Knowing The Word in Luke 6:6-10

A Man with a Withered Hand

6:6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Comments

Luke is on a Sabbath roll, showing that Jesus has a pattern of healing on the Sabbath. “Withered,” used to describe the man’s hand, is a word for dried plants, suggesting muscular atrophy. That it is the right hand affected, probably means that he could not use his dominant hand. The ever-present and critical Pharisees are more interested in accusation than healing, in prosecution than charity. They need to be careful, however, as Jesus is a mind reader. He challenges them and their wrong beliefs.

Jesus commanded healing by his word, not by doing anything physically. It should remind us of how God created the world by his word. This healing on the Sabbath demonstrates Jesus’ lordship of the day and over disease. The Pharisees had been given the opportunity to stand up for compassion and goodness. In their pride, they failed to do so. Their unrepentance leads them into deep anger at God himself. The last place anyone wants to be.

Application

Have you ever been angry at God? I have been but only for a short time. God can take our anger. One of the stages of grief is anger, and sometimes our anger can turn toward God. But notice it is a stage. Grief is part of the healing process in loss. If we find ourselves permanently angry at God, we become estranged, choosing to shut ourselves away from his love, mercy, gentleness, grace, and fellowship with us. Jesus is our friend. We can get angry with our friends, but if that anger takes hold of our hearts, then our friend becomes an enemy. Let us not become enemies with Jesus, for such is the path that leads to everlasting damnation.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, sometimes I get upset, even angry with you, when things in life do not go as I have planned or desired. Help me not to forget, that even in the midst of these painful times, you are ever-walking with me, leading me to green pastures and still waters for refreshment of my soul. You are my Good Shepherd and I want to adore you and follow you all the days of my life.