Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

During one of our home studies a few months back, a brother started to see that I “trivialized” the sabbath, and we chatted about how Christians “esteem one day as better than another while another esteems all days alike” He readily admits coming from a sabbatarian background and we had a good discussion. I mentioned that I see Jesus as the Christian’s sabbath, and that seemed to take him aback somewhat.. I challenged him to study Hebrews 4 and get back to me.

I started this series of post with a passage out of John 5, and I thought it fitting if we return to it as our final passage. It is, in my opinion, the most jarring statement in the New Testament in relation to Jesus’s relationship to the Sabbath.

Let’s see how the sabbath (or Jesus) becomes a tripping stone for some in the following passage

John 5:1-18

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.

3 In these lay a multitude of invalids–blind, lame, and paralyzed.

5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

Thirty-eight years an invalid.

I assume this man had been born an invalid.

No matter, since this man showed evidence of permanent incapacity.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”

Why ask that question? Is it not obvious?

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes I do not want help – I just wanna sit in my puddle of sobs and be left alone in my pity.

I have nothing compared to this poor soul, so imagine how easy after 38 years of suffering a beggars life, to give up and become callous to any who ask foolish questions.

Some folks don’t want help. This fella hadn’t given up yet. Desperate, but still a sliver of hope. Kinda respect that.

7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”

It seemed he came to the pool, hoping against hope to get to the pool. Remember, he is not blind or deaf, or simply has a withered hand, but he is an “established” invalid. What type of hopeless situation was this man living in? All his competitors (other suffering souls at the pool) for the rare time, if any, that the pool was “stirred up” easily could get to the pool. This man simply had to watch all his hopes being taken away from him.

Such an hopeless situation.

8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”

A simple command from God Almighty. Will the invalid do what has never been able to do? Current circumstances and all appearances yell that it would be foolish to try.

Except for that Word that came from this teacher. How audacious for Him to simply command a cripple to do the impossible. How cruel, if but…

9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.

At once the man was healed. He who once was a burden, became a burden bearer, carrying his own mat.

Oh and by the way, it was the Sabbath!

10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.”

Here we go again.

Will this controversy never let up? This poor man just had to have some trouble on this most glorious day of being rescued from his crippling condition for over 38 years! And who but some religious folk to rain on this man’s parade (that he could actually take part in now that he can walk!)

11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.'”

Just being a good witness. Tell what you know. Nothing more, nothing less.

12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”

13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.

It is a telling statement that the man didn’t “know” who healed him. Granted, it was early in the Lord’s ministry (aprox. 12 months) and Jesus face may not be on the wanted posters around Jerusalem yet.

Beyond that, the Lord didn’t seem to advertise Himself. A number of times, it seems He does a miracle and slips away. Almost like doing miracles was not that miraculous for Him.

He is so altogether different than us!

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

Was the man in the temple because the Jews dragged him there or was he there worshiping God? Don’t know, but Jesus gave this man a warning similar to the woman condemned of adultery.

15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

In my mind this man went from a fella I respected for the hope he held onto, to a man who became a tattle tale. Is that a fair assessment? Not sure.

Could this act of tattling to the Jews be considered the sin Jesus was warning about? I will leave that question for my reader.

16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

Is Jesus initiating a discussion with the Jews? Is He gonna get into it?

By golly, this one is gonna be a slugfest!

He stated His Father was working with Him in context of the Sabbath!

Verse 17 is only ten words, but ten more explosive words may not have been uttered!

18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

My friend, consider Jesus, who being equal with God, has become our resting place, or Sabbath.

Look to the Lord and let the day fade. He is worthy.

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

As my reader is purveying this post, I ask that you consider the relevancy of this situation to our current conditions within the modern church.

Mark 1:21-28

21  And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.

Jesus went into the synagogue, obviously in an effort to keep the Sabbath.  Really?

