Jesus Heals the Man Who Had Dropsy

141 And it came to pass, on his going into the house of a certain one of the chiefs of the Pharisees, on a sabbath, to eat bread, that they were watching him, 2 and lo, there was a certain dropsical man before him; 3 and Jesus answering spake to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is it lawful on the sabbath-day to heal?' 4 and they were silent, and having taken hold of 'him', he healed him, and let 'him' go; 5 and answering them he said, 'Of which of you shall an ass or ox fall into a pit, and he will not immediately draw it up on the sabbath-day?' 6 and they were not able to answer him again unto these things.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 14:1-6

Commentary on Luke 14:1-6

(Read Luke 14:1-6)

This Pharisee, as well as others, seems to have had an ill design in entertaining Jesus at his house. But our Lord would not be hindered from healing a man, though he knew a clamour would be raised at his doing it on the sabbath. It requires care to understand the proper connexion between piety and charity in observing the sabbath, and the distinction between works of real necessity and habits of self-indulgence. Wisdom from above, teaches patient perseverance in well-doing.