Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? Mark 3:1–6

The Sabbath and the observance of Sabbath regulations constituted one of the cornerstones of Pharisaic religiosity. It was taken to such an extreme that some refused to fight on the Sabbath, allowing their enemies to secure an easy victory over about a thousand Jews during the Maccabean Revolt (1 Maccabees 2:29–38).

In contemporary usage, "Pharisaism" often refers to a type of superficial religiosity—one where individuals seek to display their piety to others, yet fail to take matters of faith truly seriously. Pharisaism was characterized by "hypocrisy"—in the sense that it focused attention on the external observance of the Law. Yet, this was taken very seriously.

Luke mentions that the man’s right hand was withered (Luke 6:6, verse 1). It was, therefore, impossible for the man to do any work.

Jesus had already come under scrutiny (verse 2). He was perceived as a dangerous enemy who needed to be watched—and, if possible, charged with some violation of the law. Jesus allowed Himself to "fall into the trap set by His opponents" (verse 3). He clearly understood why the question of healing was, on this occasion, significant to His opponents.

The Pharisees could not answer Jesus’ question: "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?" (verse 4). Doing evil was not permitted on any other day either, so naturally, it could not be done on the Sabbath, either. If they had answered that it was permissible to do good, what then would prevent healing on the Sabbath?

Of course, they could have—in a manner typical of the Pharisees—begun to argue about whether the man could be healed only after the Sabbath had ended; yet, that too would ultimately have led to the same conclusion: is not the postponement of good, in itself, an act of evil?

According to the teachings of the Pharisees, one was permitted to intervene on the Sabbath only in cases involving an immediate threat to life. The man was clearly not in danger of dying, so his healing could—and should—take place only after the Sabbath had ended (see Luke 13:14).

Verse 5 contains the only instance in the New Testament where Jesus’s anger is mentioned.

"And he looked around at them with anger,
grieved at their hardness of heart,..."
(Mark 3:5a, ESV)

Hardness (verse 5) refers to the hardening of the heart against God’s will (Mark 6:52, 8:17; John 12:37–40; Romans 11:25). God promised that, with the new covenant, people’s hearts of stone would be replaced by hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26).

Jesus healed a man’s hand, but instead of thanksgiving and the praise of God (Mark 2:11), we are told of the plans of Jesus’ opponents to kill him (verse 6).

A death sentence was prescribed for a Sabbath violation (Exodus 31:14–15), which, according to Jewish custom, would have been carried out by stoning (cf. Acts 7:57–60). However, the Romans had taken away from the Jews the right to pass death sentences (John 18:31). Consequently, the Pharisees had to form an alliance with the Herodians (verse 6) in order to get Herod Antipas to sentence Jesus to death (see Mark 6:14–29, the beheading of John the Baptist).

The Herodians (see also Mark 8:15, 12:13) supported the Herodian dynasty, accepted Roman rule, and took a liberal approach to the observance of the Law. They were, therefore, rather unlikely allies for the Pharisees, but a common enemy brought these very different groups together.

The actions of the Pharisees were internally contradictory. They could not accept the good deed Jesus performed on the Sabbath, yet they themselves were prepared to work on the Sabbath—namely, by lying in wait for Jesus (verse 2) and plotting to get Him out of the way (verse 6). The wicked devised schemes against the righteous (Ps 37:12) and even accused the righteous one of breaking the Sabbath.

A Model of Conversion

This passage is a beautiful depiction of how one comes to faith. What Jesus commanded the man to do (verse 5) was impossible for him. One cannot stretch out a withered hand! The man seemed to have reached a dead end: his hand would be healed if he stretched it out, but he could only stretch it out once it had been healed!

The man did not stop to consider what was possible and what was impossible; instead, he acted in accordance with Jesus’ command. And the hand was healed!

When we say to someone, “Believe in Jesus!”, they might well respond: “Why do you command me to do the impossible? After all, I cannot believe in Jesus unless Jesus himself produces faith within me.” Yet, even here, we get to witness a miracle of God: He grants the gift of faith to a sinner.

