The Miracles of Jesus 9 -Jesus Heals The Man With The Withered Hand

Miracle # 9 “Jesus Heals the Man With The Withered Hand”

Summary: Ninth in a series on the Miracles of Jesus.

Series: The Miracles of Jesus

Scripture: Luke 6:6-11 

Date: 21, October 2018

(Matt 12:9-14, Mk. 3:1-6, Lk. 6:6-11). Note: This messages are based on Dr. Brian J Bailey's Teaching

Introduction

Jesus has just healed the man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. Now as He and his disciples pass through a field, they pick some grain on the Sabbath. This once again aroused the anger of the Pharisees. Although it must be noted that this is entirely permissible according to the law for one traveling to pluck enough heads of grain to satisfy his hunger.

As we have noted in the previous sermon in the time of Jesus, the Sabbath had become a tyranny with hundreds of rules and regulations which laid out in detail what a man might or might not do. 

The original Ten Commandments of God had been delineated into 613 laws; 248 positive (thou shalt’s) and 365 negative (thou shalt not’s). Jesus “discriminates between the spiritual principles of rest and the worship and service of God for which the day was dedicated, and the useless junk of endless hair- splitting distinctions and prohibitions of the Rabbis.” 

[J.W. Shepard. “The Christ of the Gospel.” (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1939) p. 161]

Scripture reading:

This miracle is told in three of the gospel accounts and because each writer adds some details of what happened in that room, I want us to read all three of them. Let us rise to our feet and together read (Matt 12:9-14, Mk. 3:1-6, Lk. 6:6-11)

Matthew 12:9-14

“Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. (10) And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" ——that they might accuse Him. (11) Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? (12) "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." (13) Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. (14) Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Luke 6:6-11

“Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. (7) So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. (8) But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here." And he arose and stood. (9) Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?" (10) And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. (11) But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.”

Mark 3:1-6

“And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. (2) So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. (3) And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." (4) Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. (5) And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. (6) Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.”

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. May the sweet Holy Spirit add His manifold blessings to our text in our hearing this morning.... Amen! You may be seated in God's Presence.

The Background of the Miracle

Teaching in the Synagogue

This sabbath was presumably not one of the numbered seven sabbaths between Passover and Pentecost. Leviticus 23:15 says, “And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:” 

Another Sabbath controversy arose when Jesus went into the local synagogue and was teaching. The Lord was careful at all times to attend synagogue services. This is important for us, since there is a tendency to stay away from the house of God and substitute church with Christian television.

Paul warns in Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Let us be sure that we are faithful in church attendance.The synagogue service was different from what we are use to in the church. The services there were always characterized by a certain amount of informality. After the prayers were said and scripture had been read; then came an explanation of the scripture or sermon. No particular person had responsibility for speaking, any Rabbi or distinguished visitor could upon the invitation of the president or ruler of the synagogue deliver the message. After the message there was a time for discussion and argumentation. It is highly probable that it is part of the service that the miracle occurs.

In the congregation on this particular Sabbath was a man with a withered hand. Since the Pharisees and scribe were there hoping that Jesus would heal the man so they could accuse him, some have suggested that the scribes and Pharisees arranged for the man to be in the synagogue.It was after the first year of popularity that the Lord encountered opposition from the religious leaders who subjected Him to an ever increasing scrutiny. It is the same for any leaders raised up by God. Their personal lives will necessitate a very circumspect walk under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, for their every word and action is noted.

Jesus consistently attacked the Pharisees’ legalistic traditions concerning the Sabbath day. Their strict observances were pure hypocrisy. They worshipped the Sabbath more than they did the Lord. They had made a god out of the Sabbath day. The wickedness of the religious leaders was plain and clear for all who wished to see. They were intent upon destroying the reputation of Jesus. They were not at all moved by the sufferings of the sick and afflicted.
Note: Traditions and legalism harden the heart. “The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life” (2 Cor. 3:6). The Lord healed this man on the Sabbath day, seeking to break the bondage of legalism in which the Pharisees were entrapped.

The Elements of the Miracle

The Man With The Withered Hand. (Mark 3:1)

The term “withered” is (exerammenen – Mark 3:1) in the original the word designates a condition of recent origins. The passive verb seems to indicate that the man was born with this handicap, but that it was later caused by some accident or injury. 

[The Complete Biblical Library. Mark. p. 69]

According to extra-biblical sources (The Gospel of Hebrews) the man states that he is a stone mason, and he asks Jesus to heal him that he could resume working, which lend credibility that this man hand could have been the result of an injury.

Luke is the only writer to point out it was the man’s right hand. In the Jewish mind, the right hand was a symbol of power and strength. It was used for greetings and to bestow blessing. The right hand was the “clean hand” meaning a good Jew always ate with his right hand. The left hand was used for bodily functions. With apologies to all you who may be left handed, the left hand was considered the “unclean hand.” Since this man’s right hand was withered, he was handicapped physically and psychologically.

The Anger of Jesus. (Mark 3:5)

“And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts…”

Jesus felt compassion for the man with the withered hand. But he was angered by the heartlessness and lack of compassion exhibited by the scribes and Pharisees.

One of the reasons that we have difficulty seeing Jesus being angry is because we associate anger with sinfulness. The truth is that anyone can get angry. The old as well as the young can be angry. The rich as well as the poor get angry. Everyone has the capacity for anger. In Psalms we are told to “flee from anger” but the Apostle Paul says, “Be angry and sin not…” (Eph. 4:26). Jesus was angry but it was not sin because the motive behind His anger was right.

What made God (Jesus) angry?

1.When he saw the right being trampled under foot. (Isa 5:20-25)

2.When he saw God law being desecrated. (Ex 32:19-20)

3.When he saw God house being turned into a den of thieves. (Cleansing of the Temple)

In Matthew (12:11) he gives an illustration about a sheep in a pit that shows that doing good on the Sabbath is all right. Now the Lord exposes their hypocrisy, for they themselves will go to the aid of a dumb animal on the Sabbath day and not consider it a violation of the law.

This brings up an interesting problem, by the time of the New Testament, there was such a perversion of human value, and animals were more valuable than people. Isn't it also true in our society, with its concern for “animal rights"? We save spotted owl eggs but abort millions of babies each year.

I don’t know if this man just caught Jesus’ eye or if he did plead for mercy and healing as historical references suggest. But it is certain that Jesus was aware of the man’s need as well as the scheme to accuse Him (Mark 3:2). Jesus could have healed privately to avoid this conflict but Jesus chose to face this issue head on.There was no hidden miracle here, it was before their very eyes. In a place of prominence the Lord
showed forth His power and glory.

The Effects of the Miracle

The Man is Healed

He called for the man to step forward and by doing so determined to do everything openly. Jesus looked at his audience and was angered by their hardness of heart, he asked the question, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent.”(Mark 6:4) He allowed that question to sink in. He is asking, “What was the Sabbath for, to make men miserable or to be a blessing?” The opponents of Jesus had no answer (Mark emphasizes that they were silent). Jesus then sensing their utter frustration, challenged them by looking directly at them (Mark 6:5), commanded the man to stretch out his life-less hand and when he did so he was healed.

The Pharisees were so concerned with obeying the letter of the law they had long since forgotten the spirit of the law.

The miraculous healing was like a giant exclamation point which said that Jesus was indeed the LORD of the Sabbath.

The Religious Leaders are Aroused

I don’t believe that Pharisees had any sense of guilt but they were very sensitive to shame and Jesus had shamed them publicly. The effect of the miracle was immediate for the Pharisees were “filled with rage” (Luke 6:11) which implies a senseless rage.

Although literally he does not lift so much as a finger to work and does not break the Sabbath, the leaders are enraged anyway and they get together with the Herodians (Mark 3:6) on the Sabbath to plot the murder of some one who has just done a good deed.

