The narrative about the healing of a withered hand on the Sabbath can be looked at from more than one perspective. It concerns a miracle of healing. Yet there is something specific: it is a healing on the Sabbath. And also in this way the heart of the matter has not yet been touched upon: it is a healing before the forum of people who prepare a formal charge against Jesus, and who attempt to gather the grounds for it on this Sabbath. This special circumstance dominates the entire action. The best perspective from which we can choose to follow this story is that of the aggressive Pharisees. It is they whom Jesus confronts. The healing itself is only a part of this confrontation.

The events take place in a synagogue. By far the greatest number of manuscripts speak in Mark 3:1 about “the synagogue.” Only two manuscripts leave out this article. This omission cannot be defended on metrical grounds (symmetry of the number of syllables: Smit Sibinga¹), because we are dealing here with a (non-literary) text of prose. Newer translations therefore return to the previously familiar translation: “Again he entered the synagogue.” Which one? In the preceding section Mark speaks of only one synagogue, namely, that of Capernaum (1:21-29). This does justice to the word “again” (palin): Jesus is again back in his own home synagogue. Luke too speaks of the synagogue, and in his case also reference is made here to the earlier-mentioned synagogue of Capernaum (Luke 6:6; cf. Luke 4:31-38). Matthew speaks of their synagogue; this must refer to the Pharisees he mentions in 12:2. Mark also gives the impression that the unnamed opponents in this synagogue (“they”: 3:2) are already known, namely, from the preceding story about the plucking of heads of grain on the Sabbath (the Pharisees: 2:24; cf. 3:6).

This makes clear why in all three Gospels the story of the healing on this Sabbath directly follows that of the plucking of the heads of grain. The two events did not happen on the same Sabbath (see Luke 6:6). They are also not placed in a list of “Sabbath stories”: other Sabbath stories are not connected with these two (cf. Luke 13:10-17; 14:1-6). The two are, however, connected by the successive actions of the Pharisees: the warning at the time of the plucking of heads of grain is followed by the collection of material for the accusation (3:2). It appears now that Pharisees from the place where Jesus lived were also involved in the matter of the plucking of the heads of grain. He belonged to the synagogue at Capernaum; the Pharisees in this synagogue therefore feel that they are responsible for the supervision of Jesus and that it is their duty to bring him if necessary before one of the Jewish courts of justice in Galilee (a small Sanhedrin with twenty-three members). Since they are now consciously involved with collecting material for a process (that will end in death), they pay close attention to Jesus now that there is a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. There are in fact some who ask him if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:10). At the plucking of the heads of grain Jesus was “caught”; now there is an open trap. The accusation speaks of a sin “with lifted hand” (not “in ignorance”).

Jesus consciously enters the trap. He does not heal the man but places him in the middle (3:3) and then addresses those who want to catch him in a deliberate deadly sin. Mark and Luke mention the question of Jesus, of whether it is lawful on the Sabbath to save life or to kill. Matthew describes the incident in a little more detail: apparently Jesus has also used the example of a sheep that on the Sabbath is saved from a pit. This example implies the same question: surely it is lawful for Jesus to do good on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:11-12)?

The heart of the confrontation on this Sabbath poses questions for us. Why did Jesus so often heal on the Sabbath: it never concerns people who are in a critical condition (V.d. Loos²)? And the case of the man with the withered hand especially raises questions: the man does not ask for healing and Jesus’ initiative could have waited until the next day. Does he perform some healings on purpose on the Sabbath in order to show that he is breaking with the cultic ideas about the Sabbath and instead lives in the rest of the coming kingdom, wherein God restores the human being to its full glory?³ In that case the Sabbath healings have a demonstrative value and imply an attack also on the day of rest as such. At the same time it is noticeable, however, that Jesus connects with the existing Sabbath rules. He asks (3:4) if it is lawful to save a life on the Sabbath. With this he alludes to the existing rabbinic rule: the Jews know only too well that saving a life “supersedes” the Sabbath. Does this mean that Jesus wants to legitimize himself on the ground of the existing view of the Sabbath? It seems like that. But then it is strange that he appeals to the right in cases where life is at risk, and with the man with the withered hand there is absolutely no such risk! There is another point, namely, Jesus’ remarkable formulation. The rabbis concern themselves with the question whether or not one is allowed to save someone on the Sabbath whose life is at risk. Jesus, however, poses another dilemma when next to the positive possibility he places a negative activity (to do evil; to kill a life). For who on earth asks himself if on the Sabbath one can do evil and kill? That is never allowed and therefore certainly not on the Sabbath! The remarkable way in which Jesus poses the problem can help us find an answer to the question about the heart of this confrontation.

