Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. The go and learn is a teacher's challenge: study this text until you understand it. The citation from Hosea 6:6 — I desire mercy, not sacrifice — is the prophetic critique of religion that prioritizes ritual purity over compassionate engagement. Sacrifice is the religious practice; mercy is the orientation of the heart that the sacrifice is supposed to express. When the religious practice substitutes for the heart orientation, it becomes the problem rather than the solution. Jesus came not to call the righteous — those who are already within the system and consider themselves acceptable — but sinners, those outside the boundaries.

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