Some may see Jesus attendance at a synagogue as proof that He keep the Sabbath, and that what the Jews were really upset about was their rules and not the 4th commandment.   I’m not convinced, since there are alternative reasons He attended.  Maybe He was looking for a captive audience, and audience that showed a desire (outwardly at least for some) for a knowledge of God.

Paul entered synagogues also, but he simply did that to find Jews gathered

22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,

Again with unclean spirits in a synagogue.  It seems the the Jewish nation was becoming familiar with familiar spirits (That wordplay may only reach those hardcore KJV folks!)

No matter, it is apparent that in the midst of Jesus ministry, unclean spirits are present.

24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God.”

In this case, the unclean spirit cried out statements of truth.

25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

Be silent?

But these statements are true and on their own, are without contradiction.

The Holy One of God will destroy the unclean spirits.  (Check out the post “Perishing in Eternal Torment” for some thoughts on destruction)

But more importantly for you and I, He is the Holy One of God!

So why be silent?

You know, when a comedian gets on stage, and some heckler is mocking him, stealing the show, or even telling good things about the comedian, the comedian needs to evaluate whether the source is benefiting his show.

In no way am I equating Jesus with a comedian, but when this passage, and others like it, come up, I think of this illustration and remember the “consider the source!”

A dirty vessel only supplies dirty water – it is tainted,

Let us be clean vessels for the Master’s use.

26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

It seems this is the only time Jesus performed a miracle on the Sabbath and didn’t get into a discussion with the Jews over it.  It may have been early on in His ministry, and the shock value of His authority and effective healing may not have settled into the leaderships conscience.  But it will, and they will realize that this teacher is going for the jugular!

28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Is His fame spreading nowadays?  Let’s seek to be clean vessels.

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of posts on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

Let’s stay in the gospel of Luke for our next post.  Our last post dealt with a synagogue ruler called out as a hypocrite!

This miracle will have a response from the Jewish religious leadership, but somewhat different.  Outward discussion with Jesus was a failing method of retaining power.  Things were going to get notched up a bit!

Luke 14:1-6

1  One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.

2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy.

Dropsy.

What in tarnation is dropsy?

In modern times, we call it edema.  A swelling or fluid retention in the legs, arms and face.

Acute pulmonary edema can be fatal.

3 And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”

4 But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away.

Jesus healed the man, and sent him away.  This time the religious Jews weren’t going to get a chance to persecute the newly healed man.  What a relief.

These lawyers and pharisees were silent before the miracle occurred.  They were silent after the miracle took place.  Amazing!

One of my favorite proverbs is

5 And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”

Note that by this time, the argument for healing the sick on the Sabbath was established, comparing the sick with a fallen ox, or a thirsty mule.  See the previous post  Jesus on the Sabbath – Part 6 – A Withering Response

6 And they could not reply to these things.

Pretty sure they were not calmly considering the argument.  Action plans were being formulated.

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

Our next passage to delve into is the woman stricken with a disability for 18 years.  Eighteen years of being bent over, bound by Satan!

Luke 13:10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

Jesus was able to teach in the synagogue as He often did.  He found an audience, and He was teaching those who would hear and see of His identity.  Every sermon or message He gave was of His identity, and their need of realizing this truth!

Though He was in the synagogue, He found opposition fairly often in them.  Many of those who followed Him were of the riff raff, the lowly and disaffected, those without a religious heritage.

11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.

A little later in the passage, Jesus defines the source of her debilitation.

12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”

13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.

Seven words.  One touch.  Immediately she was upright.

Note that this is Luke telling the story.  Dr Luke.  No doctor can do what Jesus does, when He wills to perform some healing.

14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”

Said to the people?  What gives with that?  This ruler was trying to control the miraculous.  Good luck with that.

The woman came to the synagogue to worship, and the God she worshiped, bent over and crippled, came to her and healed her.  And a religious man rebuked the crowd of faithful worshipers of God, in order to protect the Sabbath.

