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The Sabbath Controversy

Text: Mark 3:1-6; Matthew 12:9-13; Luke 6:6-10
27 October 2013

THE SABBATH CONTROVERSY

1. Incident

Healing of a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath in a synagogue          Mark 3:1

He had a withered right          handLuke 6:6

2. The Pharisees watched to see if Jesus would heal the man

3. The scribes were also there          Luke 6:7

3. If He healed the man they would accuse Him of breaking of the law Mark 3:2

JESUS WAS UNAFRAID OF STANDING UP TO THE PHARISEES

1. Openly He spoke to the man with the withered hand and presented him before everyone in the synagogue

2. His questions to the Pharisees and to all in the synagogue

Is it lawful to on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?          Mark 3:3

3. What was the Sabbath Law all about?

4. Illustration offered          Matthew 12:11-12

a) Rescuing a sheep on a Sabbath day
b) The value of the man with the withered arm

RESPONSE OF THE PHARISEES

1. They were given a chance to answer Jesus

2. They had no comments          Mark 3:4

ANGER AND GRIEF

1. The heart of Jesus seen

a) Righteous anger of Jesus          Mark 3:5
b) Grief of Jesus          Mark 3:5

2. The cause of this anger and grief

a) The hardness of the human heart
b) It sought only to find fault
c) They had such a poor understanding of God and His laws
d) They were so quick to accuse, to judge and to condemn

HEALING OF THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND

Stretch out your hand          Mark 3:5

Jesus publicly healed the man on a Sabbath day in full view of all in a synagogue!

RESPONSE OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

1. They were filled with rage          Luke 6:11a

2. They discussed what they might do to Jesus          Luke 6:11b

3. The Pharisees sought out the Herodians to work together

4. They plotted to destroy Jesus          Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14

POEMS CT

ANGRY AND AGGRIEVED

Jesus entered the synagogue for the purpose of worship,
His enemies closely watched to see if He would make a slip.
There was a man who had a withered hand,
Was he planted there as part of an evil plan?

This was the Sabbath day, and tradition forbade work,
Jesus sensed His Father’s love, His work He would not shirk.
Boldly He spoke to the man and asked Him to step up front,
He raised a question to His enemies, He was not afraid to confront.

What is lawful on the Sabbath? He opened up a new line of thought,
“To do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill” They must choose as they ought.
His critics were stunned to silence, they had never thought of the Sabbath this way,
All they demanded from people was compliance; all this while they had held sway.

Jesus looked on His enemies with anger and with grief,
They had done nothing to help the man to bring him relief.
They had no compassion for those who were truly in need,
All they cared about was to satisfy their great greed.

These men were regarded as spiritual leaders of the nation,
All they did was to cause people to feel disgust and consternation.
Jesus went on to speak to the man with the withered hand,
On the Sabbath day, Jesus made him whole, just as He had planned!

Inspiration: Mark 3:5