NT 260: Part FourSample

This chapter begins with another story of Jesus healing someone, which is amazing enough, but it is significantly different than the healing story at the end of the previous chapter. Here Jesus takes the initiative, and there is no indication that anyone – including the man who was healed – put their faith in Jesus as a result. So why did Jesus heal this man? The clue seems to be in verses 10-11, where the main reaction to the healing is that it happened on the Sabbath – the Jewish day of rest. Over the centuries, the Jews surrounded this gracious command of God (one of the famous “Ten Commandments”) with man-made rules which turned the day into a source of anxiety rather than rest.

Both this healing episode and the following argument reveal that Jesus is greater than the burdensome rules we have created to keep us looking righteous. Further, He clarifies that the whole thrust of Scripture is pointing us to Himself as the only one who can provide true healing for our souls, that is, eternal life (v. 39). This reality is huge – and should rattle us a bit. The very people who should have been most ready to receive Jesus as their Savior and God find themselves butting heads with Him. Pay close attention to how Jesus talks them through their folly, and let your heart be open to his stern yet hope-filled words.