1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here." 4 And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

So one Sabbath Jesus again went to church, to the synagogue, to the public meeting (1). Mark says, a man was there with a withered hand (1). Luke, who was a doctor, tells us it was the man's right hand (Luke 6:6). To have a withered hand meant his hand was stiff, deformed, and paralyzed.

The religious leaders, knowing Jesus' character and power, watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath (2). They knew Jesus would see the man. They knew he would be drawn to human brokenness. They didn't care about the man at all.

Instead, they wanted to see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath. Why? Because their legalistic interpretation of the Bible's Sabbath laws had concluded that they could only keep someone from dying on the Sabbath. If life was endangered, or if an injury would worsen without treatment, the community could intervene. Otherwise, all medical help had to wait until the Sabbath was over.

So if Jesus healed the man, they could accuse him (2). The language is legal. They are trying to build a legal case against Jesus.

Jesus knew their thoughts, so he called the man forward (3). Then he asked the religionists a searching question: "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" (4). They had no answer, but were silent (4). This angered Jesus, and in his righteous indignation, he looked around at them, grieved at their hardness of heart (5).

Then Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand (5). He stretched it out, and his hand was restored (5). Even though Jesus didn't touch the man, it was clear he had healed on the Sabbath.

As for the religious leaders, this episode was their tipping point. They didn't like how Jesus forgave the paralytic, ate with sinners, did not fast twice each week, and broke their Sabbath rules. And now there was this healing of the man.

The Pharisees responded immediately by plotting with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him (6). Right away, they joined together with a group in support of Herod's regime to come against this threat called Jesus. They were enemies, but the Pharisees and Herodians banned together to destroy Jesus (6). His ministry is still new, but Jesus will spend the rest of his life under the threat of death. Jesus endangered their power. He was a threat to be neutralized. They want him gone.

But what can we learn from this episode? Many things, to be sure, but I would like to focus on three things by focusing on three characters. By looking at Jesus, the Pharisees, and the man with the withered hand, we can learn much about God, religion, and ourselves.

His Obvious Desire and Nature

All through the story, we see Jesus' heart and intention to do good. Even the Pharisees realized Jesus wanted to help people, which is why they watched Jesus when he went into the synagogue (2). They knew the presence of the man with the withered hand would stir up Jesus' desire to heal (2).

How wonderful it would be to become like Jesus! He was drawn to people's pain. There, in the synagogue, all eyes were on him and the man. Everyone knew what Jesus wanted to do.

No Gray Area

And, for Jesus, there was no gray area. He asked, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" (4). It was one or the other for Jesus. Good or harm. Save life or kill life.

He would not let them wiggle out of this into some cunningly worded religious argument. He would not let them skirt the issue and try to walk a middle path. It was either/or. What should we do on the Sabbath, good or evil, save life or kill life?

For Jesus, there was no middle ground, no third option. As God in the flesh, he could not do evil or bring harm. He was compelled to do good and save life. It was his only recourse. His very nature demanded that he act for the benefit of this man.

Why was Jesus driven to do good and bring life to this man?

Because God is love, and love wills the good of its object. In other words, the love of God means God craves the ultimate good for everyone who is a target of his love. And, since we know God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, we know God is good (John 3:16). So, as God in the flesh, Jesus was driven by love to do good.

The Modern Question

But the idea of God's goodness leads to a modern question about human suffering and evil. Many will object to the idea of God's goodness and power by asserting that a good and powerful God must exist because of all the horrendous evil and suffering in our world.

If God has the power to eradicate suffering, and the love to want our good, how could suffering still exist? He either isn't very loving or isn't very powerful, but he can't be both.

In his book, The Doctrine Of God, Norman Geisler states the normal argument of those who doubt God exists in this way:

1. An all-good God would defeat evil.
2. An all-powerful God can defeat evil.
3. But evil is not defeated.
4. There is no such God.

But, this argument misapplies the truth about God. Because he is all-good, and also all-powerful, we should come to a firm conclusion: he will vanquish all evil in the future. It is only his good and powerful nature that gives us any hope at all for the decimation of wickedness.

Our argument is stated like this:

1. An all-good God would defeat evil.
2. An all-powerful God can defeat evil.
3. But evil is not yet defeated.
4. Therefore, all evil will one day be defeated.

There is no other option. Because God is who he is, evil must come to an end. Because he is good, he is inclined to see all that is bad is deleted. Because he is all-powerful, he has the ability to get the job done. So, with anticipation, we await this glorious event.

And the cross of Christ has aided us in this understanding, for at the cross, Jesus defeated sin, the devil, and the evil world system. He unleashed the power of God onto the world. Forgiveness, redemption, and restoration are made possible by his blood.

Interestingly, Jesus knew he was there to do good and save life, but that it would lead to his own harm because the religious leaders would start plotting to kill him (4). For him to do good -- not just for this man but for all humans -- meant he'd have to suffer harm. For him to save life -- of anyone who believes in him -- he'd have to be killed.

Faith: Trust He Is Doing Good

What does this mean for us today? It means we can look out at our broken and fractured world and know that all this evil and tragedy will one day be done away with by Christ's appearance. He has defeated evil on the cross, and one day that victory will be secured.

But it also helps us know Jesus is doing good today. There is no third way, no middle path, for Jesus. He can only do good. Whether I see it or not, I know he is working good!

This is part of what it means to walk by faith, brothers and sisters.

"For we live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, NIV).

"For we live by believing and not by seeing." (2 Corinthians 5:7, NLT).

Trust Jesus. He is doing good right now. Though evil and brokenness have their moment, Christ is working towards a glorious future where every evil is defeated, and tears will be no more.

But what can we learn from the Pharisees, the religionists, the legalists of Jesus' day? Tune in next week.