Jesus Heals A Man On The Sabbath

Verse 1 The Pharisees invite Jesus to dinner. No, they still don’t like each other, but Jesus entertains a meal with them. Jesus is never afraid to walk into “enemy” territory because he had something good to give. When we carry Jesus in us, that’s the confidence we can have in awkward situations as well. We can remind ourselves that Jesus is all we need, and He is supplying all our needs at that moment. Like when we are inviting people to church. It doesn’t have to be awkward when you remind yourself that Jesus is in you supplying all your needs and all your words. You can lean on him. People might try to diminish your character, but they can never take away Jesus from you. You have something of value, that is Jesus. And when you truly believe in how incredible Jesus is in your life, you will have the boldness to share it with others because you believe it’s the most wonderful reliance you’ve ever found.

This verse tells us that these Pharisees were watching Jesus closely. That is interesting. Did they plant the sick man at this meal as a test to see if Jesus would try to heal on the Sabbath again (chapter 13 was the first time Jesus healed on the Sabbath)? Were they trying to pick a fight with Jesus? We don’t know except that the Pharisees had a subtle eye on Jesus. Jesus knew this was a setup, a silent trap set to catch him working on a day of rest. Jesus knows the hearts of men, every motivation and intention behind every silent act.

Looking For Good

In typical Jesus fashion, wherever he went, he looked for opportunities to do good. Not only looking to do good but to improve upon whatever fell in his way. What a great lesson for us! Do you go through life looking for opportunities to do good? To improve something? This is a characteristic of Jesus! Eyes wide open and a conscious mind on “how can I help?”.

Verses 2 & 3 And low and behold, there was a sick man who needed help at this dinner. The ESV calls his condition dropsy. NLT defines it as a condition where the body swells. The body actually fills up with fluid. Knowing that the Pharisees were watching to see what he would do, and reading their thoughts, Jesus “responded” to their silent words by asking them if they thought it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath.

Our silence is never quiet to Jesus. Every thought we have is a word to Him.

Verse 4 The Pharisees felt the same as the synagogue leader we read about in chapter 13, believing that it was unlawful to do any work on a sacred day. They were unwilling to answer, so Jesus embrace the sick man. This hug healed the man and reduced all the fluid back down to normal.

Jesus Breaks The Law But Proves He Is In The Right

Jesus only acted when he could justify it. His justification should have convicted those he quarreled with, but it only confused them. That’s what the enemy does. Satan is the prince of confusion, stubbornness, hardheadedness, or hardheartedness.

Verse 5 Jesus follows this up with a question that shows the Pharisees their condemnation of Jesus is essentially condemning themselves. They are hypocrites. Jesus makes a case that any of them would help something or someone they care about, no matter what day it is. Jesus uses the example of saving an animal from drowning. The Pharisees would save it not just out of compassion but because of the personal gain or money lost if they didn’t act. Jesus is saying if these kinds of actions are acceptable for religious leaders, then certainly the law can allow the healing of a sick man.

The Pharisees liked to twist God’s law to suit themselves.

This entire situation is not about healing on the Sabbath as much as it is about how angry the Pharisees were at the miraculous works Jesus performed everywhere he went. Jesus gave so much proof of his divine mission and was gaining interest in the people.

Verse 6 When questioned, the Pharisees could not answer Jesus. Jesus is always justified when he speaks, and every mouth is silent before him.

Prayer

Jesus, you are our confidence. You shut up the enemy that whispers to us about our self-worth, our purposes, and what we can offer in this world. Every word in your Word justifies our work. Help us lean into You, to fill up on You so that our value comes from You. Help us throw off every hindrance and run the race you have set before us, Jesus. With you, all things are possible. Anything that is standing in the way of your Truth from penetrating our thoughts and our soul, Jesus. Help us lay them down so that we may receive what you have for us.

Heal us with your embrace, Jesus. We surrender the motivations in our hearts. Clear up the confusion that is troubling our souls and convict our spirits where there is any hint of hypocrisy. Open our eyes to opportunities to do good wherever we go. Help us improve the places and people that surround us. We want to be a help to those who are so desperately looking for the Helper. Let our lives display You, Jesus, in all we do so they see you in our spirits, our hearts, our words, and actions. You are our only justification, Jesus. We trust you. We rely on you. You are our confidence, Jesus, and only you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.