Jesus can handle all things

  

Mark 3: 1 – 20

 

A Man with a Withered Hand

 “Again, he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand.   And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him.   And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.”   And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.   And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.   The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.”

It seems Jesus is back in Capernaum and He has returned to the Synagogue and observed a man with a withered hand.  They, that were watching Jesus, the Pharisees, and it was not with good intentions but with an evil desire to find a reason to condemn Him.  Now take note of how Jesus handled this;  And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.”   And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?”  How do the Pharisees react, they are silent, they are like the culture you and I live in, do not confront me with truth, I’ve already made up my mind.  Sad but true, that was the attitude of the Pharisees of Jesus time and it is the culture of the United States of America.

Often, God showed his anger over the rejection of His people for the Law he had given Moses.  God’s anger is always directed at our rebellion and disregard for Truth, His Word is True.  So why would we be surprised to have Mark report that Jesus was angry at these religious jerks?  Now watch what they do when Jesus does good on the Sabbath, immediately they go to the Herodians and begin working on a plan to destroy Jesus.

Who are the Herodians?  They were Jewish supporters of Herod the Great and his family.  Now it is a strange marriage, in that the Herodians were for Hellenism influence and the Pharisees opposed it.  When you put the old Serpent in the mix the father of lies, you will find as in our times the media and the political and the religious factions all come together behind their father the devil.  It happens with the Pharisees and the Herodians and it is happening today with a virus-driven by the evil one using many of his children to promote fear.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice