Luke 6:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What was articulated in our analysis of the Gospel of Matthew is widely acknowledged. Now we can say that a person who does not engage in righteous deeds possesses a withered hand. The hand serves as the means of action, so one with a withered hand undoubtedly remains inactive. Hence, anyone seeking to restore their hand must do so on the Sabbath. Allow us to elaborate. One cannot carry out righteous deeds without first refraining from wrongdoing. First, turn away from evil, and then engage in good (Psalm 36:27). Consequently, when you observe the Sabbath, meaning you rest from evil actions, you will then extend your hand toward righteous deeds, and it will be restored to you.

The inquiry posed is indeed insightful, and the assertion serves as a fitting response to their misguided reasoning. If performing good deeds on the Sabbath is permissible, and nothing hinders God from showing compassion to those who suffer, then cease the pursuit of claims against Christ, as this only brings upon yourself the judgment decreed by the Father against those who disrepute the Son. For you have heard the words spoken through David, “I will cleave His enemies before His face, and those who hate Him I will make them flee.” Conversely, if it is wrong to do good on the Sabbath, and the law prohibits saving a life, you position yourself as a critic of the law, casting aspersions on the very commandment that dignifies the ministry of Moses.

You have heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Stretch out your hand." This act of healing is accessible to all. Be mindful not to allow your hand, which you may believe to be whole, to become tainted by greed or irreverence. Extend your hand more frequently to the beggar who seeks your assistance, to aid your neighbor, or to stand up for the widow (cf. Psalm 108:7), rescuing them from iniquity and vain insults. Reach out to God for the forgiveness of your sins! The hand that is extended is made whole! When Jeroboam made offerings to false gods, his hand became paralyzed, yet when he turned back to God, he was able to reach out once more.

In the same chapter, we have elaborated on this matter. When we refer to the soul, we are referring to the entirety of a person, named in relation to one of its aspects.

During the following two sabbaths, the significance of the Sabbath and the sanctity of its rest, which had been only partially disclosed due to renewed conflicts with the Pharisees, became much clearer and more thoroughly explained. The initial occurrence involved the Lord's disciples, who, as they journeyed from Jerusalem through a field, found themselves hungry and, lacking other provisions, plucked some ears of grain, rubbing them in their hands to eat. Another incident took place in the synagogue, where a man with a withered hand was fully restored, achieved solely by a command from Christ without any physical action. This latter event unfolded in Galilee.

On a certain Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue. Present there was a man with a withered right hand. The scribes and Pharisees watched closely to see if He would heal the afflicted man, seeking to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. Not only were they observing in silence, but as Matthew recounts, they also posed a challenging question to Him. In response, Jesus called the man with the withered hand to step forward. He asked the Pharisees, “Which of you, having one sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lift it out?” He then pressed them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil?

Understanding the motive behind the Pharisees' inquiry, aware of their inner thoughts, and seeking to illustrate that performing good deeds on the Sabbath is not sinful, Jesus commanded the man with a withered hand to stand in the center of the synagogue for all to see. He then challenged the Pharisees with the question, “What is lawful on the Sabbath, to do good or to do evil?” They were left mute, unable to conjure a legalistic response, revealing their misunderstanding of the inquiry. Christ then articulated His point in the clearest terms. Not knowing if a healing could occur on the Sabbath, He turned their attention to their own self-interest: if their own livestock were in danger, would they not rescue them even on the Sabbath?

Christ gazed at them with profound displeasure; righteous anger ignited in His spirit, reflected in His countenance, infused into His actions, and echoed in His voice as He carefully surveyed the faces around Him, contorted by malignant stubbornness, confronting them with their malice and depravity, ignorance, and pride. Then, repressing this deep-seated emotion, He turned to perform an act of compassion, addressing the afflicted man: ‘Stretch forth thy hand.’ To the astonishment of all gathered, he extended it, and it was restored to full health. In this way, Christ once again vanquished His adversaries, not only through His words but also through a remarkable act of mercy that brought further honor to the Messiah.