Luke 6:6-11 – Healing on Sabbath

In Luke 6:6-11, give us another Sabbath story. This time Jesus was in the Synagogue and was teaching. Among those seated and listening to Him was a man whose right hand was withered. As we read this passage we can feel the sinister intention of the scribes and Pharisees. So dead against Jesus that they even had intention to take advantage of the healing of a man’s condition, and use it as a reason to accuse Jesus. So they observed Him closely to see if He would be merciful to that poor man. It was not that they wanted him healed, but they wanted to use his healing to indict Jesus.  Truly, those scribes and Pharisees were thoroughly unmerciful and absolutely lost. But the perceptive Jesus could see through their wicked intention. To prove a point, He turned to the man with the withered hand and said, “Get up and come forward!”  And that man obediently did. Turning to the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” They must be stunt for a moment, and wondering, “How could He have read our thoughts and intention?” So Jesus told the man with the withered hand to stretch it out. And that man did as instructed. His shrivelled and atrophied hand returned to normal, just like when he had not had this condition. His right hand was restored instantly. Overcame by rage, the religious leaders then discussed among themselves as to what to do with Jesus. 

What is astonishing in this account is that those who were so well accustomed with the law and claimed to love, were not even aware that by being unconcerned, was evidence that they did not keep the Law. In God’s reckoning, loving God and loving your brother goes hand in glove. It is highly unlikely that we can ever love God whom our eye cannot see, if we cannot even love our fellowmen whom our eyes can see.  Ordinary, one who is exposed to such a miracle would be touched and caused to rethink. But not the scribes and the Pharisees. They were even more enraged. In the other synoptic Gospels, we are told that they plotted to kill Jesus. People who are self-righteous cannot comprehend what is mercy. In fact they have no interest in it at all. They will find it hard to associate with the merciful Jesus.

For us Christians, being merciful is an indication that we are vibrantly connected to Christ. To live such a life is costly. It demands the generous spirit of giving, forgiving and magnanimity. Are we willing to live such a life?