42. Healing on the Sabbath
1Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2And the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.3And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come here.” 4And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, to save life?”
But they were silent.
5And he looked around at them and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.a
6The Pharisees went out, and immediately held counsel with the Herodiansb against him, how to destroy him.
(Mk. 3:1–6)
a “his hand was restored.”—Here the master performs a miracle of healing as a challenge to the meaningless restrictions that had been placed upon the observance of the Sabbath day of rest.
b “Herodians”—A political party that sought emancipation from direct Roman rule through the restoration of the Herodian dynasty.
Mk. 3:1 Jesus entered / Again he entered (RSV)
Mk. 3:2 And the Pharisees watched (Mk. 3:6) / And they watched (RSV)
Mk. 3:4 good, to save life? / good or to do harm, to save life or to kill? (RSV)
Mk. 3:5 them and / them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and (RSV) (148:7/1664–65)