Who was made for who again?  (Check out an earlier post Jesus on the Sabbath – Part 4 – My Authority!)

15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it?

Hypocrites

Jesus didn’t hold back here.  Calling the ruler of the synagogue (and others) hypocrites was harsh from my point of view, but then again, I am a Canadian, and you know that Canadians are just soooo polite, and apologetic. Sorry bout that, don’t you know.

Back to the post – What is it to be a hypocrite?

We all know it has religious undertones, but it was not always so.  During the time of Jesus, it primarily referred to actors in the plays.  Someone acting like someone else. A pretender. A stage player.  Someone behind a mask.

In this instance, the mask is religious, pious, righteous, pure.  That which is under the mask is the real person, the one who treats an animal better than a person.

Is that because the animal is greater than a person?  Of course not.

It is because the animal is owned by the actor, and the actor gains from the service of the animal.  The crippled lady is not so profitable

The mask looks like it loves God.  The person underneath loves himself.

Ya – that is harsh, by anybodies standards.  Jesus ripped into this synagogue leader in front of all.

His logic, again was irrefutable.  It is not unlike the argument used with the withered hand incident.

16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”

Satan bound this woman.

Jesus didn’t claim all sickness was a result of Satan, but this one He did.  This woman either actively invited (or passively allowed) Satan into her life.

And she was a synagogue attendee! Huh

17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

The adversaries were put to shame – for now.  Their day was coming, when jealousy and hatred ruled the air, and their power of life and death seemed absolute.

Seemed, I said.

He did rise again, only to rule over all!  Hallelujah – He is alive and willing to save.  Repent of your sins, believe the good news and follow the One who is worthy!

Don’t be a hypocrite like the religious leader Jesus rebuked.  Be honest with yourself and with all around you.  Love people and not things. Admit your failings, walk in humility, and seek to hear and obey the One who loves you.

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

Our last post described the seeing mans response to his neighbors.  In this post, things heat up for this man, being brought in from on the religious leadership of the nation of Israel.

Hint – this guy is awesome!!

Interrogation

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.

14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.

It is interesting that John, the author of this gospel, links the Sabbath with the Pharisees.  Up until now, the Sabbath hadn’t been a concern.

Not so now.  Sabbath breaking was the expertise of the Pharisees.  They would get to the bottom of it.

15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

Same story as to the neighbors.  That is the beauty of telling the truth.  No effort at repeating a story.  Just repeat the facts.

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

How does the keeping of the Sabbath become an issue with this miracle?

Mud production!

I couldn’t find anything directly related to this specific method of work being declared unlawful prior to this miracle.  You see, I am not well read in the traditions of the elders.

I assume they saw this act of mercy upon the blind man, (but more importantly, a clear sign of Jesus as their Messiah – see previous post!) found some loop hole in the volumes of laws they had, and built an accusation.

Whoa Carl – Are you saying the Jewish leadership knew He was claiming to be the Messiah?

YES

And are you saying they sought to destroy Him because He was fulfilling the Messianic prophecies?

YES

How could they not?

Jesus was becoming more and more popular and divisive every day.  If He succeeded in convincing the nation of His Messianic status, the Pharisees would loose all power prestige and honor.  They ain’t gonna put up with that!

Divisive?

Yes, even amongst the Jewish leadership, there were a minority who considered the claims Jesus was making, and were opening their eyes.

Others within the leadership had to build a case against Him.  This group saw His claims and the strength of His teaching and miracles, and could not allow it.

Seeing, they became blind.  (John 9: 39)

As a side note, it is interesting that after the ministry of Christ, it appears that the Mishnah does forbid the healing of a blind man by this very method.

“To heal a blind man on the Sabbath it is prohibited to inject wine in his eyes. It is also prohibited to make mud with spittle and smear it on his eyes” (Shabbat 108:20)

Gotta make them rules!!!

