Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
After Jesus healed the man with the withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath, the Pharisees went out and plotted together how they might kill and destroy Him. Before the healing they had watched Him eagerly, seeking grounds to condemn Him as a transgressor of the law and to find opportunity for false accusation against Him. Their plan to kill on the Sabbath stood in stark contrast to His deeds of mercy that brought healing and happiness, for while they were plotting His death He was healing the multitudes that followed Him. His merciful healing honored the Sabbath and upheld the fourth commandment according to God's law, breaking down the wall of traditional human requirements that barricaded the day. When He knew their purpose to destroy Him, He withdrew with His disciples to a more favorable place to continue His work of teaching and healing.
Sabbath Confrontation Setting
The council against Him followed at once upon the healing in the synagogue on the Sabbath, when after He restored the man with the withered hand the Pharisees went out and plotted together how they might kill and destroy Him. Their hostility grew out of that Sabbath mercy, turning to malice, rage, and united conspiracy against Him. What they purposed was not mere opposition but destruction and death.
Before the healing they had already been watching Him eagerly, seeking grounds to condemn Him as a transgressor under the law. Jealousy and hatred moved them to watch for a chance to accuse Him and to bring charges against Him. They pursued Him to find opportunity for false accusation, eager to condemn Him for breaking down the wall of traditional requirements that barricaded the Sabbath.
In the confrontation He claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath and challenged them about doing good and saving life on the Sabbath. He exposed their Sabbath-breaking accusation against Him as false. Enraged by that exposure and by the healing itself, they conspired to destroy Him.
When Jesus knew their purpose to destroy Him, He withdrew from them with His disciples. He removed to a more favorable place and another field of labor. There He continued His work of teaching and healing.
True Sabbath Vindicated
Jesus kept the Sabbath according to God's law rather than conforming to the rabbis' requirements, breaking down the wall of traditional requirements that barricaded the Sabbath. His merciful healing of the man with the withered hand honored the Sabbath and upheld the fourth commandment while rejecting the human restrictions that dishonored the day. His works were in perfect harmony with the law.
His Sabbath observance and conduct exposed their false teaching and the selfish, arbitrary character it gave to the Sabbath. They had watched Him eagerly seeking grounds to condemn Him under the law as a transgressor and Sabbath-breaker, but they could not prove that He had transgressed it, so their charge could not be sustained. If it could have been sustained they would not have needed to hire false witnesses against Him.
Malice Answered by Mercy
The plotting to kill on the Sabbath exposed a wide contrast between murderous intent and deeds of mercy that brought healing and happiness. After the healing of the man with the withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath, opposition hardened into a plan to destroy Him, with His challenge about doing good and saving life on the Sabbath answered by hatred and pursuit for grounds of false accusation. His merciful act honored the Sabbath and upheld the fourth commandment while rejecting human restrictions that dishonored the day. No external observance can compensate for lack of kindness and compassion. Their profession to be in special favor with God and in advance of all others on earth did not keep them from opposing a good work but made them interpose themselves between God and the people.
The healing made the man His disciple and led many witnesses to give glory to God, yet it did not cure prejudice and unbelief. Enraged by His doing good on the Lord's day, they would rather have left the afflicted man crippled than have him healed before the people. Jealousy and hatred led them to watch for a chance to accuse Him and bring charges against Him and condemn Him to death. Their jealous, hateful, blind opposition, following His claim to be Lord of the Sabbath and His exposure of their Sabbath accusation as false, grieved Christ.
While they were engaged in plotting His death, Christ was healing all the great multitudes that followed Him. That work was genuine medical missionary work to relieve those under the cruel power of Satan. He charged them not to make Him known, because He alone could break that power.
After Jesus healed the man with the withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath, the Pharisees went out and plotted together how they might kill and destroy Him. Before the healing they had watched Him eagerly, seeking grounds to condemn Him as a transgressor of the law and to find opportunity for false accusation against Him. Their plan to kill on the Sabbath stood in stark contrast to His deeds of mercy that brought healing and happiness, for while they were plotting His death He was healing the multitudes that followed Him. His merciful healing honored the Sabbath and upheld the fourth commandment according to God's law, breaking down the wall of traditional human requirements that barricaded the day. When He knew their purpose to destroy Him, He withdrew with His disciples to a more favorable place to continue His work of teaching and healing.
Sabbath Confrontation Setting
The council against Him followed at once upon the healing in the synagogue on the Sabbath, when after He restored the man with the withered hand the Pharisees went out and plotted together how they might kill and destroy Him. Their hostility grew out of that Sabbath mercy, turning to malice, rage, and united conspiracy against Him. What they purposed was not mere opposition but destruction and death.
Before the healing they had already been watching Him eagerly, seeking grounds to condemn Him as a transgressor under the law. Jealousy and hatred moved them to watch for a chance to accuse Him and to bring charges against Him. They pursued Him to find opportunity for false accusation, eager to condemn Him for breaking down the wall of traditional requirements that barricaded the Sabbath.
In the confrontation He claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath and challenged them about doing good and saving life on the Sabbath. He exposed their Sabbath-breaking accusation against Him as false. Enraged by that exposure and by the healing itself, they conspired to destroy Him.
When Jesus knew their purpose to destroy Him, He withdrew from them with His disciples. He removed to a more favorable place and another field of labor. There He continued His work of teaching and healing.
True Sabbath Vindicated
Jesus kept the Sabbath according to God's law rather than conforming to the rabbis' requirements, breaking down the wall of traditional requirements that barricaded the Sabbath. His merciful healing of the man with the withered hand honored the Sabbath and upheld the fourth commandment while rejecting the human restrictions that dishonored the day. His works were in perfect harmony with the law.
His Sabbath observance and conduct exposed their false teaching and the selfish, arbitrary character it gave to the Sabbath. They had watched Him eagerly seeking grounds to condemn Him under the law as a transgressor and Sabbath-breaker, but they could not prove that He had transgressed it, so their charge could not be sustained. If it could have been sustained they would not have needed to hire false witnesses against Him.
Malice Answered by Mercy
The plotting to kill on the Sabbath exposed a wide contrast between murderous intent and deeds of mercy that brought healing and happiness. After the healing of the man with the withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath, opposition hardened into a plan to destroy Him, with His challenge about doing good and saving life on the Sabbath answered by hatred and pursuit for grounds of false accusation. His merciful act honored the Sabbath and upheld the fourth commandment while rejecting human restrictions that dishonored the day. No external observance can compensate for lack of kindness and compassion. Their profession to be in special favor with God and in advance of all others on earth did not keep them from opposing a good work but made them interpose themselves between God and the people.
The healing made the man His disciple and led many witnesses to give glory to God, yet it did not cure prejudice and unbelief. Enraged by His doing good on the Lord's day, they would rather have left the afflicted man crippled than have him healed before the people. Jealousy and hatred led them to watch for a chance to accuse Him and bring charges against Him and condemn Him to death. Their jealous, hateful, blind opposition, following His claim to be Lord of the Sabbath and His exposure of their Sabbath accusation as false, grieved Christ.
While they were engaged in plotting His death, Christ was healing all the great multitudes that followed Him. That work was genuine medical missionary work to relieve those under the cruel power of Satan. He charged them not to make Him known, because He alone could break that power.