SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:13
Andad pues, y aprended qu cosa es: Misericordia quiero, y no sacrificio; porque no he venido a llamar a los justos, sino a los pecadores a arrepentimiento.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 9:13
Verse 13. I will have mercy, and not sacrifice] Quoted from 1 Sam. xv. 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, , I will mild-heartedness, and not sacrifice.
Go ye and learn] dmlw ax 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, eiv metanoian, 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth , etc.] dmlw ax , go and learn, is a phrase used by the Jews f559 , when they are about to explain a passage of Scripture, and fetch an argument from the connection of the text. So the phrase ti estin , what that is, or what that meaneth, is Talmudic, as, yhm , what is it? bytkd yam , what is that which is written? arq yam , 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 ( Hosea 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 Christs 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, jbdmm , 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 Lords 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 Munsters 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 of shepherds, collectors of taxes and publicans, hq tbwt , 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-13 - Some time after his call, Matthew sought to bring his old associates to hear Christ. He knew by experience what the grace of Christ could do and would not despair concerning them. Those who are effectuall brought to Christ, cannot but desire that others also may be brought to him. Those who suppose their souls to be without disease will no welcome the spiritual Physician. This was the case with the Pharisees they despised Christ, because they thought themselves whole; but the poor publicans and sinners felt that they wanted instruction an amendment. It is easy, and too common, to put the worst construction upon the best words and actions. It may justly be suspected that thos have not the grace of God themselves, who are not pleased with others obtaining it. Christ's conversing with sinners is here called mercy for to promote the conversion of souls is the greatest act of mercy The gospel call is a call to repentance; a call to us to change ou minds, and to change our ways. If the children of men had not bee sinners, there had been no need for Christ to come among them. Let u examine whether we have found out our sickness, and have learned to follow the directions of our great Physician.
Greek Textus Receptus
πορευθεντες 4198 5679 V-AOP-NPM δε 1161 CONJ μαθετε 3129 5628 V-2AAM-2P τι 5101 I-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ελεον 1656 N-ASM θελω 2309 5719 V-PAI-1S και 2532 CONJ ου 3756 PRT-N θυσιαν 2378 N-ASF ου 3756 PRT-N γαρ 1063 CONJ ηλθον 2064 5627 V-2AAI-1S καλεσαι 2564 5658 V-AAN δικαιους 1342 A-APM αλλ 235 CONJ αμαρτωλους 268 A-APM εις 1519 PREP μετανοιαν 3341 N-ASF
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:13 {But go ye and learn} (poreuqentes de maqete). 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 (mathete).
