Note 1 at Mt. 9:13: Jesus made these statements in defense of His eating and drinking with these publicans and sinners. Just as a doctor spends his time with those who are sick, Jesus came to minister to sinners. Of course, all have sinned (Rom. 3:23), and there are none righteous apart from what Jesus has imparted unto us (Rom. 3:10), but not everyone understands this. These religious scribes and Pharisees (Lk. 5:30) were making the terrible mistake of trusting in their own efforts to produce their right standing (righteousness) with God. Jesus did not come to accept our sacrificial acts but to make Himself a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus could only minister to those who knew they were sick spiritually and were looking to God for mercy (Mic. 6:6-8; 1 Pet. 5:5).