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
(Romans 10:17, ESV)

If a man were to explain that he had healed his own hand simply by extending it, he would surely be asked: “What about what Jesus did—did you forget that? Do you really think you healed yourself?” One can take an equally critical view of the claims of those who say they came to believe by making a decision of their own.

Jesus’s reputation spreads – Mark 3:7–12

The lakeshore provided a good setting for teaching (verse 7). The ground sloped upward, and the people were positioned as if in rising tiers of seating, from where they could see and hear well.

Matthew tells that Jesus knew about the conspiracy against Him and therefore moved to another region (Matt 12:15).

People gathered from a wide area (verses 7–8). Jesus visited all the other places mentioned here, except for Idumea (that is, Edom), which was located west of the Dead Sea, south of Judea.

Galilee (verse 7) was the primary setting for Jesus’ public ministry, but the Gospel of John reveals that Jesus visited Jerusalem and Judea at least five times (John 2:13–3:21, 5:1–18, 7:1–24, 10:22–40, 12:12–19). The other Evangelists mention only Jesus’ final visit to Jerusalem.

The region east of the Jordan refers primarily to the area of ​​the Decapolis, located to the east and southeast of the Sea of ​​Galilee. Jesus’ visit there is recounted in Mark 5:1–20.

Tyre and Sidon (verse 8) were Phoenician cities on the coast of present-day Lebanon—that is, to the north of Galilee. Jesus’ visit to the region is recounted in Mark 7:24–37.

The message about Jesus spread further than the news of John the Baptist’s activities (Mark 1:5). In this sense, too, Jesus was greater than his predecessor.

Apparently, the people who gathered by the lake (verse 7) were Jews; they lived throughout all these regions. These people seem to have been primarily interested in the miracles performed by Jesus (verse 8). Jesus, on the other hand, wanted to proclaim the Gospel (Mark 1:38).

The mention of the boat (verse 9) indicates that the text of Mark is based on oral tradition, in which even insignificant details could easily be preserved.

Mark gives a very brief account: the casting out of evil spirits is not even mentioned (verse 11). Once again, Jesus forbids the evil spirits from revealing who He is (verse 12; Mark 1:25, 44). The time was not yet ripe for the people to understand what kind of Messiah Jesus was.

The Twelve Apostles – Mark 3:13–19

When God established a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, 70 elders of Israel ascended the mountain along with Moses and Aaron (Exodus 24:1). Luke records (Luke 6:13) that more than just Jesus and the twelve apostles went up the mountain; Jesus chose the apostles from a larger group (Luke 10:1–20 recounts the sending out of 70/72 disciples—could it be that, on this occasion as well, 70 “elders of Israel” ascended the mountain?).

The most important task of an apostle was to follow Jesus (verse 13 "called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him."). A disciple must stay close to Jesus (verse 14: "...whom he also named apostles so that they might be with him...")

Jesus sent these twelve apostles to proclaim the gospel during his public ministry (Mark 6:7). However, their definitive mission took place after Jesus’ death and resurrection (Mark 16:15).

The number was no coincidence; the twelve apostles corresponded to the twelve patriarchs of ancient Israel—the twelve sons of Jacob (Genesis 29:31–30:24). A new Israel was coming into being (cf. Galatians 6:16).

Following the suicide of Judas Iscariot, the group of the twelve apostles was completed by the addition of Matthias (Acts 1:15–26); otherwise, however, the office of apostle was not “hereditary.” The word “apostle” is derived from the Greek verb apostellō, meaning “to send.” Thus, an apostle is “one who is sent.”

Note that the power to serve as an apostle came from God (verse 15).

The casting out of unclean spirits (verse 15) is also mentioned in connection with the sending out of the apostles to preach the gospel (Mark 6:7). Evidently, the activity of evil spirits was particularly intense during Jesus’ public ministry. Wherever God is at work, His adversary also begins to carry out his own work.

Mark has already recounted the calling of five disciples (Mark 1:16, 19; 2:14). Now, the calling of the other seven is not described; instead, there is simply a list of the apostles (see also Matt 10:2–4, Luke 6:12–16, Acts 1:13).

