Sermon Tone Analysis

Bible Reading

Introduction

We continue our look this morning at the series of controversies that are recorded for us by Mark.

There are a series of 5 controversies, beginning in Mark 2:1, and this morning we reach the final of those 5 controversies - and in certain respects the climactic controversy, as recorded for us by Mark.

The final controversy falls in along the same lines as the previous one we looked at last week, as both of them relate to the Sabbath day, and the contention that is caused as Christ either allows or performs certain actions on the Sabbath.

Last week we considered the account concerning when the disciples were picking heads of grain on the Sabbath as they walked through a grain field, and then eating the grain.

The Pharisees who saw what was taking place, responded with opposition, claiming that these disciples were breaking the Sabbath day by doing work on the Sabbath.

In the minds of the Pharisees, to pick grain (irrespective of how much you picked) was considered work.

According to their traditions, rules and established regulations, it was unacceptable to pick grain, even when it was for the very basic human need of satisfying hunger, while the food was right there before them.

Talk about a burdensome, irrational religious system!!

What we also looked at very briefly last week was an introductory overview of the Sabbath in the Old Testament, particularly relating to the nation of Israel.

I won’t go into that again this week, but just for the benefit of those who weren’t here, as we did that overview it was noted that to the Israelite nation, the issue of Sabbath-Day observance was a critical issue of their faith and identity.

Sabbath Day observance was one of the central issues of Jewish identification, and the Sabbath law was held in very high regard.

The Sabbath Day was also a covenant sign for them - and so it was a sign that God instituted for them as a nation so that they may recall to their minds their deliverance from slavery in Egypt (you’ll see that particularly in Exodus 31:13 and Deuteronomy 5:15).

Failure to obey the Sabbath day law, which required a complete rest from normal work, would result in the death penalty for the offender (and we saw the example of this last week).

But we also considered last week that the Jewish leaders in general, and the Pharisees in particular, had become masters of creating any number of ridiculous man-made rules, which were aimed at ensuring that a person could never be found to be inadvertently breaking the Sabbath.

And so the entire system of Sabbath rules and regulations became a heavy burden on the people - a burden nearly impossible to bear!!

In our passage today, we once again have a Sabbath Day event taking place, and a healing that Christ performs on the Sabbath.

Once again, the Pharisees are indignant of the fact that Christ could even consider to perform such a healing on the Sabbath Day, which leads ultimately to them going out and plotting his murder...

But let’s take a step back, and consider the event one step at a time...

The Setup (v.1-2)

As we come to the text this morning, we notice firstly that again an incident is about to take place on the Sabbath, but this time in the synagogue.

Christ, on a particular Sabbath morning, enters into a synagogue (probably near to Capernaum, but we can’t be sure) and He goes into the synagogue in order to teach (this according to Luke 6:6).

And so as this entire event unfolds in the synagogue, it does so with Christ teaching those present.

Also present in this instance however is a man with a shrivelled right hand.

In all likelihood this was not a defect from birth, but rather it was more likely a result of an accident of some sort.

But whatever the cause, the man is incapacitated to an extent, which would have meant that he could not work with that hand.

In a time of physical work being the key source of income for a person, this would have been a challenge to him, as his functionality and ability to provide for himself and family would have been restricted.

According to other external sources from the time, this man was described as a stonemason - someone who would certainly have derived his income from working with his hands.

But whatever he was, he would certainly have been very restricted in his ability to work.

Also present in the synagogue, and bent on finding fault with Jesus, were the Pharisees.

The sad reality is that when the Pharisees see this man with the withered hand (perhaps someone they knew regularly attended the synagogue) they didn’t have compassion on the man or any deep concern for him, but rather they saw this as an opportunity to catch Jesus out.

Notice verse 2 of our text...

Their desire was merely to find a reason to accuse Jesus.

This had become their goal and mission: to find fault with Jesus, and according to verse 6 of our text, to ultimately find a way to get rid of this man Jesus, who to them had become a menace!

Christ had become known for doing good, for healing people, and for being one who taught with authority.

But the authority of Christ, and the popularity of Christ, caused resentment in the hearts of those who were used to being looked up to in society!

But let us realise dear friends that the motives and the conduct of the Pharisees in this instance is merely another demonstration of the sinful heart of man, apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of men.

In this case, even those who were the foremost of religious people, when their pride and self-sufficiency took root in their lives, got to the point of plotting murder!

There are two important lessons that we can learn from the Pharisees even today!

Firstly, we would do well to cultivate daily in our hearts a spirit of humility.

For surely pride, and a high sense of self-worth and self-importance leads to all manner of evil, as it did here with the Pharisees!

