A Time to Heal
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This morning we continue to learn about some of the interactions Jesus had with the Pharisees, and once again how he offended them with his pushback on the Sabbath traditions they had established.
Last week we saw how, when Jesus’ disciples were plucking grain and rolling it in their hands as they walked around, they were accused of doing work on the Sabbath, and Jesus reminded them that He is Lord of the Sabbath, that relieving suffering or helping with a human need takes priority over the Sabbath rule not to work. Now we see another example where he riled up the Pharisees by healing a man with a crippled hand.
On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.
But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there.
And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?”
And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.
But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
Luke lets us know that even though these two incidents are described in the same place, they took place at different times. Remember, not all the narratives we find in the bible are necessarily in chronological order. In this case, it makes sense that Luke wanted to place these two stories together, since they fit a theme, the theme being that Jesus angered the Pharisees by being dismissive of their man-made Sabbatarian rules.
Other gospels record this account as well, and it is probably safe to think that there were yet other incidents where similar things happened, but as John wrote in his gospel, if all the stories about Jesus were written, there would not be enough books to tell them all. Not to mention that it would not be very easy to read all of those stories.
A normal part of Jesus’ and others Sabbath celebration was to be at the Synagogue, and there rabbis and other elders would read from portions of scripture, and then teach. So it was the pattern of Jesus to do this as well. And in this synagogue a man was there whose right hand was withered.
A couple points about this man. First, he was just there. Unlike other healing stories, it does not tell us he asked to be healed, or that he had faith to be healed. Some have speculated that the Pharisees brought him on purpose to test Jesus, but scripture does not clearly tell us that.
Right hand was withered. Normally this is a term used to describe a plant or tree that had no more life in it. This hand was in really bad shape, probably was atrophied and useless.
POINT - Look at all of the information we find in a single verse. Take time to examine scripture carefully.
And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.
Something important to note here is the motives. They weren’t watching to see if Jesus would heal because that would be wonderful for the man, they were looking for something to accuse Jesus for.
Their motive also was not to learn from his teaching. It is ironic that they are so concerned about keeping the Sabbath, but it may be that they were working hard themselves that day, working as investigators who were out to find a crime.
Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 6)
The Jews at this time—and many Orthodox Jews to this day—believe that Messiah will not come until the Sabbath is perfectly kept by the people of Israel. This is why the Pharisees were so intent on keeping Sabbath regulations.
Now, the rabbis were not completely heartless. They did allow for life-saving measures on the Sabbath.
Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 2. Healing the Withered Hand (6:6–11)
The rabbis did not object to healing on the sabbath if there was danger to life and they interpreted this liberally. ‘Whenever there is doubt whether life is in danger this overrides the Sabbath’ (Yoma 8:6). But if there was no danger they were adamant. Such healing was not allowed.
They probably did not consider that this was a life and death issue. The man would probably not die if not healed until the next day. We will see that Jesus looks at this differently.
As I mentioned last week, they had ruined the Sabbath by making it all about living in fear of breaking a rule, instead of as a great day for people, who were supposed to enjoy a break from work
The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel Chapter 6
They made it a law which was strictly imposed on man instead of a blessing that was bestowed on man. They
But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there.
Jesus knew their thoughts, he knew their motives and everything. and now he speaks to the man. There are three commands Jesus gives the man in this passage: Come. Stand. Stretch out your hand. Here in this verse, we see Jesus tell him to come and stand. ANd he obeys.
And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?”
What a question?
The Pharisees were concerned with a different question. What is work, or is it work.
Jesus compares two choices, basically he points out that the choice is to do good or do harm. In other words, if you have the ability to relieve someone’s great suffering and do not, you are doing harm.
More than that, the choice is to save life or to destroy it.
...
What are our attitudes sometimes about helping the one truly in need?
Do we sometimes elevate one biblical truth while ignoring a more important one?
And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.
Now the Pharisees would have a hard time saying what work Jesus did here. What work did Jesus do?
The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel Chapter 6
The notable thing is that Jesus did nothing. He did not touch the hand; he did not even say that it should be healed. All he did was to tell the man to stretch out his hand; and not even the most rabid Pharisee could call that a work that was forbidden on the Sabbath. The man was healed by the almighty volition of Jesus, by that alone. This made the case hard for these enemies of Jesus. With his great mastery Jesus cut off every plea on which they might fault him with a show of right.
So no work was done. Jesus didn’t work, the man didn’t work. And his hand was restored.
But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
No wicked men are such absurd and unreasonable men as persecutors are, who study to do evil to men for doing good.
They study to do evil to men for doing good. Why is that?
Jesus was hated. He was persecuted.
It was not really about the Sabbath.
The Sabbath breaking was a way for them to take out enemies, and Jesus was an enemy.
People will go after Jesus’ followers as well.
They will accuse us of evil for standing for the good.
They will be filled with fury when we do not affirm their rules. (tolerance, affirmation, etc)
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates me hates my Father also.
If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
Let’s take a few moments to look at what Jesus is saying here in John 15
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
There is an imperative command here. Know. You need to know this. Not merely as a concept. You need to KNOW. If you are in Christ and the world hates you, KNOW that it hated Jesus before it hated his followers.
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
If you want to be loved by the world, be just like it and they will leave you alone. But this is not what following Christ looks like. We are in the world but not of the world, so the world hates us for that.
Jesus said we are hated by the world because he chose us out of the world. You will find that when you speak of Jesus choosing those He saves, some people get very angry. but Jesus chose us out of the world, and the world that hates him hates those he chose as well.
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
I’ve noticed if some people hate a particular president, they hate everyone who supports that President. If people hate the master, they hate the servants as well.
And if they hate Jesus, they hate God the Father as well. It is impossible to hate one of the members of the Trinity and love another.
If I said to a man, I love you brother, but I hate your wife, I can tell you that man would not feel I really loved him.
And they hated Jesus without a cause. This means without a just cause.
Lessons from the story of the healing of the man with the withered hand:
Some people are just looking for trouble and reasons to accuse.
Jesus shows that acts of compassion and mercy do not violate His laws.
When we do not bow to the rules of worldly systems, we will be hated.
We must pray for strength and boldness to live out the life he called us to.
We must be ready to be hated for standing for Christ our Master.
How do we do any of this?
BY the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
By training ourselves in righteousness.
By encouraging one another, spurring each other on. (This requires constant interaction)
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
This includes being a disciple who learns from others and being one who is teaching others about serving Jesus.
By knowing God’s word.