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.
What does Matthew 9:13 mean?
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.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Matthew 9:10-13 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Matthew 9:13
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," Hosea 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.
Key words
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Context in Matthew 9
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Matthew 9 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as ministry and teaching blocks. Matthew presents Jesus as Davidic Messiah, new Moses, teacher of the kingdom, suffering Son of Man, and risen Lord who commissions the nations. Read this chapter with the wider themes of fulfillment, kingdom of heaven, and discipleship in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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Bible verses about justice and mercy
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