Jesus constantly ran afoul of the religious establishment. Here’s an example:

Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.

Jesus indeed healed the man, simply telling him to stretch out his hand. The withered limb rejuvenated before their eyes. But the religious leaders present in the room considered healing to be work, and it was against Jewish law to work, even to heal someone, on the Sabbath.

While these leaders grew angry, it strikes me that they severely misconstrued the one who stood before them. Healing a crippled hand involved no work at all from Jesus. He merely spoke a few words. Present at creation, Jesus commanded all of creation, Sabbath included. He reminded those present that it is always lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

Whether it’s restoring a maimed hand or flinging stars into space, God speaks and marvelous things happen. It’s no work at all for Jesus to do good in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Perhaps we should bring our shriveled souls before him more often.

Mark 3 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jackson David