9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. (Matthew 12:9-14 KJV)
A Man with a Withered Hand
It was Sabbath day. When Jesus was done justifying his disciple’s action of plucking the ears of corn to eat, he entered the synagogue. A man with a withered hand was in the synagogue. Despite his disability, he was there, showing that those who cannot do much in the world should be all the more diligent in seeking God.
The Pharisees, seeing Christ’s attention on the man, tested him, asking if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. They did not ask to learn but to accuse him. Their tradition prohibited medical treatment unless life was at risk. If Christ said healing was lawful, they would charge him with breaking the Sabbath; if he said it was unlawful, they would accuse him of inconsistency.
Christ answered by appealing to their own practice. If a sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, they would pull it out—whether out of concern for their property or compassion for the animal. Yet, rescuing the sheep required effort, while his healing required none. How much more valuable is a man than a sheep? (Matthew 12:11-12). And how much more necessary, according to the law of love, to bring immediate relief to someone in distress, even if it is on the Sabbath?
This proves that doing good is lawful on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man’s benefit, and mercy aligns with its purpose. Therefore, it is consistent with God’s law to perform acts of mercy and goodness on the Sabbath, as they are both right in themselves and honoring to God.
Ignoring their objections, Christ commanded the man to stretch out his hand. Though unable to do so on his own, he obeyed and was healed (Matthew 12:13). Had Jesus aligned himself with the Pharisees and their traditions many would have perished and many more would have languished in their suffering.
We learn from the story that since time immemorial, human traditions have been detrimental to society. Even in Israel where the knowledge of God and his law was revealed, human traditions cropped up around the laws and burdened the people mercilessly. The situation was much worse in pagan nations, so to speak. Traditions such as human sacrifices, witch hunting, forced marriage, caste system, and superstition destroyed lives and made many others suffer on end.
We also learn from the story that God’s commands, though beyond our natural ability, come with the power to obey. Like this man, those who perish are inexcusable if they do not attempt to obey, while those who are saved owe everything to Christ’s grace.