Jesus Healing of The Man With The Witherd Hand

Topic: Attitude
Passage: Mark 3:1–6

October 14, 2022

Commentary

Jesus uses the healing of the man with the withered hand to point out that the Sabbath was not just a time not to work. The Pharisees watched Jesus like a cat watches a mouse hole. They stood ready to pounce on Him for every little thing that violated their legalistic beliefs. The Jews permitted healing on the Sabbath Day only if there was danger that the person might die before the next day. Unless this was the case, healing on the Sabbath, to them, was working. Jesus had broken these regulations and they were genuinely convinced that He was a bad man. This is sort of like a person who believes that true Christianity consists of going to church, reading the Bible, saying grace at meals etc., but is deaf to the needs of people. Jesus was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts and angry at the callous, cruel attitude of the Pharisees toward human suffering and need.

To refuse to do good is to choose to do evil (James 4:17). We cannot truly love God unless we hate sin. Instead of rejoicing about the man being healed the Pharisees left the synagogue to hold counsel with the Herodians as to how they might destroy Jesus. These Herodians were supporters of Roman rule. Ordinarily the Pharisees would have nothing to do with them, but now sought their cooperation in order to fulfill their purpose. It’s easy for us as sinners to develop bad attitudes. The Pharisees in this story show us three ways of developing a bad attitude:

  1. A critical eye (vv.1-2)
  2. A concrete (hardened) heart (vv. 3-5)
  3. A conniving mind (v. 6)

Application

What is proper for me to do on the Lord’s Day? Jesus’ answer is clear. Whatever is good and helpful is lawful and whatever harms or hurts is wrong. Sunday should be the happiest day of the week.

Mark 3:1– 6 (NET)

1 Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him. 3 So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent. 5 After looking around at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him.