Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Matthew 9:13 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Mt 9:13 |
Strong Concordance |
But [1161] go ye [4198] and learn [3129] what [5101] that meaneth [2076], I will [2309] have mercy [1656], and [2532] not [3756] sacrifice [2378]: for [1063] I am [2064] not [3756] come [2064] to call [2564] the righteous [1342], but [235] sinners [268] to [1519] repentance [3341]. |
| |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
But go ye and learn what that meaneth-- (Hos 6:6),
I will have mercy, and not sacrifice--that is, the one rather than the other. "Sacrifice," the chief part of the ceremonial law, is here put for a religion of literal adherence to mere rules; while "mercy" expresses such compassion for the fallen as seeks to lift them up. The duty of keeping aloof from the polluted, in the sense of "having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," is obvious enough; but to understand this as prohibiting such intercourse with them as is necessary to their recovery, is to abuse it. This was what these pharisaical religionists did, and this is what our Lord here exposes.
for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance--The italicized words are of doubtful authority here, and more than doubtful authority in Mar 2:17; but in Luk 5:32 they are undisputed. We have here just the former statement stripped of its figure. "The righteous" are the whole; "sinners," the sick. When Christ "called" the latter, as He did Matthew, and probably some of those publicans and sinners whom he had invited to meet Him, it was to heal them of their spiritual maladies, or save their souls: "The righteous," like those miserable self-satisfied Pharisees, "He sent empty away." |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
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. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
righteous
(See Scofield) - (Rom 10:10). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Go ye and learn - Ye that take upon you to teach others. I will have mercy and not sacrifice - That is, I will have mercy rather than sacrifice. I love acts of mercy better than sacrifice itself. Hos 6:6. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
I will have mercy, and not sacrifice - Quoted from Sa1 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, I will mild-heartedness, and not sacrifice.
Go ye and learn - צא ולמד 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, εις μετανοιαν, 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. |
32 I came [2064] not [3756] to call [2564] the righteous [1342], but [235] sinners [268] to [1519] repentance [3341].
17 When [2532] Jesus [2424] heard [191] it, he saith [3004] unto them [846], They that are whole [2480] have [2192] no [3756] need [5532] of the physician [2395], but [235] they that are [2192] sick [2560]: I came [2064] not [3756] to call [2564] the righteous [1342], but [235] sinners [268] to [1519] repentance [3341].
6 For I desired [02654] mercy [02617], and not sacrifice [02077]; and the knowledge [01847] of God [0430] more than burnt offerings [05930].
2 And [2532] saying [3004], Repent ye [3340]: for [1063] the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] is at hand [1448].
10 As [2531] it is written [1125], [3754] There is [2076] none [3756] righteous [1342], no, not [3761] one [1520]:
11 There is [2076] none [3756] that understandeth [4920], there is [2076] none [3756] that seeketh after [1567] God [2316].
12 They are [1578] all [3956] gone out of the way [1578], they are [889] together [260] become unprofitable [889]; there is [2076] none [3756] that doeth [4160] good [5544], no, not [3756] one [2076] [2193] [1520].
13 Their [846] throat [2995] is an open [455] sepulchre [5028]; with their [846] tongues [1100] they have used deceit [1387]; the poison [2447] of asps [785] is under [5259] their [846] lips [5491]:
14 Whose [3739] mouth [4750] is full [1073] of cursing [685] and [2532] bitterness [4088]:
15 Their [846] feet [4228] are swift [3691] to shed [1632] blood [129]:
16 Destruction [4938] and [2532] misery [5004] are in [1722] their [846] ways [3598]:
17 And [2532] the way [3598] of peace [1515] have [1097] they not [3756] known [1097]:
18 There is [2076] no [3756] fear [5401] of God [2316] before [561] their [846] eyes [3788].
18 For [1063] the wrath [3709] of God [2316] is revealed [601] from [575] heaven [3772] against [1909] all [3956] ungodliness [763] and [2532] unrighteousness [93] of men [444], who hold [2722] the truth [225] in [1722] unrighteousness [93];
19 Because [1360] that which may be known [1110] of God [2316] is [2076] manifest [5318] in [1722] them [846]; for [1063] God [2316] hath shewed [5319] it unto them [846].
