Stretch Out Your Hand

As was His habit, Jesus "went into their synagogue" (Matt. 12:9b). It was the Sabbath. Jesus was there to teach the people. While He was teaching, it was discovered that, among the congregation, "there was a man who had a withered hand" (v. 10a). The Pharisees were also present, but they had an ulterior motive. So they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (v. 10b). They wanted to find a way "that they might accuse Him" (v. 10c), so as to draw the people away from Him.

The Pharisees were jealous, you might say. They resented the crowds of people that followed Jesus. The fact that they all flocked to Jesus meant they did not follow the Pharisees. That didn't sit well with them and they wanted to discourage the people from following Jesus. They would tell any lie to draw the people away. Jesus saw right through their schemes.

Jesus turned and addressed the Pharisees directly. In answer to their question, He asked them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?" (v. 11). Then He added, "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" (v. 12).

See the difference? The Pharisees defined healing as work, while Jesus defined it simply as doing good. It may be against the law to do work on the Sabbath, but it was not against the law to do good on the Sabbath. We should follow the example of Jesus and do good, not only on the Sabbath, but every day of the week!

Then Jesus turned back to the man before Him and said, "Stretch out your hand" (v. 13a). And he was healed; his hand was fully restored: "And he stretched it out, and it was restored as full as the other"(v. 13b).

The Pharisees weren't happy: "Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him" (v. 14). The enemies of God will never give up; They will never quit persecuting God's faithful people. Do not give them the satisfaction of watching you walk away from Jesus. Follow Him faithfully every day without fail. Jesus has your back. He will take care of you. Amen.