Here again we have a group of pharisees trying to trap Jesus. And once again we have Jesus responding in the perfect way, while at the same time calling out the pharisees for their astonishing hypocrisy. Jesus asks, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good. In the question he is making a reference to the Maccabean revolution. A reference that these Pharisees would not have misunderstood.
During the time of the Maccabean revolution the Greeks attacked Isreal on the sabbath. The jews asked the leaders if it is lawful to fight on the sabbath. They chose to not fight and they were slaughtered. After this tragedy, it became clear to the Greeks that they should only ever attack the Maccabees on the sabbath. And so the Maccabean leaders had to do something, and then decided that it would be lawful to fight in self-defense on the sabbath, in order to save life.
In today’s scene with the Pharisees, Jesus is bringing to mind the Maccabean revolution, and ultimately asking them this one question, if it is lawful to kill on the sabbath in the defense of life, then how much more lawful, would it be to heal life on the sabbath? So Jesus accomplishes two things in this one statement. He clearly makes a case for the lawfulness of His actions, but He also clearly points out the treachery of the pharisees, by showing that they are no different then the Greeks that attack only on the sabbath, in order to catch and defeat their enemy. The insult was not lost on them, but their pride prevented them from understanding and introspection.
Also interesting here is the meaning of the withered hand. In psalm 137, it says “if I ever forget you Jerusalem let my right hand wither.” After Solomon’s death in the divided kingdom, his son Jeroboam fell victim to the temptation of the devil and allowed pagan worship in the northern tribes of Isreal. He sets up two golden calves in bethel and dan and told the people to worship them as the God that saved them from egypt. This idolotry cannot stand, and so the true Lord sent an anonymous man (probably a type of Jesus) to prophesy. This man cries out, and says that the idol will be destroyed, and the son of man will come to restore the Kingdom of Isreal. Jeroboam points at the man and says seize that man, and his hand immediately stiffened, and withers, and he cannot withdraw it (recalling the psalm).
The act of healing that Jesus performs here is not only representative of all of the things mentioned above but it is also a great sign of the fullfillment of prophecy that the anonymous man made to Jereboam. Jesus, by restoring the hand of this crippled jew in capernaum, is telling us that He is essentially healing the wound of Jeroboam, and restoring the 12 tribes to Himself.
The story of Jesus, IS the story of Isreal reaching its ultimate fulfillment. This analogy was also not lost on the jews, and the claim that Jesus is making here is of divinity. The Pharisees cant take it anymore and have to figure out how they are going to deal with this man, and further indict themselves, because they hold counsel (aka. doing work) on the sabbath in order to decide how they are going to destroy Him.
How often does this happen in our lives. How often are we blinded by our ambition and singular focus, and miss the clear message of God’s divine will for our lives. Jesus in this gospel, is pointing out the danger of that reality, and calling us to humility. What will your response be? I hope it is conversion, and change of heart.
