We need to keep Jesus' words in context. What was Jesus saying?
Mark 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
First, any assessment of this text that states that God desires all men to be saved is without merit. Jesus says in Matthew 11:
20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
If God had desired all men saved, then why did he not work certain miracles there to see them saved? The fact is God choose not to work certain miracles at Sodom and choose only to save a few!
Jesus even spoke in parables at times so people will not understand the Gospel. Matthew 13 says:
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Note, that some are "blessed" to hear and others are not. Of course, hearing comes available only after one is no longer dead. Only then can they listen - see below.
Second, while all men are sinners and thus unrighteous (Rom. 3:10), Jesus says, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (compare "healthy", "doctor", and "sick" with "heal" in Matt. 13:15 above). Paul says that we are so unrighteous that we are "dead in trespasses and sin" (Eph. 2:1-3). One thing about dead people, they do not know they are sick or dead; after all they are dead. As those dead to God, they do not "seek" God (Rom. 8:7; 1 Cor. 2:14, etc.) and have no idea (do not "understand", compare Matt 13 above) they have a need of the Great Physician (Rom. 3:11). Thus, before they may call upon the Lord they must be made alive (regenerated - John 3). Upon regeneration they are drawn irresistibly to Christ (John 6:44, 65) and given the gifts of repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-26) and faith (Eph. 2:8-10), etc. (the rest of the
ordo salutis).
Third, Jesus was answering a question seen in Mark 2:16, which says, "And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus was addressing the "self-righteous" teachers of the law (whom Jesus was not eating with) and comparing them to some of those who knew they were in need of a physician.
PS: And the text does not say that everyone that sat down with Jesus and ate with him was saved. The text merely says publicans and sinners - all kinds of sinners. Note that it actually reverses the word order (sinners and tax collectors ... tax collectors and sinners) to drive home the point that Jesus considered all sinners equal - that is in need of the same Great Physician. However, the text also drives home the point that Jesus did not desire all men to be saved, as he did not work a "miracle" in those that questioned him and did not invite them to eat with him (of which they had no desire to do, thus illustrating Paul's words "For the mind that is set on the flesh
is hostile to God, for it
does not submit to God's law; indeed,
it cannot, Rom. 8:7).
So, the Scripture differs greatly with Catholic or Orthodox doctrines! Someone might even say their doctrine is sick and in need of the Great Physician. Hopefully, the Spirit will open ears to hear (1 Cor 2:14).
None are righteous and Jesus came for the sinners not the righteous so Jesus came for everyone. How is that different from Catholic or Orthodox Christianity?
