Mark 3:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Matthew recounts that after leaving that place, Jesus entered their synagogue. There, He encountered a man with withered hands, continuing until the narrative states, “And she became as healthy as another.” Both Mark and Luke also address the healing of the man with the withered hand. One might assume that the healing and the incident of plucking ears occurred on the same Sabbath, if not for Luke clarifying that the healing of the hand happened on a different Sabbath. The phrase from Matthew, “And when He departed from there, He entered into their synagogue,” indicates that He traveled some distance before arriving. However, the exact number of days that passed after He walked through the fields or the distance He covered remains unspecified. In this context, we must consider Luke’s account, which confirms that the healing of the hand occurred on another Sabbath.

During the following two Sabbaths, the significance of the Sabbath and the sanctity of its rest became more deeply elucidated, in light of the ongoing disputes with the Pharisees. The first instance occurred when the Lord's disciples, while traveling from Jerusalem and finding themselves hungry, picked grain from a field and ate it after rubbing it in their hands. The second instance involved the miraculous healing of a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, achieved simply through the Lord’s commanding word. This latter event took place in Galilee.

On a different Sabbath, Jesus Christ was teaching in a synagogue. In attendance was a man with a withered right hand. The scribes and Pharisees were observing closely, intent on determining whether Christ would violate the Sabbath by healing this afflicted individual. They not only watched His actions closely but, as recorded by Matthew, confronted Him with a provocative question. The Lord then summoned the man with the withered hand to come forward and posed a question to the Pharisees: "Which of you, having one sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lift it out?" He continued to challenge them, asking, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil?

After leaving that place, He entered their place of worship, as noted by the Evangelist Matthew; the Evangelist Mark states that He returned to the synagogue, while the Gospel of Luke narrates that on another Sabbath, He entered the synagogue to teach. Therefore, it is not definitively clear which Sabbath Jesus healed the man with the withered hand: whether it was the Sabbath when His disciples picked some grain, or another one. Luke indicates it was on a different Sabbath, whereas Matthew suggests it was the same Sabbath. Generally, the Evangelists did not place significant emphasis on the precise timing of the events they recounted.

To illustrate more clearly the unfounded nature of the Pharisees' animosity towards those they accused of violating the Sabbath, the Savior seized an opportunity that arose in the synagogue of a nearby town (Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-5, Luke 6:6-11). Present in the synagogue was a man, reportedly a bricklayer, who had suffered an injury that resulted in the withering of his hand. He implored Christ for healing, seeking relief from the harsh necessity of resorting to begging. The people were aware of his situation and also seemed to be familiar with the dilemma at hand, leading the scribes and Pharisees to occupy the foremost places, their glares directed at Christ, anticipating a moment to accuse Him.

He returned to the synagogue, which is in Capernaum. At that place, the account of the healing of the man with the withered hand can be referenced in Matthew 12:9-14. Mark recounts this incident with some variances compared to Matthew, omitting certain details and adding new ones. Only by examining both narratives can one grasp a comprehensive understanding of the event: the Pharisees observed Jesus to determine if He would heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath as a means to accuse Him. They posed the question of whether healing was permissible on the Sabbath. The Lord instructed the man with the withered hand to stand in the middle of the synagogue and posed the question, "What is lawful on the Sabbath, to do good or to do harm?" They remained silent. Yet, He continued, "Which of you, having one sheep, etc.?" And, looking at them with indignation, He commanded the man to extend his hand, and it was restored.

After providing clarification to the scribes and Pharisees regarding the Sabbath's significance along the way, Jesus entered the synagogue on another Sabbath day and began to teach. Among those present was a man whose right hand was paralyzed.