Knowing The Word in Luke 6:6-11, A Man with a Withered Hand

Jesus challenges the Pharisees’ wrong beliefs yet again. Jesus commanded the healing of a withered hand by his word, not by doing anything physically. That it is the right hand affected, probably means that the man could not use his dominant hand. These Pharisees are more interested in accusation than healing, in prosecution than charity. This healing on the Sabbath demonstrates Jesus’ lordship of the day and over disease. The Pharisees had been given the opportunity to stand up for compassion and goodness. In their pride they failed to do so. Their unrepentant pride leads them into deep anger at God himself.

6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, who did humble yourself to become man, and to be born into the world for our salvation: teach us the grace of humility, root out of our hearts all pride and haughtiness, and so fashion us after your holy likeness in this world, that in the world to come we may be made like you in your eternal kingdom.

William Walsham How, 1823-1897