Rev. Dr. Bailey says-

This is a very interesting point here. The Pharisees went and took counsel with the Herodians. It is important for us to understand who the Herodians and Pharisees were. The Pharisees arose in the time of the Maccabeans. They were called separatists because they did not get involved with politics. They were the guardians of the Law, concerned only with the religious life of the community.
The Herodians, on the other hand, were a political party. They took their name from the family of Herod, deriving their authority from the Roman government. They were interested in the status quo—they did not want anything to change.
The Pharisees and the Herodians were archenemies. The Pharisees wanted to bring in a religious Jewish state, while the Herodians were devoted to Herod, who was allied with Rome. But it is interesting that these two enemies were united in the same cause to destroy Jesus. There also is the classic example of Herod and Pilate being reunited at the crucifixion of Jesus. They had a common cause—both had, in a sense, unjustly condemned Him. 
This aligning of enemies happens today too. Usually when there is a division in a church, those who were once enemies become united with a common cause, seeking to undermine the authority of the pastor. If you follow the Lord, you will experience this in your lifetime.

Application

What does this tell us about keeping the Sabbath Today?

1.The Sabbath is not as important some people think.

In the Old Testament, for Jesus and his disciples and for Jewish people today, the Sabbath was Saturday (actually Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown).

Some groups like the Seventh-Day Adventist and the Seventh-Day Baptist, believe that Christians should observe Saturday as our day of worship. But for more than 2000 years, almost all Christians have observed Sunday, not Saturday, as the Lord’s Day. Which brings us to another problem - some Christians treat Sunday as a Christian Sabbath? While some Christians believe Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, this is nowhere taught in the Word of God. Oddly enough those who claim that we should observe a strict Sabbath on Sunday are really contradicting themselves. The important thing is that we set aside time for rest and worship.

(Col. 2:16-17)

“So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what is to come; the substance is Christ” (The Message)

The seriousness with which the Jews took the Sabbath day caused them to lose Jerusalem to Ptolemy Lagos, one of Alexander the Great’s generals who founded the Egyptian Dynasty.
The Greek historian Agatharchides of Cnidus wrote a work called the Acts of Alexander’s Successors, which is quoted by Josephus (Book XII. I. I).
In this historical account, Ptolemy was able to capture Jerusalem even though it was heavily fortified because the Jews refused to take up arms in its defense on the Sabbath day. They preferred hard servitude and Egyptian exile to taking up arms on the Sabbath. This was the reason for the tremendous hatred the Pharisees had for Jesus. Their hatred for Jesus blinded them to the good that Jesus did by healing the afflicted person. The Pharisees’ hatred for Jesus was caused by bigotry and a misunderstanding of the purpose of the Law.
We should pause here to receive instruction from this portion of Scripture. Doctrinal error produces rigidity, spiritual inflexibility, pride, and a zeal to promote that error to the exclusion of all other truth. It causes people to be cliquish and critical of anyone else who does not espouse their error. This is more than a wrong idea or concept—it is an evil spirit. In plain terms, these are doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4:1).
Naturally, demons want their doctrines to ensnare many by their error, causing them to leave the pathway of righteousness. Paul spoke of this false zeal in Romans 10:2-3: “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

2. A doctrine can become an idol.
If there was one doctrine above all others that the Lord had to counter in His ministry, it was that of the misguided and erroneous teachings with respect to the sabbath day that had become idolatrous to the rabbis. A doctrine can become an idol.Now that their idol had been touched and effectively destroyed, the religious leaders sought to kill the Lord.

How important it is for each one of us to rid ourselves of our idols and seek the Lord for a pure heart. Otherwise we will end up rejecting and mightily opposing what the Lord will do in the future. Again the Lord seeks for fresh strength in prayer to face the ensuing days of ministry.

In the succeeding generations of the Church Age, it is worthy to note that each generation has likewise had its own particular false doctrine to oppose. The Lord appeals again to the spirit of the law, not to the letter of the law, saying: “Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?”