Jesus versus Fundamental Religion --- Mark 3

I had to smile when I read the first set of verses in Mark chapter 3. Jesus entered into the synagogue and encountered a man with a withered hand. The religious Pharisees, rulers, the leaders were waiting to see what Jesus would do because it was the Sabbath day. Everyone knew that ‘working’ on the Sabbath day was a ‘no no,’ even worthy of death.

Jesus asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill?” The Pharisees were silent.

Jesus looked around WITH ANGER. The Scripture says He was grieved due to the hardness/blindness of their hearts. What would make someone so calloused to not care about a misfortunate man? Why would a community of people be more concerned about a rule rather than the health and well being of one of their acquaintances? Imagine the suffering of the man who didn’t measure up: The taunts he heard, the ridicule from religious leaders. The blind man story in John 9 tells how the religious believed that someone’s sin caused the deformity.

“Sinner,” they determined about the deformed man.

Can you imagine the moment when Jesus said to man with the withered hand, “Stretch forth your hand!” Jesus knew that His act of compassion would bring about judgment from the leaders. He acted in mercy anyway. The man’s hand was restored to wholeness.

Now, most people would rejoice, would they not? “Whoo Hoo. An amazing miracle just happened at the synagogue!!” But these law-abiding self righteous, pious, judgmental, prideful people were steaming mad. They went behind closed doors with other conspirators devising ways to DESTROY Him. Not just get rid of, but destroy. Destroy is a powerful word. It means to demolish, to ruin, to abolish, or end something, to defeat in a crushing way. They wanted to destroy Someone who broke the rules they cherished. They were disconnected from all that Jesus offered… unconditional love and mercy, wisdom and understanding, grace and peace to all those who sit in darkness.

The Pharisees didn’t think they were in darkness, nor did they see themselves as blind. But Jesus could see their hearts and called them “blind guides,” “hypocrites,” saying to them, “Woe to you,” in Matthew 23.

Jesus WALKED AWAY from them. He wasn’t going to stick around this crowd. He wasn’t welcome, and He also knew they didn’t have ears to hear or eyes to see Him for Who He was/is - God in the flesh. Because of their own self righteousness, they missed the most Amazing Gift that ever blessed this planet. He WALKED AWAY from them.

He withdrew with His disciples as they celebrated the miracle. The disciples most likely asking Him … “How do you heal like that, Jesus? So awesome!” He and His friends retreated to somewhere safe and did the work that His Father was called Him to do. He healed the sick, released captives, and fed the poor.

This is the message of God’s heart. Love. Restoration. Wholeness. Healing. Peace. Compassion. Tenderness. Opposition of the oppressors.

Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save it.

Jesus demonstrated the essence of the New Covenant. Mercy and love triumphs over any law or rule. Due to the cross, resurrection, ascension, and filling of the temple (corporate body of believers) with His own Spirit, the Old Covenant law vanished, making way for the New Covenant law of love to reign forever in our hearts. Amen.