Smoodock's Blog

The account of the man with “the withered hand” is in all three Synoptics, each adding a little to the account that is not in the other two. For example, Luke tells us that the incident concerning the man with the withered hand occurred, while Jesus was teaching or shortly thereafter (Luke 6:6). Mark and Luke tell us that they watched him to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, indicating the whole matter might have been a conspiracy against Jesus (Mark 3:2; Luke 6:7). However, although all three Synoptics tell us they, the Pharisees or Jewish authorities, communed together concerning what might be done to be rid of Jesus, only Mark tells us the counsel they held together was with the Herodians (Mark 3:6), thus, enforcing the idea that this was, indeed, a conspiracy on the part of the Pharisees.

Therefore, the text seems to imply they had set a trap for Jesus, perhaps even ensuring that the man with the withered hand was present that Sabbath day in the synagogue, where Jesus taught. Matthew, alone, tells us that it was the Jewish authorities who originally posed the question: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?” (Matthew 12:10), which indicates a possibility that Jesus was aware of the trap that they had set for him (cp. Luke 6:8) and didn’t indicate he would heal the man. So, in order to make certain their conspiracy wasn’t in vain, the impatient Pharisees would have wanted to point the man out to Jesus, so he would have to make a decision one way or another.

The incident began with Jesus and his disciples leaving the fields, where Jesus disciples took the edge off their hunger, and, together, they entered the synagogue (Matthew 12:9). We are told in the text that there was a man with a withered hand, vis-à-vis he was paralyzed in his right arm (Luke 6:6), and he was present in the synagogue, while Jesus was there. We aren’t told whether the man was specifically brought to that synagogue by the Pharisees, and he knew why he was there, or that he attended the synagogue weekly, and the Pharisees simply took the opportunity of his expected presence to lay a trap for Jesus. As is mentioned above, Jesus used the time there to teach his disciples (Luke 6:6), so the Pharisees’ question: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?”  may have occurred during the teaching session. Nevertheless, the text isn’t specific, so they may have questioned him afterward, but probably the question arose, while Jesus was teaching.

Their question implies they had conspired together against Jesus, setting a trap for him (Matthew 12:10). Thus, it seems that the Jewish authorities believed in the idea the end justifies the means. It was important for them to be rid of Jesus, and in so doing they broke the very Law, which they sought to show Jesus was breaking. The Law states that it is wrong to conspire against one’s brother, setting a trap for him (Luke 19:14).[1] What the Pharisees expected Jesus to do was to answer their question directly, but Jesus didn’t do that. Folks, especially Jews, answer questions with another question, and this is what Jesus did.

In an effort to offer a picture of the truth, an undeniable reply which shows how his accusers break the Sabbath but hold themselves blameless, Jesus responded with a question of his own: “If one of your sheep would fall into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you pull him out?” In both Mark and Luke, Jesus’ question is even more damning: “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days or to do evil? …to save life or to kill?” The former question demands an affirmative reply. Everyone would take his sheep out of the pit. The latter question was one that pointed to the Pharisees own belief. The Jews’ observance of the Sabbath was noted by their enemies, and they reasoned they could attack them on the Sabbath and the Jews wouldn’t fight back. However, the Pharisees reasoned that it is not permissible to attack their enemies on the Sabbath but to defend oneself and others is to save life on the Sabbath, and that is permitted (Matthew 23:12-13).

Luke indicates that Jesus told the man to stand up, once he was pointed out by the Pharisees, and was the subject of their inquiry (Luke 6:8). Mark tells us that the Jewish authorities refused to answer Jesus’ question, which demanded an obvious reply, so Jesus healed the man out of anger (Mark 3:4-5). Therefore, according to Matthew, Jesus simply told the man to stretch forth his hand, which he did, and he was healed. In other words, Jesus didn’t **do** a thing. No **work** was physically done. Jesus simply uttered the command and the man obeyed! (Matthew 12:13). How could this healing be labor on the Sabbath? Therefore, the Pharisees held council together outside the synagogue, as to what might be done to destroy him (Matthew 12:14).           [EB1] 

[1] The Law, although condemning the literal action, also condemns the spiritual truth behind blindness. For example, accepting a bribe, blinds one’s own eyes against doing what is right (cp. 1Samuel 12:3). Therefore, to set a trap for one’s brethren is to set a stumbling block before a blind (unaware) man.