20 For [1063] the invisible things [517] of him [846] from [575] the creation [2937] of the world [2889] are clearly seen [2529], being understood [3539] by the things that are made [4161], even [5037] his [846] eternal [126] power [1411] and [2532] Godhead [2305]; so [1519] that they [846] are [1511] without excuse [379]:
21 Because [1360] that, when they knew [1097] God [2316], they glorified [1392] him not [3756] as [5613] God [2316], neither [2228] were thankful [2168]; but [235] became vain [3154] in [1722] their [846] imaginations [1261], and [2532] their [846] foolish [801] heart [2588] was darkened [4654].
22 Professing themselves [5335] to be [1511] wise [4680], they became fools [3471],
23 And [2532] changed [236] the glory [1391] of the uncorruptible [862] God [2316] into [1722] an image [1504] made like [3667] to corruptible [5349] man [444], and [2532] to birds [4071], and [2532] fourfooted beasts [5074], and [2532] creeping things [2062].
24 Wherefore [1352] God [2316] also [2532] gave [3860] them [846] up [3860] to [1519] uncleanness [167] through [1722] the lusts [1939] of their own [846] hearts [2588], to dishonour [818] their own [846] bodies [4983] between [1722] themselves [1438]:
25 Who [3748] changed [3337] the truth [225] of God [2316] into [1722] a lie [5579], and [2532] worshipped [4573] and [2532] served [3000] the creature [2937] more than [3844] the Creator [2936], who [3739] is [2076] blessed [2128] for [1519] ever [165]. Amen [281].
26 For [1223] this [5124] cause God [2316] gave [3860] them [846] up [3860] unto [1519] vile [819] affections [3806]: for [1063] even [5037] their [846] women [2338] did change [3337] the natural [5446] use [5540] into [1519] that which is against [3844] nature [5449]:
27 And [5037] likewise [3668] also [2532] the men [730], leaving [863] the natural [5446] use [5540] of the woman [2338], burned [1572] in [1722] their [846] lust [3715] one toward another [1519] [240]; men [730] with [1722] men [730] working [2716] that which is unseemly [808], and [2532] receiving [618] in [1722] themselves [1438] that recompence [489] of their [846] error [4106] which [3739] was meet [1163].
28 And [2532] even as [2531] they did [1381] not [3756] like [1381] to retain [2192] God [2316] in [1722] their knowledge [1922], God [2316] gave [3860] them [846] over [3860] to [1519] a reprobate [96] mind [3563], to do [4160] those things which are [2520] not [3361] convenient [2520];
29 Being filled with [4137] all [3956] unrighteousness [93], fornication [4202], wickedness [4189], covetousness [4124], maliciousness [2549]; full [3324] of envy [5355], murder [5408], debate [2054], deceit [1388], malignity [2550]; whisperers [5588],
30 Backbiters [2637], haters of God [2319], despiteful [5197], proud [5244], boasters [213], inventors [2182] of evil things [2556], disobedient [545] to parents [1118],
31 Without understanding [801], covenantbreakers [802], without natural affection [794], implacable [786], unmerciful [415]:
32 Who [3748] knowing [1921] the judgment [1345] of God [2316], that [3754] they which commit [4238] such things [5108] are [1526] worthy [514] of death [2288], not [3756] only [3440] do [4160] the same [846], but [235] [2532] have pleasure [4909] in them that do [4238] them.
3 They are all gone aside [05493], they are all together [03162] become filthy [0444]: there is none that doeth [06213] good [02896], no, not one [0259].
6 For I desired [02654] mercy [02617], and not sacrifice [02077]; and the knowledge [01847] of God [0430] more than burnt offerings [05930].
10 For [1063] with the heart [2588] man believeth [4100] unto [1519] righteousness [1343]; and [1161] with the mouth [4750] confession is made [3670] unto [1519] salvation [4991].
6 For I desired [02654] mercy [02617], and not sacrifice [02077]; and the knowledge [01847] of God [0430] more than burnt offerings [05930].
22 And Samuel [08050] said [0559], Hath the LORD [03068] as great delight [02656] in burnt offerings [05930] and sacrifices [02077], as in obeying [08085] the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068]? Behold, to obey [08085] is better [02896] than sacrifice [02077], and to hearken [07181] than the fat [02459] of rams [0352].