The life of Jesus · Mark 3
The Man with the Withered Hand
Jesus enters the synagogue again. A man there has a withered hand. People are watching Jesus to see whether he will heal him on the Sabbath, so they can accuse him. Jesus says to the man, “Stand forth.” Then he asks those who are watching, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?” They hold their peace. Jesus looks around at them with anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, and says to the man, “Stretch forth thine hand.” He stretches it out, and his hand is restored. The Pharisees go out and immediately take counsel with the Herodians about how to destroy him. Jesus withdraws to the sea with his disciples, and a great multitude from Galilee follows him.
What happens
- A man with a withered hand; they watch Jesus so they can accuse him Mark 3:1–2
- “Stand forth” Mark 3:3
- “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil?” Mark 3:4
- Jesus looks at them with anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts Mark 3:5
- “Stretch forth thine hand”: it is restored Mark 3:5
- The Pharisees and the Herodians plot to destroy him Mark 3:6
Who is in this story
The lesson
On the Sabbath, Jesus shows that doing good and saving a life matter more than keeping a rule without compassion. He asks the man to stretch out his withered hand: by obeying his word, the man is healed.
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
Quick quiz on this story
What command does Jesus give the man in order to heal him?
Jesus says to the man, “Stretch forth thine hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. Mark 3:5
How do those watching Jesus react to his question about the Sabbath?
Jesus asks whether it is lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill: “But they held their peace.” Mark 3:4
With whom do the Pharisees take counsel about how to destroy Jesus?
Going out of the synagogue, the Pharisees “straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” Mark 3:6
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