“And they were watching Him… in order that they might accuse Him.” Mark 3:1-6
Jesus came into a synagogue. There was a man there with a withered hand. Why was he there? Mark makes it plain that he was to be the point of focus.
The Pharisees were also there. They were intently watching Jesus with a single purpose: to see if he would heal the man. Are they hoping to see a miracle that would end this man’s suffering? Are they joyous over the prospect that he would be made whole?
No. They want to accuse Jesus if He dares to heal the man on the Sabbath.
Jesus’ first concern is the man, but he also needs to make sure the Pharisees understand the depravity of what they are about. He calls the man forward, saying to the Pharisees, ” Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save life or to kill?” They remain silent. To engage him would make it evident to everyone there that they were clearly in the wrong.
Jesus is angered by their callous silence. He is grieved by the hardness of their heart, their stubborn, willful resistance to God, their self-importance and pride. He presses forward despite them.
He tells the man to stretch out his hand. He does, displaying the first act of obedience and faith in this scene. His hand is fully restored. If jubilant rejoicing spontaneously broke out, Mark does not record it.
In fact, he notes just the opposite. The Pharisees have now seen what they came to see – a gross violation of their rules for the Sabbath. Without hesitation, they get up and leave to begin plotting to destroy Jesus. They meet with the Herodians, who they would otherwise have nothing to do with. But they would be helpful against One who was becoming too popular and too much in demand by the people, thereby destabilizing the system of power they had become comfortable with.
So what is the answer? To do good, or to do harm? To save life or to kill? Mark trusts his readers to draw the proper conclusion.
Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley