It was a set-up. There is no doubt about it. The synagogue in Capernaum was filled with eagle-eye Pharisees with their gaze focused on a man with a withered hand. This was the synagogue Jesus attended and they were waiting to pounce if Jesus should heal the man in violation of their Sabbath tradition.
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (Mar 3:1-6 ESV)
Since the beginning of Mark 2, the issue of the Sabbath and the religious leaders' growing opposition has been front and centre. As the chapter progressed, their opposition had intensified from thoughts, to questioning his disciples, to accusing his disciples. Now that hatred is going to peak with a determination to destroy Jesus.
The breath-taking part of the story is the absolute callousness to the physical disability of the man with the withered hand. Even when Jesus confronts them with the choice of doing good or evil on the Sabbath, they maintain stony silence, unmoved by the man's plight. When Jesus heals the man, they are unmoved by the spectacular miracle and can only see that Jesus has broken their rules. No doubt they began their plotting with a confident self-righteousness that they were the protectors of God's truth.
One final observation: The two groups that began plotting were diametrically opposed to one another. The Pharisees were the ultra-religious party and the Herodians were secular supporters of Rome. The only thing they had in common was their hatred for Jesus.
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. (Mar 3:1-6 ESV)
Since the beginning of Mark 2, the issue of the Sabbath and the religious leaders' growing opposition has been front and centre. As the chapter progressed, their opposition had intensified from thoughts, to questioning his disciples, to accusing his disciples. Now that hatred is going to peak with a determination to destroy Jesus.
The breath-taking part of the story is the absolute callousness to the physical disability of the man with the withered hand. Even when Jesus confronts them with the choice of doing good or evil on the Sabbath, they maintain stony silence, unmoved by the man's plight. When Jesus heals the man, they are unmoved by the spectacular miracle and can only see that Jesus has broken their rules. No doubt they began their plotting with a confident self-righteousness that they were the protectors of God's truth.
One final observation: The two groups that began plotting were diametrically opposed to one another. The Pharisees were the ultra-religious party and the Herodians were secular supporters of Rome. The only thing they had in common was their hatred for Jesus.
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