All four lists of the apostles begin with Simon Peter (verse 16). The name Peter comes from the Greek word petra, meaning "rock." In Greek, Peter is Petros. In Aramaic, the name is Cephas (John 1:42). Jesus gave Simon the surname Peter after he had confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (Matthew 16:18).

James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John (verse 17), along with Peter, formed the inner circle among the disciples (Mark 5:37, 9:2, 14:33).

James and John were called the “Sons of Thunder” (verse 17). There has been some discussion as to whether this name describes their character or their message (compare Luke 9:54–55). James was the first of the apostles to suffer martyrdom, in the early 40s AD (Acts 12:1–3). His brother John, by contrast, lived a long life and was ultimately the only apostle who did not suffer martyrdom (compare John 21:23).

Andrew (verse 18) was the first to be called as a disciple (John 1:40–42). He brought his brother Simon to Jesus.

Philip (verse 18) and Andrew were Greek names. Such names were not uncommon in the Israel of that time.

Bartholomew (verse 18) is actually a “surname” and means “son of Talmai.” His first name was Nathanael (John 1:45).

In the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew (verse 18) is referred to as a tax collector (Matt 10:3); he is also known as Levi (Mark 2:14). The name Matthew means “gift of the Lord.”

Thomas (verse 18) means "the twin" (see John 20:24).

James son of Alphaeus (verse 18) is likely the James the Less mentioned in Mark 15:40.

In Luke, Thaddaeus (verse 19) appears as Judas, son of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13); however, the name Judas evidently became “unpopular” because of Judas Iscariot. Thaddaeus means “gift of God” or “given by God.”

Simon the Cananaean (verse 18) had previously been a Zealot—a freedom fighter, as his epithet implies (see Matt 10:4 and the footnote). In fact, Luke refers to him as Simon the Zealot (Luke 6:15).

Mentioned last is Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus (verse 19). His name likely derives from his place of origin, Kerioth: Iscariot = man from Kerioth (Joshua 15:25). Kerioth was located 20 kilometers south of Hebron, on the border between Judea and Idumea.

Apparently, Judas Iscariot was the only one of Jesus's disciples who came from Judea; the others were Galileans.

Another explanation for the name Iscariot is that it may be a variation of the word sicarii—meaning "dagger-men"—referring to assassins who belonged to the Zealots. If this interpretation is correct, Jesus’s group of disciples included two former members of the resistance movement and one former tax collector—an agent of the Roman state. The rest of the disciples were likely ordinary commoners, such as fishermen (see Mark 1:16–20).

The list of the apostles begins with Peter, who denied Jesus (Mark 14:66–72), and ends with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him (Mark 14:43–45). Hardly a group of perfect disciples, then.

The Unbelief of Jesus’ Family – Mark 3:20–21

In verse 20, the Greek text simply says “a house,” but many translations interpret this as referring to the home of Peter and Andrew in Capernaum, which also became Jesus’s home (Mark 1:29, 2:1). Jesus’s relatives (verse 21) apparently lived in Nazareth (Mark 1:9). The distance between these two towns was approximately 35 kilometers.

In Greek, it is stated that Jesus and the disciples could not eat bread (verse 20). Bread was the primary food of that time.

James, the brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3)—known as "the Just"—was renowned for his strict observance of the Law, even as a Christian (see Acts 21:18–35; Galatians 2:12). In his Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius recounts that even the Jews held his observance of the Law in high regard.

Apparently, Jesus’ home was close to the Pharisees. John relates that even Jesus’ own brothers did not believe in him during his lifetime (John 7:1–9). After the resurrection, the situation changed (Acts 1:14), and James became the leader of the Jerusalem church, succeeding Simon Peter (Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18).

Based on this information, we can infer what caused Jesus’s family to be concerned about him. John recounts that the Jews accused Jesus of being possessed by demons because he made “excessive” claims about himself—placing himself above Abraham (John 8:38–53). Evidently, Jesus’s family also felt that he was making excessive claims about himself and that he was mentally unbalanced (the final word in verse 21 is the Greek term from which the Finnish word ekstaasi—ecstasy—is derived). They believed that someone saying such things could not be in his right mind; he was beside himself and in need of supervision.

Mark interrupts the account of Jesus’s family and returns to it again in verse 31.