the two classes vitally concerned in the eternal authority of this saying of Jesusand not less vital now than thenthe class that pleads for mercy and the class that preaches sacrifice.
II. The preachers of sacrifice.They were both of them at meat in the house; they were looking on rather than taking part in the company, but congratulating themselves that they were not of it. There was the Pharisee, the man of uncompromising religious habits. It is difficult to believe that Jesus only scouted all this religious niceness. Behind the strict observance of what was written and had been ratified by the Jewish Church, there might, of course, be oppression of the doer; but the obvious characteristic of the Pharisees as a class was their conscientious churchmanship, their sincere belief that God desired sacrifice and therefore ought to have it, that God delighted in burnt offerings and should not be denied the pleasure of receiving them. They stood out absolutely for sacrifice as a principle.
III. Those who need mercy.And then there is the other sort of folk in the house. They are not like the Pharisees, and yet the Pharisees do not have the effect of making them feel as if they were out of place, because there is One present Whose Personality is more potent than that of the Pharisees, and He it is Who makes them feel at home. But, like the Pharisees, they have a sort of class name. Respectable people class them together as publicans and sinners. Whatever their birthright, they had come to be outside the covenant. The others ranged comfortably within the four walls of the City of God, but these suffered without the gate. Their only chance was some hope in the word mercy, and it filled them with a new and unimagined hope that there should stand One among them, in all the unmistakable respectability of a Rabbi, saying to these doctors of the Law: Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice. Is there no warning here for us of the English Church? We are better, humbler men than the Pharisees in the text, but some sense of what we call the fitness of things, some consistent desire to stand upon the old paths, bids us postpone mercy to sacrifice, and so to some extentlet us be honest and say to a deplorable extentwe feel that the good news entrusted to us does not seem to be good news to the multitude, to whom it ought to mean as much as it means to us.
IV. Mercy, not sacrifice.There are two classes of publicans and sinners to whom mercy needs to be extended before they can be brought to temper mercy with sacrifice, before they can appreciate the system as we have learned to appreciate it and to thank God for it. There is he who is called (a) the man in the street, using his Sunday for laziness or jollity, lapsing year by year more and more into an attitude of mind in which religion has lost any grip that ever it had. Jesus sat at meat with such, regardless of propriety; but if some preacher of the good news among us takes unconventional means of calling the wayfarer to hear the message, we begin to complain. And there is (b) the man in the studymore to be pitied than the man in the street, because he is more sensitive, more conscious of his position. He reads his Bible, he attends our services, he follows our theological progress, but he cannot go all the way with us in the knowledge of God, though he seeks earnestly and with tears. In his difficulties he pleads for mercy, not sacrifice. Is it anything to us, all we that pass by? The coming in the flesh of the Son of God was proclaimed first to the men in the fields, to the shepherds who were an abomination to the scrupulous Pharisee. The Babe Himself was shown to the staid, wise men from country far. Neither class was within the system. The Son of Man from His cradle was as one who told men to go and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.
The Rev. E. H. Pearce.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
9:13
Learn what that meaneth. Learn the meaning of the statement, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. I request the reader to “learn” its meaning by consulting Isa 58:3; Eze 34:1-4; Hos 6:6; Joe 2:13; Mic 6:6-8. By these passages it will be learned that the self-righteous Jewish leaders in former times imposed on the poor and common people, then tried to get things even before the Lord by offering big material sacrifices. Under those circumstances the Lord would want these leaders to leave off their sacrifices until they had showed mercy to the unfortunate populace. Jesus wanted these same pretentious Jewish leaders before him to get this lesson so they would cease their selfish attitude toward the “sinners.” A physician does not make calls at homes where all are in good health, and on that principle Jesus came to call on the sinners of the earth because they are the ones who are spiritually sick. If the Pharisees were as righteous as they professed to be, they should not expect Jesus to pay much attention to them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 9:13. Go ye and learn. The citation is peculiar to Matthew. You are students of the Scriptures, yet do not know the meaning of the passage I quote; instead of finding fault, go and learn what you ought to know already. The Rabbins used such a form.
I desire mercy and not sacrifice (Hos 6:6). The Greek translation is here given; the original Hebrew is: mercy rather than sacrifice. God prefers mercy to sacrifice, and rejects the latter if it conflicts with the former. This the Pharisees had forgotten in their criticism of His conduct.
For I came not, etc. The best authorities omit, to repentance. The sense remains unaltered.
The righteous, are those thinking themselves so, sinners, those convinced of their sin; not those actually righteous and sinful. The latter view is admissible; those actually righteous cannot be called to repentance, but this would not assert the existence of positively sinless men. The former view corresponds better with Mat 9:12, gives a more direct reply to the Pharisees, and enforces the great lesson of the whole passage; sense of need is the first step toward Christ (comp. the beatitudes).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 13
I will have mercy, and not sacrifice; (Hosea 6:6;) that is, God is far better pleased with the exercise of kindness and good will between man and man, than by punctiliousness in the observance of rites and forms.