Mercy Is Never Contrary to God’s Will
9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
Matthew 12:9–14
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Mercy Is Never Contrary to God’s Will
The Pharisees watched Jesus, hoping to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. They cared less about the suffering man before them than about their own traditions and the chance to condemn the Lord for breaking the Sabbath. Jesus exposes the hardness of their hearts by showing that doing good and showing mercy are entirely consistent with God’s will. We, too, can become more concerned with appearances, rules, and self-justification than with loving our neighbors. Our sinful hearts quickly condemn others while overlooking our own need for mercy. God’s Law reveals this sin and leaves us without excuse. Yet Jesus came not to crush the broken but to save sinners. The hand He restored points us to the greater healing He accomplished at the cross, where He bore our sins and won forgiveness through His death. The crucified and risen Christ gives mercy freely.
Matthew 12:9–14
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Mercy Is Never Contrary to God’s Will
The Pharisees watched Jesus, hoping to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. They cared less about the suffering man before them than about their own traditions and the chance to condemn the Lord for breaking the Sabbath. Jesus exposes the hardness of their hearts by showing that doing good and showing mercy are entirely consistent with God’s will. We, too, can become more concerned with appearances, rules, and self-justification than with loving our neighbors. Our sinful hearts quickly condemn others while overlooking our own need for mercy. God’s Law reveals this sin and leaves us without excuse. Yet Jesus came not to crush the broken but to save sinners. The hand He restored points us to the greater healing He accomplished at the cross, where He bore our sins and won forgiveness through His death. The crucified and risen Christ gives mercy freely.
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