The Man with a Withered Hand

31 And he went again into the Synagogue; and there was a man there whose hand was dead. 2 And they were watching him to see if he would make him well on the Sabbath day, so that they might have something against him. 3 And he said to the man, Get up and come forward. 4 And he said to them, Is it right to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil? to give life or to put to death? But they said nothing. 5 And looking round on them he was angry, being sad because of their hard hearts; and he said to the man, Put out your hand. And he put it out, and his hand was made well. 6 And the Pharisees went out, and straight away made designs with the Herodians about how they might put him to death.

A Multitude at the Seaside

7 And Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great number from Galilee came after him: and from Judaea, 8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and the other side of Jordan, and the country about Tyre and Sidon, a great number, hearing what great things he did, came to him. 9 And he made a request to his disciples to have a little boat ready for him, so that he might not be crushed by the people; 10 For he had made such a great number well that all those who were diseased were falling down before him for the purpose of touching him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, went down before him, crying out, and saying, You are the Son of God. 12 And he gave them special orders not to say who he was.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 3:1-12

Commentary on Mark 3:1-5

(Read Mark 3:1-5)

This man's case was piteous; he had a withered hand, which disabled him from working for his living; and those that are so, are the most proper objects of charity. Let those be helped that cannot help themselves. But stubborn infidels, when they can say nothing against the truth, yet will not yield. We hear what is said amiss, and see what is done amiss; but Christ looks at the root of bitterness in the heart, the blindness and hardness of that, and is grieved. Let hard-hearted sinners tremble to think of the anger with which he will look upon them shortly, when the day of his wrath comes. The great healing day now is the sabbath, and the healing place the house of prayer; but the healing power is of Christ. The gospel command is like that recorded here: though our hands are withered, yet, if we will not stretch them out, it is our own fault that we are not healed. But if we are healed, Christ, his power and grace, must have all the glory.

Commentary on Mark 3:6-12

(Read Mark 3:6-12)

All our sicknesses and calamities spring from the anger of God against our sins. Their removal, or the making them blessings to us, was purchased to us by the blood of Christ. But the plagues and diseases of our souls, of our hearts, are chiefly to be dreaded; and He can heal them also by a word. May more and more press to Christ to be healed of these plagues, and to be delivered from the enemies of their souls.