That was the problem with the Pharisees - pride in their religiosity.

And so as Christians, we need to take pride in our low position - as those who have been redeemed by the grace of our Saviour.

Any sense of pride is certain to lead us, as it lead the Pharisees, to all manner of evil, and to out-workings in our lives that are contrary to the ways of God.

Let us remain ever focused on the wonderful grace that has been given through Christ.

But secondly, let us learn that such is the heart of stone within man outside of Christ.

Any man who has not been brought to spiritual life is opposed to Christ.

We need to recognise that even in the world in which we live, we can expect to find opposition to the Gospel message, and the truth concerning Christ.

As the Pharisees were opposed to this Messiah speaking against their systems of religion, so it is that the world will be offended by the Christian who brings the Gospel message, the message of light and truth into a world of darkness.

The message of the Gospel - the message that we as man are sinful, and need to repent of that sin and turn to the only one who can save us, is a message that will be scorned and hated by society, who sees themselves as righteous through the manner in which they live in obedience to some system of rules and regulations!

Returning to our account in Mark, we notice that the scene is now set.

Jesus is the one teaching in the synagogue.

The man with the shriveled hand has entered.

The Pharisees are waiting, certainly expecting Christ to step out of line, and in fact hoping that he will, so that they will be able to have him charged with violating their man-made traditions and laws.

The Challenge (v.3-4)

With the stage set, and tension filling the air, the confrontation begins!

The different Gospel accounts of this event, apart from the key aspects of the confrontation, give some slight different details on the peripheral issues.

If we go across to Matthew’s Gospel, we find that the Pharisees actually pose a question to Jesus:

Matthew 12:10… “Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

Given the context and the presence of the man with the shriveled hand, Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking, and no doubt would have known their intents to catch him out.

And so...

The man - expectant and hopeful that he will receive a healing touch - obeys Christ and he stands up alongside Christ in front of this filled synagogue.

And Christ, having been posed with a question by the Pharisees, once again poses a question in response to them.

He asks: “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?”

The question to them: “Which is lawful” was again a confrontation in the sense that they were the ones who were supposed to be fully versed in the law.

If any person knew what was lawful on the Sabbath, it was thought to be the Pharisees!!

But the question elicits no response from them, because the obvious response would be that obviously one should do good!

If they responded that it is lawful to do good, then in what way was Christ breaking the Sabbath by healing the man who was in need of healing!!

You see, Christ knew that in essence, the problem was that the Pharisees had become cold in their love for and care for people.

They truly had no care.

They truly had no love!!

They had lost sight of the fact that the royal law, upon which all the law and commands hung, was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and secondly but equally importantly, to love your neighbour as your love yourself.

When Paul wrote to the Galatian church, he wrote these words:

This law that Paul speaks of in these verses was in one sense not new, since it was found in the Old Testament in Leviticus 19:18!

The Pharisees would have known the law, and yet they failed to understand the importance of serving others in love!!

But to Christ, it was clear that where there was a man in need of help, and with Him having the ability to provide that help, that it would be wrong to fail to give that help.

As one commentator writes here:

Our Lord’s meaning appears to be this: “If any one having it in his power, omits to do an act of mercy on the sabbath day for one grievously afflicted, as this man is, if he is able to cure him, as I Christ am able, he does him a wrong; for he denies him that help which he owes him by the law of charity.”

The Pharisees are posed with this question by Christ - which is lawful: to do good, or to do evil?

to save life, or to kill?

Here was Christ, desiring in essence to save a mans life through restoring his use of his hand so that he would be able to work and provide for himself without begging for bread.

On the other hand, here were the Pharisees, looking for an opportunity to kill.

How different these opposing perspectives!!!

As Christ asks these questions, the correct response would have proved to be an indictment against themselves.

They would have been self-condemned.

And so the Pharisees remain speechless.

Absolute Silence!!

The tension in the air was palpable, as the battle lines were effectively drawn.

The Healing (v.5)

But we see then in verse 5 the healing that takes place.

Notice the response of Jesus during this time when the Pharisees remain silent, and refuse to respond to his question…

The response as recorded by Mark is that which is filled with emotion!! Emotion that flows out of Christ’s deep care and compassion for the man.

But also emotion that flows out of His deep concern and displeasure at the hardened hearts of the Pharisees!

The Pharisees had been motivated by law.

Christ was motivated by love!!

There are two different emotions described for us as Christ responds here.

In the first place, there is anger.

He looked around at them in anger!!!

Here was the servant king, come into the world in order to serve, in order to save, in order to do good - the best possible good for mankind - and yet he is met by self-centered opposition, and it drives him to a righteous anger within His heart.