The question is addressed to the Pharisees, who are collecting material to bring charges against Jesus and kill him. They do this on the Sabbath. In his reaction Jesus then adjusts an existing question (“May one on the Sabbath save a life?”) in such a way that it reproachfully points in the direction of these Pharisees. They ask themselves if perhaps Jesus should wish to heal (without necessity) on the Sabbath, but they ask this with a view to his death and because they prepare an indictment. Is this Sabbath work? Is it lawful: to contrive on the Sabbath someone’s calamity and prepare for his death? It is understandable that the Pharisees now remain silent (3:4), and also that Jesus is angry about this silence (3:5): it is a sign of their hardness of heart. They are absolutely determined and won’t allow anyone even on the Sabbath to move them from their evil plans.

Jesus’ grief about their hardness of heart and his anger about their attitude that does not agree with God’s Sabbath (3:5) then lead him to heal the man with the withered hand. This healing, however, now is to be seen in a very special light. The reality of the Pharisees (doing evil on the Sabbath and contributing to the death of a living being) is opposed by the other possibility (doing good on the Sabbath and working toward saving a living being). When the Pharisees persevere with the one possibility, Jesus realizes the other one. Just as the observation must be seen by the Pharisees within the framework of their intention to kill, so Jesus’ miracle may be seen within the framework of a coming to save souls! Jesus claims by his miracle that he has come on earth to save sinners from death.

It is thus not so, that he eliminates the Sabbath or declares healing on the Sabbath as normal. At this moment he does not change the law for the people. But he does show that he himself is the fulfillment of the law. The Pharisees do not have to give up the Sabbath, but they must no longer refuse to give Jesus the honour due to him. There is here no confrontation about the Sabbath but about the Messiah: is he allowed to bring life or must he die?

By bringing about this healing while it was not urgent, the Saviour himself gives to his unbelieving opponents the material for his death. Herein he reveals himself as a Rescuer who will fulfill his work of saving lives by subjecting himself to a legal process and to death.

The healing concerns more than a withered hand. Jesus uses this healing to draw the man to him and to give him eternal life by faith. For he chooses a special form of healing. He does not order the hand to move again, but he orders the man to stretch out to him his paralyzed right hand (Luke 6:6; cf. Gal. 2:9). While the Pharisees remain silent and plan to attack Jesus, this man stretches out his hand to him according to Jesus’ word. And that hand is healthy: through obedience to Jesus! This healing is, after the word that was spoken before, a sign: he who obeys Jesus and stretches out his hand to him shall receive from him life’s salvation. Jesus’ concern is for the man’s soul via his hand, and for this he does not evade a death sentence.

And so the narrative ends with the healing of the withered hand and with the departure of the Pharisees to kill Jesus (via an accusation and a process: Matt. 12:10; Mark 3:2, 6; Luke 6:7).

Because of Jesus’ many followers they seek contact with the Herodians (3:6). Those who maintain pubic order (Herod Antipas as tetrarch of Galilee with his partisans) will have to cooperate when it comes to a process and an execution. The fact that they arrange a meeting even on the Sabbath (immediately: 3:6) shows that Jesus rightly asked if it is lawful to kill someone on the Sabbath!