Our next post will enter into Luke 13:10-17.  Hope to visit with you then.

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

In our last post, we were looking at the miracle of the blind man seeing.  In this post, the message of the healing is not lost on the Jewish leadership.  Things are heating up between the Pharisees and the Lord.

First off, let’s see how this seeing man handles himself with his neighbors

Discussions and Questions

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”

This formerly blind man was well known in the neighborhood.  He had been a fixture in the area, and was recognized by many, but not all, which is kinda curious.  He had his sight given to him, not a tummy tuck and a nose job!

9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.”

Division.   Someone has brought division amongst the religious – Hummm.  I wonder Who?

The Pharisees were divided.  The neighborhood was divided. A little later in the text, the parents were divided.  Not with each other, but divided from this new disciple of Jesus.  They would not commit any answer to the Jewish leadership.

How sad!

How unnecessary.

And yet, how common, though for the Master to be the source of division.  He claimed that He was sent yielding a sword and there would be division within families due to Him

10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”

The buzz was everywhere.  Everyone had heard of the miracle.  It was obvious to all that this man had been healed.  The issue was who performed the miracle! This initial test was passed with flying colors by the blind man because he simply told of what he knew.  This is the perfect description of a witness.  Tell what you know.  Don’t exaggerate, or flagellate, expand or deflate the story.  Tell the truth.

These neighbors were the first court of public opinion that the blind man had to venture through.  It turns out to be the easiest, since the neighbors seemed (in comparison to the Pharisees below) to be without much of any agenda.

11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.”

12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

The blind man knew it was “a man named Jesus”.  Fair enough.  He is telling the truth of his story.  He knew of Jesus as a man only.  He didn’t know where He was.

This discussion with the blind man was going no where.  The neighbors started to get a bit peeved, and decided to deliver the man to the Pharisees.

Bringing him to the professionals!

Join me in my next post to see how this seeing man blinds the Pharisees with his witness.  Hope to see you there – no pun intended!

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

I was out with my first grandson yesterday, and he likes to read me the Bible during our ventures.  I could simply stream a passage for both to hear, but this is so much better.  I git to interrupt him, explain things that might not be obvious for a young boy, and challenge him in considering who this Jesus is.

It was awesome, and as we spoke together, the Lord reminded me of great things He has done.

Like I said, he asked what passage he could read to me and I immediately thought of this passage.  It is a favorite and I am looking forward to diggin in a bit with you.

John 9:1-16

John 9:1

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.

I asked Elias if this man had ever seen in his life.  Never.  I explained that in no time during the history of the nation of Israel had any person, born blind been healed of their blindness.  Some of the prophets raised people from the dead (only for them to die again later), but not one had ever healed a blind man.  And this fella had been blind since birth.

This miracle gives more than the simple physical healing of a blind man, miraculous as it is.  This miracle points to Jesus as the promised Messiah.  Consider two Old Testament prophecies of the Messiahs role as a healer.

Isaiah 29:18 …..And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened…

Isaiah 42:7  …To open blind eyes,

Psalm 146:8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind…

The blind man, born blind, benefited greatly from this mercy from the Lord.

The greater truth is that this miracle was another proof (to those willing to see) of the identity of Jesus.  Do not be unwilling to see!

2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

How could this man have sinned in the womb, in order for the “judgement of blindness” to be effected?  I tell you, there was some messed up thinking during this time.  It sure is good our thinking is so straightened out. (A bit waggish there, don’t you know!)

4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

How appropriate to bring in the character of light when dealing with a blind man?  Back in John 8:12, in discussion with the Pharisees, He spoke of being the Light of the world and that following Him will keep us out of darkness.

Now He is speaking to a man who has been in physical darkness his entire life.  This man will become a sign for the nation, and for individuals watching, that the Messiah has arrived.

6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud

During Elias’s reading, I had him stop to consider what just happened in the  text.  Jesus “horked” on the sand, pulled some dirt up with it and rubbed it on the blind mans eyes.

