Good Deeds On The Sabbath
Many people will claim it is a sin to do any work on the Sabbath day. But what does our Lord Jesus Christ have to say on this matter? He firstly tells us He is the Lord of the Sabbath, as we see in Mar 2:28.
Mar_2:28 Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Since Jesus is the “Lord of the Sabbath,” then He is the only one to listen to on the matter of doing good on this special day of the week. Jesus gave us an example of His doing good deeds on the Sabbath. They recorded this for us in Luk 6:6-11.
A Man with a Withered Hand
Luk 6:6 It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
6:7 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.
6:8 But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up, and stand in the middle.” He arose and stood.
6:9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?”
6:10 He looked around at them all, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.
6:11 But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.
The Pharisees who were present did not intimidate Jesus. Instead, He healed the man right before their eyes on the Sabbath day. Still, the Pharisees refused to believe Jesus and then planned how they might get rid of this thorn in their sides.
We can find another instance of Jesus healing a crippled woman. Who, for eighteen years, had been crippled. In Luk 13:10-17, Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath.
A Woman with a Disabling Spirit
Luk 13:10 He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
13:11 Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bent over, and could in no way straighten herself up.
13:12 When Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.”
13:13 He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight, and glorified God.
13:14 The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, “There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!”
13:15 Therefore the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath, and lead him away to water?
13:16 Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”
13:17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed, and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
This passage of scripture really tells the story. Jesus healed the woman on the Sabbath and then told the Pharisees they were hypocrites. These Pharisees were the most powerful members of the Jewish leaders, yet Jesus called them hypocrites right to their faces. Then He explained to them how they worked on the Sabbath every week.
It is interesting to note the Pharisees were not happy, but the rest of the people rejoiced.
A Man with a Withered Hand
Mat 12:9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue.
12:10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him.
12:11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?
12:12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
12:13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.
12:14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
Jesus was against the traditions of the Pharisees. He was not against the keeping of the Sabbath. No, His examples prove we should make evaluations about good deeds based on mercy and compassion. Jesus does not say we can do any types of works on the Sabbath. Just those that are necessary for the welfare of others.
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