Mark 3:1-6 "The Sabbath Principle"

Introduction

The religious leaders were keeping a close watch on Jesus. If we took just their observations from chapter 2 of Mark’s gospel we would learn that they considered Jesus to be a blasphemer from Mark 2:7; a friend of sinners and tax collectors from Mark 2:16; an apostate regarding religious customs from Mark 2:18; and a Sabbath breaker from Mark 2:24.

Mark is setting the stage for the coming conflict where the religious leaders would eventually plot His death. They are building their case but Jesus is hard at work bringing the kingdom of God to bear upon peoples lives through the ministry of the Gospel of God.

We see in our text that Jesus entered the Synagogue and there was a man there with a withered hand and they were watching Jesus to see if Jesus would heal the man on the Sabbath.

They were watching to see if he would again heal of the Sabbath so that more evidence could be gathered as they were building their case for a formal accusation..

Christian, make no mistake, Jesus knew what they were up to and He issue a rhetorical question to them while using the man as an object lesson. Look at the Rhetorical Question in verses 3-4:

I. The Rhetorical Question (3-4).

So He calls the man with the withered hand over to Him in the presence of the Pharisees. This sets the context for the question to be asked in their hearing as the question is being directed towards them.

We see the question in verse 4: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?

And the text says: But they were silent.

And one of the reasons they were silent is that they knew the commentary of the legal scholars of their day.

Theologian Craig Keener states that: In the teachings of Jewish legal scholars, minor cures were not permitted on the sabbath, although saving a life was a different matter. Even the strictest observers of the sabbath allowed compromising the sabbath to save life or to fight in a defensive war. (The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993)

So according to their legal scholars, in unique situations they could do harm to someone by taking life on the Sabbath wouldn’t it seem logical to do good on the Sabbath by restoring life?

They were silent because they already knew about the provisions and exceptions on Sabbath law but they were using the law as a means of legal entrapment to catch Jesus in a Sabbath violation.

But the principle that Jesus establishes with His question implies that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath and to save and to promote life. It should be understood that “good” here is referring to what God considers to be good in His Kingdom.

Certainly ministry to others and for their benefit in the name of Christ and to the glory of God would be considered to be good.

It is helpful for us to hear from the divine commentary over in Matthew 12:11–12 where Matthew has the account that includes: 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Certainly, the worship of God is deemed to be good by God on the Sabbath and so is works of necessity for the good of human benefit, even to the point of your own livestock and possessions. (R.D. Rickard, Feed and water the cows and if the house catches fire put it out.)

But at this point if there is no Sabbath rest in the New Testament for those who are in Christ wouldn’t this be a mute point when it comes to Sabbath observance for us today? I believe that is an important question for us to know the answer to. In Hebrews 4:8–10 in the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews says under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”

Christian in the context of this text the Scripture is making the argument that most of the Old Testament people of Israel never entered the rest of God. The Old Testament Joshua couldn’t give it to them. So God was speaking of another Sabbath to come. It is on this truth that the principle is derived in verses 9-10: So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from His works as God did from His.

It is not the legal observance of the law that is being held up in a Sabbath rest. The Sabbath rest described in the law is holding up and pointing to Christ and His glory in the gospel.

The Sabbath rest is done in obedience to the glory and honor of Christ in celebration of all that God has done for us through Christ. Which we learn that information through the word. That is why Hebrews 4 goes on to talk about the transforming power of the word of God being sharper than any double edged sword. And it reveals our need for sanctification and our hope being rooted in our great high priest. Just read it this afternoon from Hebrews 4:11-16.

The problem with the Pharisees was that they believed that Sabbath observance was a legal requirement to strict obedience but they missed that the Sabbath was a spiritual truth pointing us to the glory of God in His Messiah. A glory that was manifest where God would restore a people to Himself by divine grace.

And Jesus exhibited this restoration perfectly by doing a miracle right in front of their eyes in verses 5-6:

II. The Restorative Exhibition (5-6).

Notice the descriptive manner at which the text states that, He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart.

Christian, Jesus was angry at their hardness of heart. It was a hardness that was similar to petrified wood. Over time their behavior was primarily about their vanity and reputation in the eyes of man. And nothing can be less fulfilling as to make ministry about you only to find out it is all in vain.

Their Sabbath observance was about their glory and not the glory of God.

Christian behold the power of King Jesus and His spoken word to the lame man, Stretch out your hand.

No prayer line, no holy water from the Jordan River for a donation of any size, no slap to the forehead, just a command and the command acted upon by the man. And His hand was restored.

Conclusion

A Kingdom power display right before their eyes and what did they do? Verse 6 tells us that they began to conspire with the Herodians, the Jewish political powers, on how to have Him destroyed.

Hearts so hard that they couldn’t give God the glory even when it was exhibited right in front of their face.

You see when you are in competition with God for glory He becomes the opposition. And you may not even know it. Because it may not be a withered hand that you have today, it may be a withered heart.

And there are two kinds to be aware of. The first is a self righteous kind that is confident in your good works and your performance as a means of your standing place before God.

Your glory and confidence in your good works is in competition with God’s glory in Christ and what He has done. You have disdain for the gospel and wish we could just move on to other things. That position is represented by the Pharisees in our text.

The second withered heart is the one who is fully aware of their imperfection and their need of transformation. Broken and hopeless in need of a miracle. Not sure how it will come. My friend Stretch out your faith in the direction of Christ!

The Master is in our midst today to bring restoration to the withered heart. Believe the gospel unto salvation.

Christian Jesus holds us firm. Regardless of what comes He does not let us go. Saying to Brad: The gospel is true!

Confess and receive. Let’s Pray!