The Pulpit Commentary on Mark 3:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

The man with the withered hand; or, keeping the sabbath.

In the most sacred and joyous scenes there may be circumstances of pain and sorrow. There are often some in God's house who are hindered in their enjoyment by personal affliction. But even these may be of service in testing the spirit and disposition of God's professed people.

I. IT IS IN SPIRIT ALONE THAT THE SABBATH IS TRULY KEPT,

1. Outward observances are of value only as expressing and fostering this.

2. Evil hearts will fail to keep the day even, whilst seemingly engaged in its special duties.

3. Institutions that were designed for the highest ends may be perverted to the worst.

II. WORKS OF MERCY HONOUR THE SABBATH.

1. Because they are always urgent.

2. They exercise the holiest emotions and faculties of human nature.

3. They are the service of God.

4. They may be the means of others keeping the day and serving him.

III. THE TRUE SABBATIC SPIRIT CONVICTS AND INFLAMES THE FALSE. The hatred manifested is all but incredible. Yet it was already in their hearts. They had been condemned where they thought to have been judges. False religion (Pharisees) and worldliness (Herodians) are united in their hatred of the spirit and work of Christ, because they are both exposed by him.—M.

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commentaryMatthew Henry on Mark 3:1-5This man's case was piteous; he had a withered hand, which disabled him from working for his living; and those that are so, are the most proper objects of charity. Let those be helped that cannot help themselves. But st…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Withered Hand Restored; Multitudes HealedTHE WITHERED HAND RESTORED; MULTITUDES HEALED. Here, as before, we have our Lord Jesus busy at work in the synagogue first, and then by the sea side; to teach us that his presence should not be confined either to the on…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Mark 3:1-5The withered hand. This incident serves to bring out the antagonism between the spiritual and benevolent ministry of the Lord Jesus, and the formalism, self-righteousness, and hard-heartedness of the religious leaders o…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Mark 3:1He entered again into the synagogue. St. Matthew (Matthew 12:9) says, "their synagogue" ( εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν) This would probably be on the next sabbath after that named at the close of the last chapter. And there was…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Mark 3:1-6Parallel passages: Matthew 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11.— The man with the withered hand. I. THE NATURE OF THE DISEASE. It was a case of severe paralysis of the hand—the right hand, as St. Luke, with a physician's accuracy, inf…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Mark 3:1-6Sabbath observance. I. THE SABBATH MAY BE OBSERVED TO THE LETTER WHILE BROKEN IN THE SPIRIT. Here were men watching to see whether a man would dare to do a loving deed! The letter, which can never be more than the expre…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Mark 3:1-35EXPOSITION This chapter begins with the record of another case of healing on the sabbath day; and it closes with the notice of a combination of the Pharisees with the Herodians to bring about the destruction of the Savi…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Mark 3:2The scribes had already the evidence that our Lord had permitted his disciples to rub the ears of corn on the sabbath day. But this was the act of the disciple, not his. What he was now preparing to do was an act of mir…Joseph S. Exell and contributors