Imagine the hygiene issues with this method.  Imagine the grit and grime associated with the mud on (or in!) the eyes.  This may be one time the blind man may be happy he was blind, not knowing what was going to happen to him.

7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Note that the cure did not come at the hands of Jesus only.  Don’t be alarmed – I am not saying that the power of God through Jesus Christ is not fully responsible for this miracle.

The obedience of the blind man, in having to go to the pool (as a blind man!) gave evidence of his faith.

He went.

He washed.

He came back seeing.

I don’t know if this could be considered saving faith, but it did evidence a willingness to believe in the unconventional.  Verse 11, indicates that the blind man knew the healing prophet was Jesus of Nazareth so faith in the prophet was evident.

He will be challenged in his faith later.

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

You know, since we looked at Matthew 12, it occurred to me that Jesus may have healed on the Sabbath at other times.  And my occurrence was accurate!

As a matter of fact, I found six more occurrences of the Lord healing on the Sabbath, for a total of seven healings on the Sabbath.  Golly, it seems the Lord sometimes chooses the Sabbath to heal on to get a point across.  sometimes it is simply out of love to the victim, that He does’t even consider the day He heals on

Lets stay in the book of Mark and consider Simon’s mother in law with some of the repercussions / implications that this has on our lives.

Mark 1:29-31

Mark 1:29–31

And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s (Peter) house right after a teaching time in a synagogue.

Did Jesus teach during this Sabbath? Definitely, since the passage prior to the one we are considering, in verse 21, teaches us this.

Not only did He teach, He did a wee bit of disrupting.

Mark 1:22

And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Concerned over His miracles

This particular Sabbath, Jesus met a demoniac (in the synagogue!), rebuked him, exorcised him and brought great fame upon His name throughout the region.

Mark 1:27

“What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

Lets remember our context here.

On a Sabbath day, in a synagogue, filled with pious Jews.  Questions and concerns over authority.  Yet at this miracle, no mention of breaking the Sabbath from those faithful to the synagogue.

Interesting!

I checked the parallel passage in Luke and nothing there to link the miracle with breaking the Sabbath.

Let me suggest that this miracle on the Sabbath shook the people off balance.  Since it is relatively early in His ministry (Check out BLB Harmony of Gospels), those who would eventually become Christ’s antagonists had not organized yet, and were still in shock mode.  Often, in the gospels, the antagonists would scheme together, planning how to trip up this new miracle Worker.

At this point in the gospels, this may not have occurred.  The focused and concentrated hatred had not been formed at this time.  But give it time and it will become fully formed, and seek the life of the only Lifegiver.

Back to the passage under consideration – Simon’s mother in law and her fever

30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.

Jesus healed the demoniac hours earlier.  Why could He not heal a simple fever?  Alas, He did, and without considering which day it was.  Remember, in this instance, it seems He simply healed His friends mother in law without using it to initiate a discussion with religious folk.  He wasn’t “on the attack”, as we discussed in the Matthew 12:1-8.  See previous post Jesus on the Sabbath- Part 1 – Rubbing Grain.

31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

Mark uses the word “immediately” continuously through his gospel.  His telling of the ministry of Christ is fast paced and relentless.  How long did it take to get from the synagogue to the house of Peter?  Not sure.  It appears they left the synagogue and ventured directly to the home.  If so, this miracle occurred within the time of Sabbath observance, along with the mother-in-laws serving of the Master and His disciples.

Okay, maybe she was a gentile and the Sabbath didn’t apply to her.  Not likely.

It is my understanding the Jewish households, in order to keep Sabbath, would hire gentiles within the area to enter their homes in order to do labor during the Sabbath.  Tasks might include such things as beginning a fire or cleaning a dish.

