Mark 3:1-12 - Sabbath Mercies

From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”

Rules: Cell phones, questions and comments (be brief), stay on track, be respectfulPray

Mark 3:1-12 (NASB95)

Mark 3:1–12 NASB95

He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.

Review: Two parts of Jesus earthly ministry

Part 1: Establishing who He is and teaching His people

Part 2: Offering himself a sacrifice for our sins, redeeming His people

This and the last text happened in sequence probably on the same day

Last lesson had to do with Jesus establishing the purpose of the Sabbath, or Lord’s day

This lesson continues this teaching - Is the Sabbath for Pharisaical rules, or for man, and mercy?

In this passage, It’s still the Sabbath, and Jesus enters the synagogue and heals a man with a withered hand.

Pharisees and Herodians begin conspiring to kill Him

In spite of the anger and hate - Jesus continues to minister to the people

#1 Being Watched by Enemies

Mark 3:1–2 NASB95

He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.

“They were watching Him”

Wicked conduct - full of anger and hate - condemnation traps

Dissappointing in church leaders

This was a day for worship of God - people assembled to hear God’s word

Pharisees, Israel’s spiritual leaders, and Herodians, begin plotting murder - malicious and angry thoughts

Pharisees - pretended to godliness and holiness

Christians must not expect any better than Jesus had- always watched by an ill-natured and vindictive world.

Keen eye - carefully observed - marked men

World sees all they do

Clothes, purchases, jobs, relations, all closely watched

The ungodly wait, and rejoice, when they catch them in error or scandal

Lesson: In your daily life, keep this in mind-we are watched all the time - like our master

We must be conscious of our conduct

Avoid even the appearance of evil

Pray for our tempers, emotions, public behaviour

Jesus went through all this - He gives strength and grace

#2 Doing what is right on the Sabbath

Mark 3:3–4 NASB95

He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent.

Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?

Jesus - “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?”

Heal this poor man or leave Him alone?

Which is more sinful? Heal on the Sabbath or plot murder and promote hatred against an innocent man?

Should Jesus be blamed for saving a life on the Sabbath?

Were those plotting to kill Him without blame?

No wonder the Pharisees held their peace

they knew the answer, but it would have made them look like fools

Lesson: Clearly, no Christian should hesitate to do a good work on Sunday

Real works of mercy - ministering to the sick, relieving pain - can always be done

None of this stains the holiness the fourth commandment asks on the Sabbath

Lesson: This is not grounds for abuse of the Sabbath

Sabbath is not for amusement, physical gratification

Amusement activities ruin the Sabbath rest

They require others to work on Sunday

Doing good on the Sabbath is having mercy toward others

Do good on the Sabbath

#3 Godly Anger

Mark 3:5–6 (NASB95)

After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

Jesus looked “around them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart.”

Need to give this saying special attention

Jesus was a man, like ourselves in all things, except He was without sin

Jesus understood sinful feelings - Marvelled, rejoiced, wept, loved, felt anger

Anger can be lawful, right, and not sinful

Some anger is justifiable, but that is rare

Prov 25:23 “The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.”

Eph 4:26 “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,”

Anger is a very difficult issue for everyone

None has a greater potential for sin

None which is more difficult to control

None which can lead to such evil

Ill-temper, irritability, passion lead to extremes for even godly men

Paul and Barnabas over Mark, Moses at Meribah

Bringing it home

Angry words breach the sixth commandment (murder)

Let us pray for the control of the Spirit when we are angry

We need to be ever so careful

Sinless anger is very rare

Anger seldom glorifies the Lord

Righteous anger should be mixed with grief and sorrow at those who caused it

It is better never to be angry at all, than to be angry and sin

The control of the Holy Spirit only comes from a saving relationship with Christ - If you don’t know Christ as Lord and Saviour, turn to Him today.

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