Is It Lawful to Heal on the Sabbath Day? - Luke 14:3

The beloved physician Luke wrote, “And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy”, and in chapter fourteen and verse three of his book Luke shared how Jesus asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?” where we read:

And Jesus answering spoke unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying,

Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

The verse reads, “And Jesus answering spoke unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “And Jesus answering” or “and the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation responded and beginning to answer” “spoke unto the lawyers” which means “uttered, declared and proclaimed to ones learned in the law who served as both interpreters and teachers” “and Pharisees” or “and ones who belonged to the sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to Old Testament books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following words. Luke shared how Jesus began to speak to the “Pharisees” who were in the home where He was invited to eat and where He observed the man with the “dropsy”.

The verse goes on to say, “... Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?” Luke continued with the words, “Is it lawful” or “is it according to the law and right” “to heal” which means “to cure, make whole, restore to health and do service” “on the sabbath day” or “upon the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work”? Luke shared how Jesus questioned the “Pharisees” as to whether it was “right” to “cure” people on the “Sabbath day”.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus began to challenge the “normal thinking” within these “religious leaders”. The “Pharisees” had “rules” concerning “working” on the “Sabbath day”, and even if a person could be “healed” from an illness, they did not agree that this “work or service” should be done. God loves every person, and He knows the illnesses and afflictions that have come upon every one of them. He knows what it takes to “save” mankind from their “sins”, and He sent Jesus to to die on the cross so they may be forgiven of their sins and live with Him forever. Jesus violated “man-made” laws to fulfill the “law of God”, and those who examine His life will find He is willing to serve people both “physically” and “spiritually” on any day He chooses.

Next time Luke shares how, “they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".