No work allowed for an observant Jew.  If the mother in law was an observant Jew, this service to the Master and His disciples was revolutionary.  If she was non-observant, her service simply showed evidence of His growing following

All heck is gonna break loose if this new Teacher continues to affect the population with His authority.  The implications were huge, and eventually the Jewish leadership will  figure it out.

His authority is still disrupting religious life.

If you are a religious person, you need to experience some disrupting.   He is the One who we need to follow.

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Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

After introducing the logical argument of rescuing the sheep before rescuing the man, Jesus doesn’t wait for an answer, since it is so obvious – He simply saves this poor man’s life by healing his withered hand, his right hand (See Luke 6:6), very possibly giving this man his lively hood back, if not only his social life.

Stand up poor man, in front of all these religious pharisees, and let the Messiah give you strength to stretch out you hand!

Notice that Jesus didn’t do His miracles “in a corner”, where none would see, but in the most public places, forcing people to make decisions about Him.

Paul also describes his ministry as being public and available, in Acts 26:26

Acts 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Let’s continue with Matthew.

Matthew 12:13  Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.

On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand, but it is with the help of the man stretching out his hand – Golly, that sounds like work to me, and on the Sabbath of all days!

Upon the action of the man stretching out his hand, restoration came.  I wanna think the restoration came with full functionality and strength in his hand, and that no rehabilitation for his hand would be required.  No partial healing, or temporary fixes.

Matthew 12:14  But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

Jesus did address these folks twice so ya gotta kind understand their desire for blood.  What?  They conspired to destroy the Messiah.  Notice that this is early on in the Messiah’s ministry, if I recall, sometime in His first year of public ministry.

Things were not looking good right from the start.

How difficult it is to reach the religious.  Entrenched in “truth”, with stubbornness disguised as faithfulness, some of us refuse to reconsider the Word of God given to us by the Author of Life.  So often in my own pilgrimage, earlier teachings have been found to be insufficient (or, in my  humble opinion erroneous), and repentance had to occur.  Without a spirit of repentance in your life, willing to change your mind by being persuaded by the Word, no growth can occur.

It is the normal Christian life to be in repentance mode as new truth is found in your studies.

Am I advocating change for the sake of change?  Absolutely not.

Am I advocating for personal responsibility in understanding the Word of God through  reading and study of the Word of God?

Absolutely!

But know this – things will change in your life and you best hold on!

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Recently I penned a series of post on the Ten Commandments and as I was writing it, found that the Sabbath day was the only commandment not reapplied  to believers in the New Testament.

In writing that series of posts, I was reminded that the Sabbath day was one of the main irritants between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisees.

Our last post spoke of the hardened heart within the Pharisee, and how accusation was the goal of their question.  How did Jesus respond?

Let’s enter into the passage again.

Sheep or Men

Matthew 12:11  He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?

Here the Messiah introduces a simple consideration, a real life situation that all sheep owners can relate to.  It is a question that obviously requires an answer in the affirmative.  Of course the Pharisees would lift their own sheep out of the pit.

Is their sheep’s life in danger?

Not likely.

Would lifting a 40 lb sheep be considered work according to the Pharisees?

Slightly obvious answer to that question when you consider that rubbing wheat  together in your hands constitutes “illegal” work.  (How inconsistent!)

Matthew 12:12  Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Jesus then brings out the unanswerable response.  If they answered, they would condemn their own doctrine.  Trapped.  (Is He ever good at this logic thing.)

You see, the argument compares the owners of the victim.

Notice that He is also teaching these Pharisees that He is the Creator/Owner of the man with the withered hand, and by extension each of us in our withered lives.  The Pharisee would rescue their property, that is the sheep.  The Messiah is willing to rescue His “property”, that is the man with the withered hand

But the argument also hinges on the value of the victim!

A sheep and a man are of totally different value.  One was a sacrificial animal, supplying food and clothing until it’s death.  The other, the broken and crippled man, Jesus died for.

Of how much more worth is the soul of a man?

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.